The growth in electric ovens, compact models and equipment designed for gluten-free foods; the need for an additional, compact oven that is easy to position and can be used for dedicated production lines. But also electrical technology, suitable for foodservice establishments that have difficulties installing flue pipes, for example in historic town centres with ancient buildings. The lack of qualified staff and the need for ovens that are increasingly easy to use. The search for healthier food and the continuing growth of pizza around the world, especially on North American and European markets. These are the trends in bakery and pizzas, identified by Sara Lauro, executive committee and partner of Alfa Forni.

Another trend is the delivery business “which has changed the market and made the idea of the flexibility of ovens in restaurants and pizzerias increasingly interesting. It has also led to a demand for more and more lightweight ovens that quickly reach the required temperature,” Lauro explains.

Italy is leading the way in pizzas, both in equipment technology and in the quality of ingredients. “The role played by Italy is a driving force for growth in both aspects. Technology, local ingredients and communication activities with the big pizza names have made it possible to open up new commercial channels: in the professional sector we are focusing on new, more flexible models of oven that consume less energy, do not require masonrywork for installation and can be adapted for use in limited spaces.”

Basically, the business now operates with technology 4.0 and IoT, explains Pierfranco Pirovano, sales & marketing manager at Gicar. “I can confirm that, in our work designing and producing personalised electronic cards for use in the foodservice sector, there has been an exponential growth in the demand by manufacturers to be able to connect their machinery to the Internet of Things. Through this functionality, machines can be connected up to a remote server (using a wi-fi card) and then via applications to PCs and via apps on mobile devices, to monitor machinery remotely, to know exactly where the machine has been installed, as well as how much (and what) it has dispensed. The parameters of the machine can also be modified remotely and alerts can be set to advise on when maintenance work needs to be carried out.”