The wonderful world of coffee, which is generally regarded as the world’s most widely enjoyed beverage. And there is a whole no less wonderful market around it. An entire world revolves around coffee, whose natural home is HostMilano – the fair being held at Fieramilano in Rho from Friday 13th to Tuesday 17th October, and SIC, the well-established International Coffee Exhibition which brings together the Coffee, Tea and Bars, Coffee Machines, Vending sectors, with further opportunities for hybridisation thanks to the presence also of Gelato and Pastry in the same macro area.

But what just how big a business is it? According to studies carried out by Grand View Research, the global coffee machine market will total $6.64 billion this year. And Italy is a world leader: in 2023, Assofoodtec states, production will be worth 550 million euros, of which 415 million euros will come from exports.

This vibrancy reflects the ability of companies to innovate, combining digitalisation, connectivity, and ease of use. “Innovation and sustainability are fundamental values of our Astoria brand,” say the Marketing Department of CMA Industrial Technologies. “On some models it is possible to connect to the internet by Wi-Fi on our platform. And the technology involved is good not only for the bartender, but also for the planet, thanks to the energy saving algorithm."

An increasingly easy job for baristas

Facilitating the bartender's work is also a focus for Dalla Corte, as explained by Web & Social Media Specialist Roseanna Piperno: “The trend is to develop technologies that simplify the work done behind the bar, such as our DC System which makes it possible to automatically adjust the grinding, control the machine remotely and also includes our automatic cappuccino maker."

Tommaso Natale, Marketing & Communication Manager for La Marzocco, agrees: “Specialty coffee is undergoing a process of 'democratisation': the average manager is less technically-minded, but more demanding. Our new products use high-end technology to make the equipment easier to use. In terms of sustainability, we have a dedicated department that manages multiple projects, covering such activities as reducing emissions and controlling energy consumption."

“Today professionals want to extract the best chosen blends for a demanding customer,” says Maurizio Maccagnani, President of La Spaziale. “The answer is high-performance machines, capable of personalising each cup of coffee. For example, with high-resolution capacity displays that allow you to control a wide range of parameters with extreme accuracy, through an intuitive interface.”

The not-to-be-missed event for innovation throughout the bar world is the SIC which will be held at Host 2023. Anyone wanting to be there should buy their entrance ticket online now.