Innovazione

🍺 At Beer&Food Attraction, Gabriele Angeli, marketing director at Conserve Italia, showcased new 500 ml PET bottle designs for the Yoga juice brand, targeting young consumers and launching a protein-enriched beverage for athletes. YoTea received a restyling and a new half-liter format. Valfrutta Bio and Derby Blue, known for a recent partnership with singer Clara at the Sanremo Festival, are being strategically developed. Conserve Italia introduced a new line of vegetable pizza toppings under the Cirio brand, designed for easy Horeca use. An advertising campaign will start next spring.

📍 Aci World's Airport Traffic Forecasts 2024-2053 projects 22.3 billion passengers by 2053, from 17.7 billion by 2043, nearly 2.4 times 2024's volume. Annual growth of 3.4% from 2024 to 2043, and 3% from 2024 to 2053, driven by middle-class demand in emerging markets, international travel, and airport infrastructure investments. Short-term challenges include geopolitical tensions and economic instability. By 2025, sector revenue to exceed $1 trillion, with over 5 billion travelers and 40 million flights.

📖 TheFork Manager, a leading European restaurant management system, is enhancing its fight against no-shows, social media integration, and efficiency in 2025. Serving as an ally to 55,000 European restaurants, with 20,000 in Italy, it has introduced a predictive technology that reduces no-shows by 10% in countries where it's implemented. It's also integrated with social media, allowing easy sharing of reviews and tracking performance. The mobile app, used by over 60% of restaurateurs, now includes an interactive floor plan and customized service summaries. TheFork, under Tripadvisor, connects 55,000 partner restaurants with millions of food enthusiasts, providing online booking and management software to optimize restaurant operations.

📱 Moby e Tirrenia introduce free Wi-Fi on their ferry fleet, starting with Moby Fantasy, Moby Legacy, Moby Aki, and Moby Wonder, offering passengers the latest generation connectivity. Enhanced on-board services include quality dining across all ships, with Fantasy and Legacy featuring live cooking shows on a dedicated deck. In 2025, all routes to Sardinia, Sicily, Corsica, and Elba are confirmed, with Moby Fantasy and Moby Legacy operating between Livorno and Olbia, boasting cruise ship standards and eco-sustainability. Moby Europe participates at ITB Berlin, marking three decades of activity and leadership in German market for incoming travel to Italian islands and Corsica.

📹 At Sigep 2025, Fabio Russo interviewed Glauco Massimo Caduco, Bravilor Bonamat's Sales Director for Italy, highlighting the event's business and networking opportunities. They showcased the Esprecious 2.0, a superautomatic machine ideal for hotels, and the Bolero Turbo, suitable for high-consumption locations. Bravilor Bonamat also presented optimized American coffee machines, affirming their commitment to innovation in the Horeca sector.

🍾 Spirits & Colori held its first convention at Teatro del Sale in Florence, presenting a rich catalog of novelties for 2025. The Reggio Emilia-based company, known for distributing globally selected alcohols, saw a revenue increase of 2.3% over the previous year. Elena Spirits, from the Currado Vietti family, produces gin with local alpine botanicals and vermouths using fine wines like Timorasso Derthona, Barolo, and Barbaresco. Joe Bastianich and Flower Farm's Flower Good Botanical Cannabis gin features Sergio Gerasi illustrations. Holywatergin offers a gin in a Madonna of Lourdes-inspired bottle. Mistico Speziale revives the rosolio tradition with Nèttare, while Distilleria Saint-Roch offers Genepì Classique liqueur. Nixta Licor de Elote brings a versatile Mexican flavor, and Cofradía tequila boasts 50 years of history with artistically crafted bottles. Père Labat offers rhum agricole from Marie-Galante, and from Mauritius, Labourdonnais presents Raph The Dodo rum. Mangiantosa from Sicily offers Vodka Lavica. Abasolo El Whisky De Mexico features unique maize whiskey, and Duncan Taylor's The Big Smoke is a blend of peaty malt whiskies. Spirits & Colori aims to cater to all palates with over

🏦 In Europe, Private Labels (MDD) hold nearly 40% market share in the FMCG sector. Despite inflation, MDD sales rose by 9.4% in value and 2.2% in volume by March 2024 in key European markets: France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and the UK. Spain (48%), Germany (43%), and the Netherlands (42%) lead in MDD penetration. Key growth sectors include Baby Food (+2.3%) and Non-Food Pet Products (+2.2%). In contrast, Industrial Brands' promotional strategies in the UK, with 43% of sales on offer, lag behind MDD. A 17% decline in new product launches signals a potential 'innovation desert' in FMCG. Circana anticipates a cautiously optimistic outlook for FMCG in the Euro area, with GDP growth projected at +0.4% annually by 2025.

🍕 Manuel Maiorano wowed at Congresso Identità Future 2025 with sold-out events, supported by brands Molino Casillo, Latteria Sorrentina, and Acqua San Pellegrino. Chef Nico Annunziata joined Maiorano at San Pellegrino Table for two sold-out tastings. They explored new culinary techniques together. A Masterclass titled “Fusione di Pizza” with Gianluigi De Vincenzo highlighted Altograno flours. Latteria Sorrentina's showcooking showcased high-quality fiordilatte. Following his Dubai Marriott success, Maiorano continued to innovate at Identità Golose Milano, aiming to blend baking tradition with haute cuisine.

🥚 University of Milano-Bicocca hosted "Alternative – Alternative Proteins: Innovations, Challenges, and Opportunities" on February 25, 2025, discussing new protein sources addressing global food, environmental, and societal challenges. The Italian plant-based protein market is growing, worth an estimated €746 million by 2024, with a 5% annual increase. In 2023, plant-based product sales reached €641 million, a 16% rise from 2021. Plant-based cheese sales surged by 77% in two years. Alternative proteins could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 94%, land use by 89%, and water consumption by 93% compared to traditional meat. By 2050, the alternative protein market may exceed €900 billion, potentially creating 10 million jobs. Europe could move toward greater food self-sufficiency as alternative proteins require less land and resources, offsetting the 45% of European crops currently used for animal feed.

🍴 Asia Zaffaroni won the first Coffee Triathlon on February 24, challenging participants in espresso, filter coffee, and signature drinks. Elizabeth Restrepo Garcia triumphed in the Latte Art Throwdown on February 25. Both received travel, board, and lodging for the official SCA Italy selection. The events were part of a four-day competition, discussion, and networking event at SCA Arena di Tirreno CT, highlighting developments in professional coffee and specialty coffee trends in Italy. The next event is Horeca Expo Forum Torino, March 16-18.