PRESS RELEASE
Comunicato n. 9 del 22/12/2025 ( download download )
sigep.it
Rimini, 22 December 2025 – SIGEP World – The World Expo for Foodservice Excellence, curated by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), will return to Rimini Expo Centre from Friday 16 to Tuesday 20 January 2026, showcasing the best of its six sectors: gelato, confectionery, chocolate, bakery, pizza and coffee. These supply chains, according to key industry association data, are worth over €40 billion in total – encompassing domestic consumption, exports, and related activities – confirming their strategic importance to the national economy.
ARTISAN GELATO: TURNOVER APPROACHING 3 BILLION, SUMMER CONSUMPTION ON THE RISE
In 2024, the Italian artisanal gelato sector generated nearly €3 billion in revenue, an increase of between 0.5% and 1% compared to 2023, confirming Italy’s position as a leading market in Europe. The data is also positive for this year, as figures from CREST-Circana and the Italian Association of Gelato Makers, processed by the SIGEP Observatory, show that artisanal gelato consumption in Italy (by value) in 2025 increased by approximately 3% compared to summer 2024, a period that accounts for at least 70% of the industry’s annual turnover.
More broadly, across Europe, there are over 65,000 outlets and approximately 300,000 people dedicated to making artisan gelato. In Italy, there are approximately 39,000 outlets offering artisan gelato, comprising 9,235 gelaterias, 12,000 patisseries, and around 18,000 bars. The entire ice cream industry – encompassing gelaterias, ingredients, machinery, equipment, and display cases – generated over €4 billion in revenue in 2024, providing employment for more than 120,000 people in Italy.
The gelato ingredients and semi-finished products industry comprises 65 companies and generated approximately €1.1 billion in revenue in 2024, remaining stable compared to 2023. Exports increased to 67% of total revenue, and the sector is estimated to employ 4,000 people, including direct employees and those in commercial networks. The gelato machinery, display cases and furnishings sector closed 2024 with a turnover of approximately €670 million (up 3% from 2023), with over 70% of this revenue coming from foreign markets. The sector employs around 1,500 people in Italy. (Sources: UIF, ACOMAG, Confartigianato, Confesercenti, FIPE-Confcommercio, Demoskopika, ISTAT, TCI, ARPA)
PASTRY & CHOCOLATE: SEASONAL SWEETS, PREMIUM GROWTH, AND A RESILIENT CHOCOLATE MARKETCIOCCOLATO IN RIPRESA
According to Confartigianato, in 2024, over 54,000 businesses were active in Italy’s artisanal pastry sector, with 38,000 of them being artisan (approximately 71%). For Easter-related confectionery, it is estimated that 37,000 businesses will be involved in 2025, with difficulties in finding qualified labour reaching 58.7% of planned recruitment for pastry chefs, gelato makers, and artisan bakers. The SIGEP Christmas 2025 Observatory, based on Circana data, reports an increase in out-of-home dessert consumption across the five major European countries, with 3.2 billion servings (+6% compared to 2024). In Italy, growth stands at +2.3%, confirming the central role of desserts in the catering industry. Panettone – both classic and premium varieties – remains the leading product during the festive season. Pastry chefs surveyed by the SIGEP Christmas Observatory reported an increase in demand, including internationally, with estimated growth of around 28% in Paris, 40% in New York, and 80% in Hong Kong by 2025. In the domestic market, Confartigianato forecasts a 4% to 5% increase in turnover for 2024, while Codacons reports an average 4% rise in the price of industrial panettone and pandoro compared to 2023. Premium artisanal versions currently cost between 30 and 35 euros per kilogram.
The chocolate industry is also part of the supply chain, with an estimated market value in Italy of between 2.4 and 2.6 billion euros. Despite a significant increase in international cocoa prices – which rose by over 80% between 2023 and 2024, reaching their highest level in forty years in 2025 – the artisanal and premium segment continues to show stable growth (5-6% in 2024, according to IRI). Italy exports approximately €420 million worth of cocoa and chocolate products, a 4% increase compared to 2024, with France, Germany, the USA, and the United Kingdom as its main export markets.
(Sources: Confartigianato, Codacons, Circana, ICCO, Unionfood, IRI)
BREAD: €13.4 BILLION IN TURNOVER AND INCREASED CONSUMER SELECTIVITY
In 2024, annual bread consumption per capita in Italy was approximately 41 kg, a slight increase of 1.6% compared to 2023. However, this figure remains below the European average of 70 kg, with consumption peaking at around 80 kg in countries such as Germany and Austria. The total turnover of the bakery sector – encompassing bread, pizzas, and similar products – is estimated at 13.4 billion euros, with approximately 8.4 billion euros attributable to bread alone.
In Italy, there are over 46,800 bakery businesses, with 98.1% being artisan producers. 76% of businesses engage in both production and direct sales, while the remainder focus solely on resale. Artisan businesses generate around 33% of total turnover, with the remainder coming from industrial bakeries and large, organised players.
According to Italmopa’s calculations, Italians will spend around €12.5 billion a year on bread by 2025, with over 200 types of bread available from both artisan bakeries and large-scale retailers.
Current trends confirm a gradual decline in consumption volumes compared to previous decades (in the 1970s, consumption exceeded 100 kg per capita per year), alongside a growing demand for products offering greater added value. This includes breads made with local flours and ancient grains, wholemeal or semi-wholemeal options, “free-from” products (gluten-free, lactose-free, etc.), low-glycaemic breads, and those fermented for extended periods.
(Sources: Confartigianato Alimentare / Assopanificatori Confesercenti / AIBI / Italmopa)
PIZZA: 2.7 BILLION SERVINGS PER YEAR AND OVER 15 BILLION IN TURNOVER
Pizza remains a quintessential dish in Italian food service. According to data from CNA Agroalimentare and Coldiretti, Italy produces around 2.7 billion pizzas annually, requiring over 200 million kg of flour, 225 million kg of mozzarella, 30 million kg of olive oil, and 260 million kg of tomato sauce.
In 2024, there were 88,793 pizzerias operating in Italy, an increase of almost 25% compared to the previous year, generating a total turnover of over 15 billion euros. Per capita consumption is close to 8 kg per year, with most people eating at least one pizza a week.
Demand peaks on weekends, particularly Saturday evenings, while the supply side is seeing a growing presence of pinsa alongside traditional pizza, especially for home consumption. Estimates for 2024 suggest a 7% increase in purchases compared to 2023.
The frozen pizza segment is also growing: in 2024, consumption increased by approximately 3.7% to 66,000 tonnes. Retail sales increased by 5.8% in volume and 4.7% in value, with an estimated turnover of around €570 million.
Regarding prices, the average cost of a meal at a pizzeria (pizza, drink, cover charge, and service) in 2024 increased by approximately 4% compared to 2023 and 16% compared to 2021. There are significant regional variations between major Italian cities and areas with a strong tourist presence.
(Sources: CNA Agroalimentare / Coldiretti / Ministry of Business – Movimprese / IIAS / FIPE-Confcommercio)
COFFEE: NEARLY 6 BILLION IN TURNOVER AND EXPORTS RECOVERING
Following years of disruption caused by the pandemic and volatile international markets, 2024 saw a period of consolidation within the coffee industry. According to data from the Consorzio Promozione Caffè and UCIMAC, Italian production in 2024 reached almost 431,000 tonnes, with volumes remaining stable (+0.6%) and production value increasing by 8.5%, equivalent to approximately €4.36 billion. The coffee roasting sector comprises approximately 1,000 companies nationwide, employing around 7,000 people directly. In 2024, the sector generated a total turnover of approximately €5.7 billion, with €2.6 billion coming from exports and €3.1 billion from domestic sales.
Coffee imports in 2024 increased by 1.6% in volume, reaching approximately 703.5 million kg, with a value of around 2.6 billion euros. Italy remains the world’s third-largest importer of green coffee (after the United States and Germany) and the leading producer of roasted coffee in Europe, ahead of Germany and other EU countries.
Roasted coffee remains a key Italian agri-food export, with a value of around €2.26 billion in 2023 (up 6.8% from 2022). This represents approximately 3.5% of Italy’s total agri-food exports, with volumes exceeding 285,000 tonnes. Estimates for 2024 suggest roasted coffee exports will exceed 296,000 tonnes, valued at nearly €2.2 billion, with around 38% of production destined for foreign markets.
The professional coffee machine sector, a key Italian industrial strength, continues to thrive. In 2023, the sector’s turnover exceeded €550 million, an increase of approximately 1% compared to 2022, with exports accounting for over 70% of total turnover.
(Souces: Consorzio Promozione Caffè / UCIMAC / ISMEA (su Eurostat) / Comitato Italiano Caffè / ANIMA)
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT AND APPLIANCES: ITALY RANKS FOURTH INTERNATIONALLY
In 2024, global demand for professional kitchen equipment exceeded €100 billion, an 8% increase compared to 2023. The market has quadrupled in less than two decades, growing from just over 25 billion in 2005 to its current levels. Global production is concentrated in four countries, which account for around 50% of the total: China, Germany, the United States, and Italy.
Italy remains the world’s fourth-largest producer, boasting a high-profile reputation for its culinary tradition, technology, and innovation, further strengthened by the recent UNESCO recognition of Italian Cuisine. In Europe, Studia. BO’s analysis of over 350 companies reveals an average return on equity (ROE) of 13.5% and a return on investment (ROI) of 14.3%. Italian producers are performing in line with the European average, achieving the sector’s best EBITDA (11.6%), although they remain slightly below German levels.
The product range is expanding to include multifunctional equipment, with ovens and blast chillers leading the way, alongside new applications in vacuum cooking, dynamic preparation, and pressure braising. Air treatment and air conditioning are once again central themes, linked to energy efficiency and the microclimate in the kitchen. Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in managing catering processes, from customer service to operational organisation. Technological advancements will reshape skills, making training a strategic factor for the industry.
(Source: EFCEM, the Italian Association of Professional Equipment Manufacturers for Catering and Cleaning)
ITALIAN EXHIBITION GROUP PRESS CONTACTS | media@iegexpo.it
head of corporate communication & media relation: Elisabetta Vitali| 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.
This press release contains forecast elements and estimates that reflect the management´s current opinions (´forward-looking statements´), particularly regarding future management performance, realization of investments, cash flow trends and the evolution of the financial structure. For their very nature, forward-looking statements have a component of risk and uncertainty, as they depend on the occurrence of future events. The effective results may differ (even significantly) from those announced, due to numerous factors, including, only by way of example: food service market and tourist flow trends in Italy, gold and jewellery market trends, green economy market trends; the evolution of raw material prices; general macroeconomic conditions; geopolitical factors and evolutions in the legislative framework. Moreover, the information contained in this release, doe not claim to be complete, and has not been verified by independent third parties. Forecasts, estimates and objectives contained herein are based on the information available to the Company as at the date of this release.