Design, nature and automation: these are the three big themes of the year in the pastry and gelateria furnishings and display case market, says Federico Malizia, CEO of CIAM.

The Romagna-based company identifies three concepts – Design, Nature, Automation – which appropriately enough abbreviate as DNA – “with products and ideas that are the result of an integrated, strategic vision for the long and medium term.”

On the Design front, there are products “with some quite unique features, inspired by the world of haute couture, that tailor emotions, styles and experiences to the individual customer.” One example is the first vertical “gelato wall”: a new concept that reinterprets the whole idea of the counter by eliminating the traditional display barriers, and replacing them with vertical display cases that fit flush to the wall, and with refrigerated cabinets featuring drawers that pull open.

As for Nature: “it is our responsibility to preserve the environment in which we live, and for this reason we have extended our range of plug-in products that use eco-friendly R290 and R455 gases (they are extremely low on CO2 emissions) and an innovative smart refrigeration system that facilitates and digitises functions, making possible constant energy savings.”

Finally, Automation “in the sense of an action based on efficiency and ease of use that also becomes an expression of fluid, elegant beauty”, adding automatic movement to the display cases that makes them easier to work with. Information management is also automated, through an integrated solution to remotely control and monitor all the refrigerated functions.

“In today’s world, energy problems are key to the very survival of a gelateria, and a technology to support it is very much needed. Gelato makers have to find a balance between keeping production costs down and developing new ideas to offer their customers,” says Giuseppe Bravo, CEO of BRAVO.

This Veneto-based company has introduced a professional filling machine, which “is like a small, easy-to-manage sac à poche used to fill the medium-sized and large tubs and cups with gelato, jam, sorbets, creams and chocolate glazes” and a countertop machine used for vacuum pasteurisation: “Gelato made using a mixture that is pasteurised using a vacuum process offers a big advantage over the fresh product intended for immediate consumption, especially in terms of enhancing flavour. We are convinced that vacuum technology is the first step towards opening up new horizons for both sweet and savoury foodstuffs.”

It is definitely a case of ‘onwards and upwards’ for gelato, chocolate and everything in between: “We are seeing greater interest in the chocolate sector and a growing demand for high-quality artisanal products,” says Fabio Cigolini, owner of ICB Tecnologie.

Hence the appearance of new establishments devoted specifically to chocolate, and to ways of introducing chocolate products into pastry shops and gelaterias. “In the field of gelato in particular, chocolate is proving to be an excellent complementary product for the winter season, when less gelato is consumed. This trend will undoubtedly continue in 2022, with more and more professionals trying their hand at artisanal chocolate making.”

With regard to technologies, finally, the increase in the number of users who need machinery to work chocolate is leading to the appearance of new versions of existing equipment, such as tempering machines, in order to cope with the various demands of this wider consumer target.