IEG, SIGEP ASIA RETURNS TO SINGAPORE: WORLD COMPETITIONS, MASTERCLASSES AND INNOVATION FOR THE FOODSERVICE

·       The event is scheduled for July 15-17 at Marina Bay Sands Expo and is organized by IEG Asia in co-location with Restaurant Asia and realized in collaboration with the Restaurant Association of Singapore. The highlight event is the Gelato World Cup – Asia Selection, which grants access to the SIGEP World world final in Rimini in January 2028

·       Meanwhile, the reference market is responding positively: according to data processed by ICE based on Eurostat surveys, in 2025 Italian Foodservice exports to East Asia exceeded 4.1 billion euros (+6% compared to 2023), with gelato reaching 12.9 million (+28.7% compared to 2024), also growing in the first quarter of 2026 (+12.8%)

www.sigep.it

Rimini, July 13, 2026 – The international SIGEP World network – organized by Italian Exhibition Group – returns to Southeast Asia with SIGEP Asia, scheduled for July 15-17, 2026 at Marina Bay Sands Expo in Singapore. The event, organized by IEG Asia – the Singapore branch of Italian Exhibition Group – together with Restaurant Asia and Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS), brings together in a single platform the worlds of Foodservice and hospitality: gelato, pastry, bakery, pizza, coffee, technology and nightlife, with hundreds of international brands among ingredients, machinery and hospitality solutions.

THE MARKET: ITALIAN FOODSERVICE GROWING IN EAST ASIA

The event is part of a growth context for the entire Italian Foodservice in the area. According to data processed by ICE based on Eurostat surveys, in 2025 Foodservice exports to East Asia exceeded 4.1 billion euros, growing 6% compared to 2023, with markets like China (+7.1%) and South Korea (+8.3%) also increasing compared to 2024. Running faster than all is gelato, the symbolic product of the SIGEP network: in 2025 exports to East Asia reached 12.9 million euros (+28.7% compared to 2024), a trend that continued in the first quarter of 2026 with an additional +12.8%. Also doing well is Singapore, which hosts the event: in 2025, Italian gelato exports to the city-state grew by almost 50% compared to 2024.

LA GELATO WORLD CUP E IL DEBUTTO DELL’ASIA SELECTION DI ‘BREAD IN THE CITY’

The highlight event of the 2026 edition is the Gelato World Cup – Asia Selection, the Asian selection of the world gelato championship. Eight teams in competition – Australia, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka – to gain access to the world final, scheduled for January 2028 at SIGEP World in Rimini; also competing is the home team, the reigning world champion. Judging them, the great names of international gelato: Sergio Colalucci, president of the Gelato World Cup, with vice president Sergio Dondoli and honorary president Giancarlo Timballo.

In parallel, the Asia Selection of Bread in the City debuts, the world breadmaking championship that will see on the jury, among others, Matteo Cunsolo, president of Richemont Italy. The same week Singapore will also host the UIBC Congress (July 13-15), the international federation of bakers and pastry chefs.

FROM PIZZA TO PANETTONE, MASTERCLASSES AND TECHNOLOGY

Rich program of SIGEP Sessions, with masterclasses and talks guided by sector ambassadors. Two protagonists for pizza: Vincenzo Capuano, with techniques and philosophy of authentic Neapolitan pizza, and Antonio Brancato, owner of Anto, number one pizzeria in Singapore for 50 Top Pizza. For pastry, following the success of the World Panettone Cup – Asian Selection, master Giuseppe Piffaretti, creator of the competition, will reveal the secrets of the leavened symbol of Italian Christmas in a dedicated masterclass. Finally, space for innovation with the Technology Innovation Pavilion – robotics, artificial intelligence and digital solutions for catering – and with the RAS Leadership Symposium dedicated to AI in Foodservice.

«With the return of the Gelato World Cup Asia Selection to the SIGEP brand, the Asia Selection of the world breadmaking championship and the UIBC Congress, SIGEP Asia 2026 marks a significant moment for artisanal food culture and professional Foodservice in the region – declares Ilaria Cicero, CEO of IEG Asia and Global Exhibition Director Food & Beverage Division of IEG –. These international platforms not only celebrate talent and artisanal mastery, but create opportunities for training, collaboration and growth for the industry across Asia».

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PRESS CONTACT ITALIAN EXHIBITION GROUP | media@iegexpo.it
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press office manager: Marco Forcellini, Pier Francesco Bellini | international press office coordinator: Silvia Giorgi | press office coordinator: Luca Paganin | press office specialist: Nicoletta Evangelisti, Mirko Malgieri

MEDIA AGENCY SIGEP World: Mind The Pop

Martina Vacca: martina@mindthepop.it, mob. +39 339 748 5994; Fabrizio Raimondi: fabrizio@mindthepop.it, mob. +39 335 389 848; Benedetto Colli: benedetto@mindthepop.it, mob. 380 371 2272; Stefano Chiossi: stefano@mindthepop.it, mob. + 39 388 739 4358; Maria Laura Piazza: marialaura@mindthepop.it, mob. + 39 3935641179

Il presente comunicato stampa contiene elementi previsionali e stime che riflettono le attuali opinioni del management (“forward- looking statements”) specie per quanto riguarda performance gestionali future, realizzazione di investimenti, andamento dei flussi di cassa ed evoluzione della struttura finanziaria. I forward-looking statements hanno per loro natura una componente di rischio e incertezza perché dipendono dal verificarsi di eventi futuri. I risultati effettivi potranno differire anche in misura significativa rispetto a quelli annunciati, in relazione a una pluralità di fattori tra cui, a solo titolo esemplificativo: andamento del mercato della ristorazione fuori casa e dei flussi turistici in Italia, andamento del mercato orafo - gioielliero, andamento del mercato della green economy; evoluzione del prezzo delle materie prime; condizioni macroeconomiche generali; fattori geopolitici ed evoluzioni del quadro normativo. Le informazioni contenute nel presente comunicato, inoltre, non pretendono di essere complete, né sono state verificate da terze parti indipendenti. Le proiezioni, le stime e gli obiettivi qui presentati si basano sulle informazioni a disposizione della Società alla data del presente comunicato.