Innovation, technology and design. The trio of aces that has always characterized HostMilano returns again this year in the 42nd edition of the event (at fieramilano, from 22 to 26 October 2021), with Smart Label - Host Innovation Award, the award now in its fifth edition organized in collaboration with POLI .Design Consortium of the Politecnico di Milano with the patronage of ADI - Italian Association for Industrial Design.

After having awarded more than 700 companies and products in the past years, the 2021 edition of the award was even more visionary than usual. As demonstrated by the fact that, about a month after the inauguration of the event, on 16 September (from 11.30 to 13.00), the organizers of the award decided to create a live webinar entitled "Sustainability and human hospitality: rethinking and innovating hospitality to offer the experience of a country in recovery”, with the participation of representatives of POLI.Design and some awarded companies. The goal is to trace the guidelines of the new hospitality paradigms in the post-Covid period.

On the other hand, the  particularly high quality of the almost 80 applications presented this year - with more than half of the aspiring winners coming from the professional catering equipment sector of the future, about twenty from the Bar, Coffee machines, Vending, Coffee, Tea and more than 10% from Tableware - made the work of the 5 members of the jury, selected from international teachers, professionals and experts in the fields of design, hospitality and energy saving, quite difficult.

They had the task of evaluating the products/services/projects on the basis of a series of elements such as the efficiency of the functions, the effectiveness of the performances, the innovativeness of the methods of use and technologies. All following the need to respond to the new needs of customers, both in terms of languages ​​and methods of providing services.

Up for grabs, the innovation certification that went to over twenty products/companies, divided into three distinct categories: Innovation SMART Label, dedicated to products capable of breaking the mold, between reducing consumption and using the latest technologies (Heylo of Carimali SpA; aēralab of Iberital, T&S WaterWatch of T&S Brass and Bronze Works Inc .; Multi.Day Hot Vacuum of Unox SpA); Green SMART Label, aimed at the most sustainable solutions (Smart and Green Ice Maker by Castel Mac Srl; Twin Star Double Face, by Dihr Ali Group srl; Visualis Eurocryor with Adaptive System by Epta SpA; DB-10 Potato Peeler, Stainless Steel, with Peel Collection Filter by Metalúrgica Skymsen Ltda.; S S50E Icon series by Moretti Forni SpA; Remind recycled gray, the chair by Pedrali SpA); SMART Label, designed for products capable of determining significant evolutions in the various reference sectors of Ho.re.ca (Hydrogate Interaction by Blupura Srl; Zero by Dalla Corte; Mychef iCook 6gn 1/1 by Distform | Mychef; Prometheus Interaction by Conti Valerio Srl; EV3 200 Web Interaction by Evco SpA; Gaggia Milano La Solare by Evoca SpA; AllGround by Fiorenzato Mc Srl; eQ electronic pot-filler by Gebr. Echtermann GmbH & Co. Kg; TheProbe by Italynnova Srl; i.ScoopShower Unlimited Silver Waterstop Spray rinsing device for ice-cream scoops Add-on version by Loelsberg - Inh. Bernd Lölsberg; Bottle washing system by Meiko Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. Kg; iQ 640 Fes Carrousel Model by QualitFry sl; iCombi Pro by Rational Italia Srl; Tattoo Mule by Rcr Cristalleria Italiana; VitoConnect by Vito Ag).