‘Largest ever’ Sigep World exhibition returns to Rimini in January

Sigep World, the global expo for foodservice gelato, pastry, chocolate, bakery, pizza and coffee, will be back at Rimini Expo Centre from 16-20 January 2026.

The event, organised by the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), will showcase products and technologies and gather international suppliers to the hospitality trade under one roof.

This year’s exhibition will be the largest yet, featuring 1,300 brands. Alongside Italian attendance, represented by foodservice supply chain companies, the international component will also be significantly bigger, up 28%, with exhibitors from 45 countries.

Representatives from Germany, Spain, France, China, Turkey, Belgium, Poland, the US, Greece and Denmark will be attending the show, while new areas represented in the 2026 edition comprise Canada, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Ecuador, Estonia, Serbia, Singapore, Nepal and the Czech Republic.

The show will also feature the National Hall, encompassing official collectives from countries including Saudi Arabia, China, Ukraine and Brazil showcasing their products.

India will serve as Sigep’s 2026 ‘Guest Country’ and is expected to send a delegation of 50 top buyers and institutional representatives, as well as exhibitors specialising in gelato technologies.

The larger offer will be accompanied by a ‘Top Buyer Programme’, which will bring 500 buyers from 75 countries to Rimini, with the US, India, Canada and Brazil leading the way in terms of representation. This will include major foodservice chains, large importers and distributors.

Gelato will remain a main focus of the show, with the ‘What is Gelato?’ and ‘Gelato Meets Chains’ initiatives – designed to show chains, hotels and international operators how Italian gelato can be a global business lever.

The pastry sector will be bigger than previous editions, while other prominent product areas will include chocolate, bakery and pizza.

The coffee section will feature a ‘Sustainability District’, highlighting producing countries and projects specifically for sustainable supply chains, from African co-operatives to Latin American cocoa. Plus an ‘Innovation Bar’ will reinterpret the contemporary coffee shop with AI and robotics.

A new strategic elemen, the ‘Luxury Hotel Food Experience’, will connect high-end hotel brands with supply chains, creating experiential tables and opportunities for discussion for top hotels’ food and beverage managers and chefs.

Foodservice technologies will feature in the ‘Kitchen Equipment Hub’; the ‘Frozen Product Hub’ will snapshot the growth of quality frozen foods; while digital services will find a home in the new ‘Digital District’, spotlighting software, smart payments and robotics.