Hostelco 2024, the leading trade fair in the restaurant and catering industry, will feature the latest in equipment, products, services and activities so that professionals in the restaurant, hospitality and catering trades can discover new developments, creative ideas and innovative business approaches. Together with Restaurama and Coffee, Bakery & Pastry will form the largest Spanish trade fair platform with international reach focused on the Horeca channel, with the aim of multiplying synergies and boosting business and training opportunities in one of the most important sectors of the Spanish economy.
The event will showcase the latest innovations to address the industry’s main goals, such as saving energy, sustainability, human resource management and improving the customer experience. As well as the new developments in equipment and machinery for the restaurant and catering industry, which accounts for 43% of the overall offering, a wide range of accessories, household goods, table service, equipment and accessories related to coffee, bakery, cakes and pastries will be on display. The exhibition will also feature interior design items, decoration, textiles and furnishings, together with the latest technological solutions for the Horeca sector.
Among the exhibitors will be leading firms in the market, such as: Aristarco, Bartscher, Bianchi Vending Iberica, BFC, Bongard Iberia, Bonnet, Cimbali, Construcciones Frigoríficas, Ecofrog, Enva Experto, Epta, Exposición y Conservación de Alimentos, Fagor Profesional, Frigicoll, Iberital, Intecno, Luisini, Markibar Innovacion, Mibrasa Charcoal Ovens, Miele, Nuovair, Pentair International, Proppos, Pujadas, Rak, Repa Iberica, Retigo, Rheavendors Apliven, Skymsen Europa, Spaziale, Spidocook, Sud Forni, Sushi Robots, Unox, Vista Alegre, Wondercool, and Zanolli, and many more.
Towards smart hospitality
The new equipment demonstrates the growing incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the restaurant and catering industry, where it is emerging as a vital tool to optimise a wide range of tasks, such as identifying and preparing foods, control using sensors to measure temperature and detect fitness for consumption before and during cooking, and stock management.
As well as AI, technological disruption is transforming the industry with the digitalisation of management, process automation, effective applications for customer loyalty, mobile payments, smart hotels, automated restaurants and menus with augmented reality. These solutions enable greater flexibility and autonomy, increasing the performance and ease of use of equipment.
The technological boost comes in tandem with the increase in demand of consumers, who are looking for an immediate and personalised experience, as well as the need of restaurants to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs.
Moreover, sustainability is evident not only in the energy savings of the new equipment, but also in the accessories, crockery and eco-friendly, reusable and recyclable containers, all the way to edible plates, cutlery, glasses and bowls.
In addition, there will be the Restaurama show, Alimentaria’s trade show featuring products and services for caterings and food services for out-of-home consumption, and Coffee Bakery & Pastry, the new Alimentaria & Hostelco industry dedicated to these key products in the Horeca channel. In total, nearly 600 exhibitors, 40% of them from abroad, will present their new products in Halls 4, 6 and 7 of the Gran Via venue, thus creating a complete exhibition aimed at this industry.
New spaces and experiences
Coffee, Bakery & Pastry will bring together innovations in the fields of coffee, bread and pastry with the aim of facilitating the meeting between professionals from distribution, retail and the Horeca channel, encouraging the exchange of knowledge, disseminating emerging trends and promoting innovation and networking both at home and abroad. It will also host competitions, demonstrations, master classes, conferences and tastings that will be attended by pastry chefs, bakers, pizzaioli and coffee experts.
The “Horeca Hub” will be one of the nerve centres of the fair: with more than 150 initiatives aimed at professionals related to the Horeca channel and managers of purchasing, distribution, logistics and retail centres, it will bring together ideas to tackle the challenges along the entire value chain of the Horeca channel. From the close cooperation with retail to the new business management and human resources systems, without forgetting equipment, distribution, logistics, robotics, digitalisation, delivery and food and beverage products. It will also feature areas dedicated to knowledge and creating experiences, as well as cooking shows and master classes by chefs with Michelin Stars and Repsol Suns, and the 2024 “Chef of the Year” and “Waiter of the Year” competitions.
Alongside these, a space will be dedicated to “Catering for Groups”, an area linked to the world of social and group catering with a sponsors’ village and an area of activities, including the Group Catering Congress, with presentations, round tables, culinary demonstrations and the participation of more than 50 professionals, including speakers and chefs, who will discuss topics such as sustainability and food waste, food safety, hospital catering, food for people living with dysphagia, nutrition and digitalisation.
Everything in food and beverage, equipment and the Horeca channel
Alimentaria & Hostelco, the leading international business platform for food, beverages, food service and restaurant and catering equipment, organised by Alimentaria Exhibitions, a Fira de Barcelona company, will return from 18 to 21 March 2024 with the offering of some 3,200 exhibiting companies, 900 of them from abroad, which will occupy 100,000 m2 net, i.e. almost the entire Gran Via venue of Fira de Barcelona. It also expects to receive 100,000 professional visitors, thus reaffirming its leadership as the main platform for promoting business, internationalisation and networking.
In terms of demand, the organisation expects 25% of its visitors to come from abroad. To maximise business opportunities, the fair has a strategic buyer invitation programme, which will bring together more than 2,200 importers, distributors, executives and high-level purchasing managers. Of these, more than half will be from abroad, coming from 80 countries, including the United States, Mexico, China, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Korea.
Barcelona, February 2024
Mª Gloria Dilluvio – 00 34 932332172