BEER&FOOD ATTRACTION, NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN LEADING ROLE PURCHASES OF ALCOHOL-FREE BEERS GROW BY +79% COMPARED TO PRE COVID

• The 11^th edition of Europe’s leading event for the beverage and bar industry, organized by Italian Exhibition Group, will be back at Rimini Expo Centre from 15^th to 17^th February 2026
• Great success also for the new Mixology Attraction brand that enhances the beverage offer with a focus on mixing and spirits: exhibitors already up by +30%
• According to Circana's CREST data, sales of non-alcoholic beers increased once again in the last year (+18%). And for AssoBirra, 25% of Gen Z always choose alcohol-free
• Beer&Food Attraction will host the largest European exhibition of beers, from craft to large industrial groups, with the best international brands

www.beerandfoodattraction.it
www.mixologyattraction.com/it

Rimini, 19 December 2025 – The world of beers and mixology is warming up its engines for Beer&Food Attraction, Europe’s event of reference for the beverage and bar industry, organized by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) and scheduled to take place at Rimini Expo Centre from 15^th to 17^th February 2026. Last year, the event hosted 600 exhibitors with 1,217 brands as well as 130 buyers from 47 countries.

THE RISE OF ALCOHOL-FREE BEER

For the 11^th edition, Beer&Food Attraction confirms its status as a reference point for the brewing community: from artisanal microbreweries to large industrial groups, the event will offer the widest exhibition of beers in Italy, in a sector which - according to Assobirra - is currently worth 10.2 billion euros.

One of the sector’s most prominent trends is the exponential growth of alcohol-free beers. Circana's CREST data confirm the trend: since 2019, purchases of non-alcoholic beers in Italy have risen by +79%, going from 28 million to the current 49 million, with a +18% increase compared to last year alone. The positive sign also involved the craft beer sector. In fact, the IEG event will feature the widest offer of microbreweries with over 100 exhibitors. Since pre-Covid, purchases having risen from 159 million to 183 million in 2025 (+15%).

Still on the subject of conscious consumption, AssoBirra highlights how 89% of Italians declare responsible behaviour, especially in not drinking alcohol before driving or working (65%) and in paying attention to mental clarity (52%). This is where the increase in alcohol-free beers comes in: 25% of Gen Z always choose non-alcoholic and 53% of the total evaluates it according to the occasion. At the same time, according to Unionbirrai, seasonal craft beers, especially at Christmas, are increasingly popular due to gourmet proposals and as alternatives to wine during festive lunches and dinners. An exhibition section that, at Beer&Food Attraction, will showcase an Italian and international offer, thanks also to attending associations (such as the Brewers Association) and brands from abroad. The offer will then be completed by the ‘Beer of the Year' award, which, for this edition, will also host a category exclusively for low/no alcohol, and the Italian Craft Beer Conference organized by Unionbirrai, without forgetting the Beer&Tech Arena as a point of reference for talks.

MIXOLOGY ATTRACTION: THE NEW FORMAT WILL ADD +30% MORE EXHIBITORS

The big new feature at the 11^th edition of Beer&Food Attraction will still be Mixology Attraction, one of the strategic pillars that will boost the event’s role as a reference hub for the entire beverage & bar industry world by encouraging dialogue between bartenders and industry professionals on contemporary mixing languages. The brand was created to promote a rapidly evolving sector that is becoming increasingly central at contemporary venues. It completes the exhibition offer by giving further prominence to the beverage world, from mixing to spirits and soft drinks, to accompany the universe of beers.

Located in the centre of the exhibition layout, Mixology Attraction will provide a structured proposal with different focuses: Mixology Circus, which will host internationally renowned bartenders alongside masterclasses and talks on new sector trends; the Mixology Village exhibition area, which will feature a qualified selection of the best distillates, liqueurs and spirits, while Sparkling&Mix will once again spotlight bubblies, prosecco and sparkling wines as protagonists of the culture of mixed drinking. A format that has already reached large numbers: compared to last year's edition, the Show’s mixology area will be 22% larger with +30% of exhibitors already signed up two months after the event. And more generally, compared to two years ago, growth stands at +120%, going from 59 brands to the current 130.

THE INTERNATIONAL HORECA MEETING AND BBTECH EXPO COMPLETE THE OFFER

Rimini Expo Centre’s halls with be hosting two other important events at the same time: Italgrob’s International Horeca Meeting, where industry and distribution will be meeting to discuss out-of-home trends and challenges linked transversally to beers and the world of mixing. And, the 8^th edition of BBTech Expo, the exhibition on raw materials, process technologies and beer and beverage bottling, which will further strengthen its identity in 2026. This event will complete the technological and production offer of the entire beverage supply chain, consolidating the importance of Beer&Food Attraction as a reference point for the beverage industry.

PRESS CONTACT ITALIAN EXHIBITION GROUP:
Head of media relation & corporate communication: Elisabetta Vitali; press office manager: Marco Forcellini, Pierfrancesco Bellini; press office coordinator: Luca Paganin; international press office coordinator: Silvia Giorgi; press office specialist: Nicoletta Evangelisti, Mirko Malgieri; media@iegexpo.it

MEDIA AGENCY BEER&FOOD ATTRACTION - BBTECH EXPO:
Mind the Pop - Martina Vacca: martina@mindthepop.it, mob. +39 339 748 5994; Fabrizio Raimondi: fabrizio@mindthepop.it, mob. +39 335 389 848; Stefano Chiossi: stefano@mindthepop.it, mob. + 39 388 739 4358.