The age of the trade fair as a mere showcase of products is coming to an end, in favour of the idea of a place where opportunities are created for networking between supply and demand at an international level, and HostMilano has been a trailblazer for this development. Many years ago, in fact, the biennial Milan fair – this year at fieramilano from 13 to 17 October – was already combining an innovative exhibition sequence with a calendar of extra events. But it also had another important strength: the presence of many high-profile hosted buyer representations, which were constantly being added so that markets with the most potential for growth were also included. And they are flanked by tens of thousands of other professional operators from all over the world.

On the subject of well-established markets and those with great potential, two areas of particular interest for the coming edition later this year will be the USA and Canada and also the Middle East, with particular reference to the Gulf States. But what are the most interesting sectors? The possibly less well-explored segments of Ho.Re.Ca and Retail include catering on board cruise ships and aircraft.

In its ongoing interaction with the players in the business, HostMilano analysed its hosted buyer base to identify some of the trends – in terms of both geography and sector – that can provide guidance to manufacturers. In terms of regions, Nord America is confirmed as having the lion’s share. In 2022, this market alone accounted for almost half (47%) of the world’s out-of-home eating market, one that is forecast to grow to a total value of over 5.4 trillion dollars (data: Brainy Insights). And despite the continued growth in food delivery, dining-in still accounts for the largest proportion of the business. Typical of this market is the growing importance of fast food chains, which translates into a significant demand for machinery capable of automating many processes, so that they can be carried out to a consistently high level of quality also by non-specialised staff.

By contrast, the market in the Gulf States continues to be characterised by the custom in Middle Eastern countries of considering hotels as convivial places of social interaction, and not just as places providing temporary accommodation. The most keenly-felt requirement among operators is that of creating an environment where guests feel “at home”. That does not mean reproducing local stylistic features, however, but rather recreating the kinds of sophisticated European atmospheres that guests love to experience on their travels. On these markets, a lot of effort needs to go into developing products and formats and everything that comes under the term design, not forgetting the inclusion of digital and online technologies, which consumers in the Middle East are particularly passionate about.

As for catering, the main challenge facing operators in the coming years will be how to respond to the increasing demand being expressed by consumers for sustainability, naturalness and customised solutions, and how to combine that with the need for economies of scale standardisation typical of eco-system like airlines or cruise companies. For manufacturers, that means coming up with technologies, products, services or solutions that rise to this major challenge.

As HostMilano has always shown in its long history – and as will again be seen at the 2023 edition – true innovation is achieved when the efforts made by manufacturers coincide with real market demands.