PRESS RELEASE
Comunicato n. 6 del 09/02/2026 ( download download )
· At Rimini Expo Centre from 15th to 17th February, Beer&Food Attraction will host the 15th edition of Italgrob's International Horeca Meeting with a programme of talks and debates.
· The Horeca Congress, scheduled for Monday 16th February at 10.30 am, will focus on the evolution of out-of-home consumption amid rising costs, inflation and sector revival strategies. Sustainability, new consumption patterns, beverages, distribution and AI will drive the discussion between industry, distribution, Horeca operators and the research world
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Rimini, 9th February 2026 – Italgrob's International Horeca Meeting will be back for its 15th edition as part of Beer&Food Attraction, scheduled to take place from 15th to 17th February at Rimini Expo Centre. Three days of meetings, analyses and debates will involve industry, distribution, Horeca operators and the research world, called upon to read and interpret the transformations taking place in the market.
The Horeca Congress represents the moment of greatest synthesis and vision at the 2026 edition of the International Horeca Meeting. In an economic context marked by inflation, rising prices and profound changes in consumer behaviour, the Congress, scheduled for Monday 16th February at 10.30 am in the Neri Room, will focus on “The out-of-home consumption market between rising costs and inflation. Trends and best practices to overcome the crisis”, offering an up-to-date overview of the sector's current situation and prospects.
The International Horeca Meeting’s entire agenda will revolve around this key event, offering a comprehensive programme of meetings, analyses and discussions on the strategic drivers that are reshaping the out-of-home sector, held either in the Horeca Arena (Hall B3) or the Neri Room over the three days of the event, with the participation of the supply chain’s main players.
TALKS TO MAKE A NOTE OF
The programme will kick off on Sunday 15th February in the Horeca Arena (Hall B3) with a series of talks on the main issues facing the sector today. At 2.30 pm, the talk entitled “Food & Beverage and ecological transition: are we really ready?” will open the debate on the relationship between sustainability and competitiveness. Umberto Napoli, Co-founder and COO of Fourgreen, will introduce a reflection that aims to act as a laboratory of ideas for out-of-home.
At 3.30 pm, attention will shift to a key issue in out-of-home consumption with “Microfiltered water in venues: the consumers’ perspective between perception and knowledge”. Andrea Manusardi, Senior Director at Ipsos Doxa, will present research on consumer perceptions of microfiltered water served in restaurants and the impact that the way it is offered has on customer experience and the venue’s image.
The afternoon will end at 4.30 pm with “The new style of the out-of-home consumer: from remodulation to affirmation”. Antonio Faralla, CEO of Formind, will analyse consumer behaviour evolution from 2023–2024 to 2025, highlighting the shift towards a more selective model, oriented towards well-being, sustainability and the search for experiences. A change that varies depending on the generational cluster and requires operators and distributors to rethink their offer and their customer relationship strategies.
The discussion continues on Monday, 16th February, a day that will feature some of the most important moments of the entire event. In the morning, at 10.30 am in the Neri Room, the Horeca Congress will examine the out-of-home sector’s economic situation, analysing consumption trends in the context of inflation and the high cost of living.
In the afternoon, the agenda will return to the Horeca Arena. At 2.30 pm, “Stories, visions and ambitions for the Horeca of tomorrow” will see students from the 11th edition of the Master Degree in Sales Account Management at Luiss Business School, created in collaboration with AFDB, presenting their personal experiences on stage. Young professionals will be called upon to share their expectations, skills and visions in a constantly evolving market. Next, Febo Leondini, president of AFDB, will officially present the new edition of the Executive Programme in Horeca Business (EPHOB), an executive course designed to offer entrepreneurs and managers advanced tools and innovative strategies.
At 3.30 pm, focus will shift to the beverage sector with “Beverage in out-of-home consumption: between evolving consumption patterns, innovation, channel dynamics and new distribution models”. Marco Colombo, Global Solutions Delivery EMEA/APAC Media & Analytics at Circana, will provide an analysis of the trends that are reshaping the sector, including consumption under pressure, greater focus on value, the growth in non-alcoholic/low-alcohol and functional solutions, and new consumption opportunities. The discussion will continue with industry and distribution managers.
At 4.30 pm, the debate entitled “Away from home distribution: from coverage to service, from offering to consulting!” will address the evolution of the Horeca distributors’ role in an increasingly complex supply chain. Bruna Boroni, Director of Industry Away From Home at Tradelab, will lead a discussion on how distribution is being called upon to strengthen its advisory role, offering added value to the industry and to the over 350,000 independent establishments, also through the use of digital tools.
The last day, Tuesday 17th February, will open at 11.30 am with the talk “Artificial Intelligence, Distributors and Industry: new strategies and alliances on the horizon”, organised by GBI magazine, Italgrob’s official publication. Matteo Sasselli, GBI journalist and Founder & Project Leader of Hooron, will analyse the role of Artificial Intelligence in supporting marketing and distribution decisions, from assortment simulation to packaging testing and market scenarios, highlighting how the adoption of these technologies is fostering new forms of collaboration among producers and distributors.
In “Let's talk about it over a coffee” at 2 pm, Dino Di Marino, General Manager of Italgrob, will close the three-day show by reviewing the highlights of the International Horeca Meeting, analysing the findings that emerged from the Horeca Congress and outlining the operational lines that will guide the Federation's actions in 2026.
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.
This press release contains forecast elements and estimates that reflect the management´s current opinions (´forward-looking statements´), particularly regarding future management performance, realization of investments, cash flow trends and the evolution of the financial structure. For their very nature, forward-looking statements have a component of risk and uncertainty, as they depend on the occurrence of future events. The effective results may differ (even significantly) from those announced, due to numerous factors, including, only by way of example: food service market and tourist flow trends in Italy, gold and jewellery market trends, green economy market trends; the evolution of raw material prices; general macroeconomic conditions; geopolitical factors and evolutions in the legislative framework. Moreover, the information contained in this release, does not claim to be complete, and has not been verified by independent third parties. Forecasts, estimates and objectives contained herein are based on the information available to the Company as at the date of this release.