Innovazione

🍫 Alessio Santarsiero, a 28-year-old pastry chef from Potenza, won the "Belcolade Award" on January 21st at the SIGEP fair. His dessert, Cocoa Ring, featured a blend of Vietnam 73% single-origin chocolate bavaroise, milk and coffee cream, caramelized bananas, and cocoa-soaked babà with angelica liqueur. Enrico Allaria, 34, from Sanremo, took second place with his Limone Piemonte cake, while Nicolas Vella, 30, from Rivoli, secured third with a 71% dark chocolate cake. The competition, organized by Puratos Italia, is for chocolatiers under 35 and was judged by a high-level panel including Santi Palazzolo, Sebastiano Caridi, and Luca Montersino. Santarsiero will visit Mexico with Puratos Italia to explore cocoa origins.

🍗 More people are adopting healthier and more sustainable lifestyles, particularly reducing meat consumption for quality over quantity. Marco Iozzolino, National Corporate Chef at RATIONAL Italia, emphasizes the importance of product origin, health, and environmental impact. Bracente Ristoshop, a multifunctional gastronomic hub founded in 2022 in Reggio Emilia, focuses on meat cooking quality with devices like iCombi Pro and iVario Pro. Traditional Roman cuisine, with establishments like Sellero e Ventresca in Rome, appreciates using all parts of the animal, facilitated by modern cooking equipment that allows low-temperature and pressure cooking without constant monitoring.

🍻 In the UK, non-alcoholic beer sales grew by 20% year-on-year and are projected to continue with a 7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2024 to 2028. Non-alcoholic spirits are set to grow by 7%, while low-alcohol wine sales dropped by 5%, and non-alcoholic wine increased by 8%. High-end non-alcoholic beer brands make up two-thirds of sales volume. Generation Z is less likely to purchase non-alcoholic beer and cider, with only 22% buying these drinks, while Boomers make up about a quarter of buyers but are more skeptical about quality and price. Innovations like Botivo and Collider are reshaping the market, with wine brands like Bolle and Nozeco leading in quality and production process changes. Data reflects IWSR's 2024 publication.

☕ Essse Caffè successfully concluded its participation at SIGEP 2025 in Rimini, focusing on tradition and innovation in gelato, pastry, baking, and coffee sectors. Agata Segafredo, Communications Manager, highlighted the firm's commitment to the Horeca sector with a renovated and expanded stand, and new offerings. Innovations introduced included the Expresss capsule system for the hospitality sector, praised for its quality, sustainability, and ease of use. The event also featured masterclasses and the announcement of a strategic partnership with APEI to promote Italian excellence in coffee and pastry. Essse Caffè aims to maintain its leadership and continue innovating in the coffee culture. 📅

🥚 AIA, renowned for meats and eggs in Italy, introduced "Nuvola" at Sigep—a high-rise egg white product in 1 kg bricks, shelf-stable at room temperature, with no added ingredients, launching end of March 2025. This innovation from AIA's R&D enhances their "Egg Professional" premium line, tailored for professionals demanding high-quality, technique-specific ingredients for top culinary performance. "Nuvola" featured in show cooking and tastings by ALMA, with AIA as the official sponsor.

🍅 By 2083, the global population will reach 10.3 billion, with 2024 being the hottest year ever recorded. Confagricoltura and Unione Italiana Food formed an alliance to overcome challenges in the agri-food sector by launching a project for the industrial tomato supply chain with Value Groovers and the University of Tuscia. Italy, as the world's third-largest industrial tomato producer, cultivated over 75,000 hectares in 2024, with production dropping by 2.5% from 2023 to 2024. Initiatives like the mission to Doha during the Week of Italian Cuisine (16-22 November 2024) and participation in the first World Durum and Pasta Forum underscore the commitment to supporting and promoting Italian excellence.

🍫 Baci Perugina launched a special Valentine's Day 2025 edition "Senti l'Amore" featuring 20 author-written messages on wrappers that can be heard through a QR code. Illustrated by Antonio Colomboni, these pralines offer a multisensory experience and are available in 100gr Heart for 7,49€ and 37,5gr Tube for 1,99€. Nestlé, the world's leading food company since 1866, operates in Italy with over 90 brands including Baci Perugina.

🍵 De'Longhi and Sevengrams announce a partnership at the Sigep World (46th edition) in Rimini, Jan 18-22, 2025. They aim to enhance the home coffee experience, featuring the "Bean to Cup" range with Chiara Bergonzi as Brand Ambassador. De'Longhi La Specialista, an advanced coffee machine with automatic grind control and My LatteArt steam wand, will be showcased at pavilion D1 / stand 092. This collaboration focuses on sustainability, quality, and a unique coffee experience.

🚢 Royal Caribbean Group announced an agreement with Chantiers de l’Atlantique for a new Edge class ship for their Celebrity Cruises fleet. The delivery of the sixth Edge class ship, named Xcel2, is scheduled for 2028. Its sister ship, Celebrity Xcel, is set to debut in November. Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge expressed excitement about expanding the happy vacation spots for travelers worldwide.

🏗️ Visitup launches a free app for exploring Bologna, featuring audioguides and themed tours. The app aims to connect communities with shared interests such as cycling or theater in Bologna. Salvatore Matrisciano, the app creator, emphasizes an intuitive and modern design to enhance tourist experiences in an accessible manner for all languages.