Innovazione

🍕 Baby boomers (born between 1955-1964) are entering retirement, seeking quality gastronomic experiences, transparency, and authenticity in food sourcing. Meanwhile, Gen Z and Alpha (born from 1997 onwards) show a growing preference for vegetarian and vegan diets. Fast snacks are replacing traditional meals, with an emphasis on quality and sustainable packaging. Dining out is expected to be a memorable "themed" experience, with a focus on personalized service. Cuisine trends for 2025 highlight Levantine cuisine and umami flavors, forecasting an increase in dishes that feature these intense flavors, especially in vegan options. The restaurant sector is encouraged to adapt to these new demands and remain open to technological innovations like intelligent cooking systems and digital kitchen management platforms. Rational, a global leader in hot food preparation in professional kitchens, founded in 1973 with over 2300 employees, is listed on the MDAX of the Deutsche Börse.

🍷 Schenk Family Italia is participating in Wine Paris, showcasing Lunadoro Nobile and Riserva di Montepulciano, and introducing Lunadoro Prugnanello TOSCANA IGT Rosé BIO. This new organic rosé responds to a 6.1% market growth in still and sparkling rosés in 2024. Schenk is also moving the production of Masso Antico Rosso, Bianco Zero Alcohol, and Rivani Spumante Bianco and Rosé Zero Alcohol from Spain to Ora, Italy, by 2026 with a €2 million investment. The global market for non-alcoholic wines is expected to grow at a 7.9% CAGR from 2024 to 2030.

🍺 Swinkels Family Brewers will debut at Beer&Food Attraction 2025 in Rimini, Italy from February 16-18, 2025. Their 96 sqm booth (Hall C5 - Stand 169) will showcase 24 draft beers and a wide bottled and canned selection. Key brands include La Trappe with ATP "Authentic Trappist Product" label, Rodenbach, Uiltje, and exclusively distributed BrewDog in Italy. Royal Swinkels Family Breweries N.V., a 100% family-run company, owns multiple breweries producing 8 million hectoliters of beer and 818,000 hectoliters of non-alcoholic drinks, 395,000 tons of malt, and roughly 4,000 tons of malt extracts and compounds annually.

🛠 At Sigep 2025, Fabio Russo interviewed Gianni Villoresi from Winterhalter Italia, a professional washing company established in 1947 by founder Karl Winterhalter. Winterhalter, which started in a garage, now has 40 branches worldwide. The company introduced the Energy function at Sigep, a system that recovers heat from the wash chamber to preheat water, saving electricity. They also showcased a new washing system for recyclable materials, ergonomic baskets for lighter materials, and a specific rinse aid for plastics. Winterhalter presented DMX, a drying tunnel for post-wash procedures.

📖 During the National STEM Week, Cimbali Group and MUMAC – Museo della Macchina per Caffè hosted "Tech Tour 2025". The initiative by Assolombarda involved 63 companies, welcoming over 1,200 students from 24 high schools across Milan, Monza, Brianza, Pavia, and Lodi. The project aims to bring youth closer to innovation, technology, and digital transition themes in companies. It offers insights into STEM-related careers, providing practical industry experiences. MUMAC, part of Cimbali Group, which employs over 800 people and operates four production facilities, opened its doors for special activities and ordinary visits in 2025.

📍 The pluriannual project DI OGNUNO returns to Hospitality – Il Salone dell’Accoglienza, focusing on inclusive breakfast room design for the hospitality industry. Organized by Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, with expertise from Lombardini22 and V4A consultants, the project aims to demonstrate accessible design's social and economic value. The event features an experiential space contrasting comfort and discomfort, highlighting the importance of sensory and food inclusivity for all guests. The 49th edition of Hospitality is ongoing in Riva del Garda until February 6, 2025.

🍸 Städlin, managed by the Coticoni family since 2019, celebrates its 10th anniversary with plans for new surprises in 2025. It's known for mixology and a varied culinary offering ranging from burgers to traditional Mediterranean dishes. Städlin serves as a dynamic, inclusive event space for private parties, corporate events, and as a coworking area during the day. The bar's philosophy focuses on sensory experiences, and the kitchen emphasizes balance, health, and flavor in its dishes. Read more on MixologyItalia.com and Horecanews.it for daily updates on the hospitality and foodservice industry.

💵 In recent years, agrivoltaics, especially in viticulture, are gaining interest for providing clean energy and improving plant conditions against climate change effects. Studies in southern France show solar panels can create microclimates yielding grapes with lower alcohol potential, higher acidity, and better aromatic profiles. With AI, panels are oriented to optimize shade and sunlight for photosynthesis. In 2024, Rhône Valley analyses showed yield increases of 20-60% among grape varieties. Italy’s largest cooperative winery, Caviro, invested €1.5 million in the country’s biggest advanced agrivoltaic system, balancing renewable energy production and vine protection. Further research will refine these solutions for specific territorial characteristics.

🥂 Sebastiano Caffo, CEO of Distilleria F.lli Caffo, and Roberto Lippolis, Director of Borsci plant in Taranto, presented new liqueur specialties at Sigep 2025: Crema Clementino della Piana and CafCaffè. Vecchio Amaro del Capo, the company's signature product, is Italy's best-selling amaro—4 out of every 10 amaro bottles sold in Italy, with even higher shares in some areas, according to Circana data. Gruppo Caffo, while maintaining family ownership, has grown from a small artisanal company to a major industrial player in the global Horeca sector.

🏡 In early 2025, Nicolaus-Valtur Group is experiencing a strong recovery in Egypt tourism, with the trend in early sales starting from October. President Roberto Pagliara highlights the success due to offering flexible stays of 4/5 to 10/11 nights and smart packages with low-cost or scheduled flights over charter services. The group is adapting to emerging trends like padel courts and pet-friendly holidays, and investing in AI projects to improve content creation, customer service, and tech optimization. The travel industry faces challenges in content fragmentation and the need for specialized training to embrace the sixth technological wave.