Jointly organised by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) and Koelnmesse, the press conference for SIGEP China 2023 has taken place at 10 a.m. on 25 July 2022 in Grand Hyatt Shenzhen. Over 50 industry colleagues and approximately 20 domestic media including China News, Shenzhen Daily, IFENG, Shenzhen Evening News, Sina Shenzhen and Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, etc. were greeted at the event site.

On the day, a welcome speech was delivered on air by Mr. Gerald Böse, the President and CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH, expressed that “We are proud to introduce you SIGEP China, which is poised to connect enterprises to the high profiled business network and further develop the distribution, retail and HORECA market opportunities nationwide. Moreover, the official launch of SIGEP China and the synergy effect of its parallel staging with ANUFOOD China will complete the entire food and beverage industrial chain and bring both fairs to a new level.”

On the expected exhibit profile and target market, Mr. Corrado Peraboni, the CEO of IEG, noted that at the conference, “We strongly believe that China is a crucial market for our exhibitors and that it is ready to discover the excellence of our made in Italy, including gelato, pastry, and all those products that we exhibit at our annual SIGEP show in Rimini.”

On 15 March 2022, the opening day of the 43rd edition of SIGEP in Rimini, IEG and Koelnmesse held a press conference on the strategic partnership of SIGEP China, officially announcing its debut in the Chinese market. Settling in Shenzhen, the inaugural SIGEP China is poised to take place from 10-12 May 2023 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center in its namesake city, and initiate the long-term strategic layout of the Southern China market.

Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has become one of the most economically dynamic and internationalised regions in China, and has the foundation of a top international bay area. As the first high-end international exhibition of Gelato, bakery, and coffee, strategically to be located in Southern China, SIGEP China is well prepared to become a benchmark for innovation across the industry. The exhibition will feature five distinctive segments of Gelato, Pastry, Bakery, Chocolate and Coffee that are interconnected and complementary to each other, providing a comprehensive overview of developing new markets.

At the same time, another exciting news was also announced at the conference. The GWC - Gelato World Cup, a world-class gelato competition held every two years, will be introduced to China for the first time with its very first China Audition at SIGEP China 2023. The winning team as the representative of China region will be invited to compete in the Gelato World Cup 2024 Global Finals in Italy, striving for such prestigious award for China's gelato industry!

Centered in Shenzhen, radiating the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and deeply cultivating the entire Southern China market, SIGEP China is committed to become one of the leading B2B exhibitions for the gelato, pastry, bakery, chocolate and coffee industry in Southern China. The industry can expect a grand gathering in Shenzhen next year to witness the historic first step of SIGEP China!  

SIGEP (21-25 January 2023, Rimini Expo Centre), known as Europe's largest event for the gelato, pastry & bakery and coffee sector - has been held annually for more than 40 years in Rimini, Italy, serving more than 1,200 renowned exhibitors in the gelato, pastry, bakery and other industries from 38 countries worldwide, and receiving more than 130,000 trade visitors from 182 countries and regions from around the globe.

SIGEP China 2023 will be held in parallel with ANUFOOD China 2023, slated to comprise an exceeded 40,000 square meter trade floor, with showcasing a diverse array of food and beverage sectors comprehensively, providing a strong joint effort to build a professional business platform for high-end food and beverage industry in Southern China!