• The Italian Exhibition Group event at Rimini Expo Centre from 20^th to 24^th January 2024 featuring leading supply chains: gelato, pastry, chocolate, coffee, and bakery 

• A highly international edition preceded by the recent strategic opening on the Chinese market with Sigep China in Shenzhen and Sigep Asia in Singapore 

• From trendy products to new technologies, training, workshops and talks, culture, focus on the dolce foodservice market and networking opportunities 

• The Gelato World Cup, Junior Pastry World Cup and the Young Ideas competition for young bakers will also be back  

Sigep -The World Dolce Expo, organised by the Italian Exhibition Group, whose 45^th edition will be held from 20^th to 24^th January at Rimini Expo Centre, is fast approaching. 

The event, a reference point for the dolce foodservice world, will showcase the very best of everything linked to artisan gelato, pastry, bakery, coffee and chocolate supply chains. The halls will include numerous sector innovations accompanied by the latest trends in terms of consumption and new formats for venues. 

SIGEP, A DOLCE FOODSERVICE CATALYST  

Sigep’s supply chains will occupy the Expo Centre’s 28 halls with a new and functional layout for buyers and operators and more than 1,200 exhibitor brands occupying the 129,000 square metres of exhibition space, 90 percent of which is already sold out.   

Thanks to collaboration with the sector’s artisan and trade associations, national and global Master gelato, pastry chef, baker, barista and coffee specialist associations, SIGEP 2024 will favour new business and networking opportunities and provide in-depth information on foreign markets. Everything from new products within the various sectors, the latest trends from packaging to technologies related to machinery and systems, with a special focus on current issues involving company and staff management. Ample space will be given to the topics of sustainability, product culture and marketing development through digital innovation. 

SPOTLIGHT ON INTERNATIONALITY  

Sigep’s international launch is escalating rapidly: the recent expansion towards Asian markets with the strategic opening on the Chinese market with SIGEP China in the city of Shenzhen and the launch of Sigep Asia in Singapore is proof.  

The continuing and deployed support of ITA – Italian Trade Agency – for the promotion and internationalisation of Italian companies abroad will exponentially enhance the already large representation of buyers expected to arrive in Rimini in January, where they will be greeted with a specific and full programme for meeting the sector’s top companies that have always featured at Sigep. Internationality will also be spotlighted in the “Vision Plaza,” where scheduled talks will provide information on the most competitive aspects of the international artisan dolce foodservice business and the most pressing topical issues: sustainable development, training and technology. 

BIG INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL COMPETITIONS IN THE ARENAS 

International championships are one of the event’s driving forces, a unique opportunity for young recruits to meet the great masters and learn technical skills, creativity and innovation. 

The six specialised “Arenas” will host international competitions, workshops and demos.  

The Gelato Arena will again be staging the Gelato World Cup, the world’s most eagerly awaited and important international competition that includes trials in gelato making, pastry and chocolate making, catering and ice sculpting, with 12 teams participating. The competition will decide the winning team for the Gelato World Champion 2024 title. Moreover, Sigep Gelato D’Oro will award the best Italian gelato and pastry professionals, who will compete in the second edition of the Gelato Europe Cup, scheduled to take place at Sigep 2025. 

Competitions in the Pastry Arena will include the Junior Pastry World Cup, JPWC, which enhances the talents of young under-23s with 12 teams competing on the theme “Myths and Legends”; the Senior and Junior Italian Pastry Championships will be held on the themes “Travelling to the East” and “A Sustainable Future” respectively. 

The very youngest pastry chefs will be competing in the SIGEP Giovani training project in collaboration with “Pasticceria Internazionale”, Sigep exhibiting companies and hotel and catering schools from all over Italy to put into practice the knowledge and skills learnt at school.  

Attention will again be paid to young people in the Bakery Arena with Young Ideas, the competition aimed at bakery talents from Italian hotel and catering schools and professional training organisations, whose efforts will be judged by expert bakers.