HOST Milan, Italy, October 13-17 As soon as you walk through the HostMilano turnstiles you immediately sense an atmosphere of open internationality. Top players in professional hospitality, out-of-home, and food retail come here from all over the world. And here you can preview many of the latest developments that have not yet been officially launched on the market. More than 180 thousand visitors attended the 43rd edition of the trade show. Of these, more than 42% were from 166 countries. Innovation for HostMilano is also synonymous with training and professional development. There were more than 800 scheduled events. In its first edition, Chocolate Culture provided a space dedicated to chocolate culture with the aim of highlighting Italian master artisans and their specialties. Maestro chocolatier Davide Comaschi and his team of experts delved into different aspects of the food – from science to culture and business – with the masters of ALMA and the Chocolate Academy in Milan. During the event they talked about chocolate in the gelato shop and how this ingredient is the key to expanding sales throughout the year and more. Franco Cesare Puglisi, publisher of puntoItaly, focused on the quality of the product range and professionalism of the service as key elements for growth. “Gelato shops could educate customers about quality chocolate by holding free tasting sessions in their stores, also to increase gelato sales year round,” said Puglisi, who concluded with a quote from Benjamin Franklin: “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” Also making its debut was the World Panettone Championship organized by the Academy of Masters of Sourdough Starter and Italian Panettone, which saw the Italian team victorious. The spotlight was also turned on the gelato-pastry world with the return of luxury pastries of the world curated by Iginio Massari, who focused on current trends. The World Trophy of Pastry Gelato and Chocolate went to France, while Poland won the Cake Designers World Championship. The World Trophy of Professional Tiramisu was awarded to China, followed by Italy and France. Design was the focus of the Smart Label - Host Innovation Award, a prestigious recognition of sustainable innovation that saw 26 products awarded out of a total of 157 entries received from all over the planet. The 44th edition of HostMilano is scheduled to be held on October 17-21, 2025. 57
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