The international journey toward SIGEP World 2026, Italian Exhibition Group's major event dedicated to the gelato, pastry, chocolate, coffee, bakery, and pizza sectors, is gaining momentum from Madrid. The roadshow in the Spanish capital, hosted by the Italian Embassy and organized in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Spain, brought together analysts, associations, and key players in the Iberian foodservice sector for a roundtable discussion on the ongoing transformations in urban consumption, service styles, and business models.

The comparison revealed that Spain is currently one of the most dynamic out-of-home markets in Europe. Circana data presented during the roadshow shows that, among the main European countries (France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and Germany), overall growth in the first nine months of 2025 was 1.8% compared to the previous year. Spain recorded a 2.4% increase and is the country with the highest growth in both spending and visits to foodservice establishments. In this context, gelato and pastry shops remain central elements in contemporary urban concepts, as defining components of the gastronomic experience, capable of combining artisanal quality and replicable models. The process will continue in Rimini, where direct working agendas between Italian companies and Spanish groups have already been scheduled. The trade fair destination's accessibility is further enhanced by direct flights not only from Munich but also from Madrid, encouraging the participation of international buyers, chains, and operators.

Another strategic asset is India, present at Sigep World as a guest country with a delegation of buyers, media, and institutions: a rapidly developing market, interested in advanced foodservice and hospitality models.

One of the central themes of Sigep World 2026 will be gelato as a professional skill to be integrated into the menus of restaurant chains, hotels, and cafés. Thanks to Gelato Meets Chains and the international campaign "What is Gelato?", gelato is presented as a skill and a business opportunity: restaurant chains, hotel groups, and coffee shops thus have the tools to permanently integrate it into their menus, transforming it into a distinctive element of their offering.

The Luxury Hotel Food Experience will highlight emerging trends in high-end hospitality, through authoritative contributions and strategic insights from academia, food and beverage managers from major chains, and pastry chefs. It will offer a practical discussion on service aesthetics, gastronomic identity, and new forms of experience in premium settings. The Innovation Bar, on the other hand, addresses the more concrete aspect of the market: how the bar is changing. Intelligent robotics, optimized workflows, specialty coffee as a language rather than a trend, not to mention new ways of consuming the beverage.

The pizza project is growing and becoming structured as a complete supply chain: toppings, dough, technologies, and service models. The Pizza Arena, together with the Vision Plaza, will offer a lively observatory on trends and methods with exceptional partners, including 50 Top Pizza and international training institutions.