What does being sustainably innovative actually mean? Until a few years ago, solutions in the world of Ho.Re.Ca and Retail mainly concerned energy saving, whereas now we need responses to a range of other things too: how to save not just on energy, but also on water and other resources.  How is it possible to achieve greater efficiency while at the same time ensuring the quality of the finished product? And how do you create innovation not just in products but also in processes?

Many of the answers to questions like these will be found in the innovative products that Italian and international companies will be presenting at Host 2023, at fieramilano from 13 to 17 October. “The requirements and trends that are defining demand today have to do with energy sustainability, and the optimisation and organisation of spaces and production activities,” says Andrea Zanuso, export director at Bravo, one of the leaders in the field of gelato and confectionery technologies. “Technologies need to be easy to use, and to ensure consistent quality of the finished product, but above all they need to support professionals and help them to be flexible in the production work they do, to manage their time and to deliver a high performance level. That was the motivation behind the creation in 1974 (way ahead of its time) of the multifunctional Trittico machine and all subsequent versions of it.”

“Together with DAFNAE (the Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment at Padua University), in recent years our R&D division has been working on Blow, a technology that enables our Trittico machine, the Pastmatic pasteuriser and the Mixcream cream cooker to work under vacuum conditions, simply and only when needed,” Zanuso adds.

This is the valuable viewpoint of an export director, who is very familiar with the international markets that are so much  part of HostMilano. The same markets in which the German multinational Hobart operates, in the field of washing solutions. As Cornelia Zeiger, of the online marketing department explains: “‘Reusable’ is a big trend: more and more industries all over Europe are relying on washable plastic cups and dishes, or on refillable bottles for coffee and food to go. Legislation is being introduced in various countries that requires restaurateurs and coffee shop owners to offer reusable containers to each customer.”

So that means more washing: “The costs of energy, staff and other resources have risen rapidly in the past year. Hobart’s smart technology responds to these challenges by offering a range of automated functions: our Top-Dry technology, for example, makes hand-drying of glasses and dishes completely obsolete, while the new Two-Level-Washer provides twice the capacity of a conventional dishwasher, thanks to an additional wash chamber, while occupying the same space as a regular machine.”

Requirements and trends are not limited to equipment, but extend to all out-of-home solutions, with sustainability always a high priority, says Floriana Nardi, CEO of the like-named company specialising in outdoor products: “Innovation involves all areas of the company. Attention to environmental issues concerns all our processes, which is why we are investing so much in it, as well as in design, functionality, materials and company staff: for us ‘doing business’ also means building relationships that create value.”

An approach which, more specifically, translates into a winning combination of product and process innovation: “Regarding products, we are busy working on the Regeneration line, to make products out of post-consumer plastic: the recycled material has characteristics that are completely different from virgin plastic, so various technical innovations are needed for it to be moulded, especially when making chairs and tables. Other areas where technological innovation is always happening are our plants and warehouses.”

The ability to preview innovations – even groundbreaking ones – that will affect Ho.Re.Ca. and Retail in the near future has always been one HostMilano’s strongpoints. At the next edition, responsible, sustainable innovation will be the unifying theme not only of the actual exhibition space, but also of the Smart Label, Host Innovation Award, the distinction that HostMilano, Fiera Milano and POLI.design bestow on the most innovative products in the Ho.Re.Ca. and Retail sector. Entries can be submitted up to 30 April.