In the first step of the strategic partnership between the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) and Koelnmesse, the International Trade Show of Artisan Gelato, Pastry, Bakery and the Coffee World (SIGEP) is set to take place in Shenzhen, China in 2023.

The IEG event, SIGEP is hosted annually at the Rimini Expo Centre, Italy where it showcases Italian-made products in the gelato, artisan pastry, bakery, chocolate and coffee sectors. This new partnership will extend the show to other worldwide locations and it was announced at the 43rd edition of SIGEP, 12-16 March 2022, that an edition will debut in Shenzhen in 2023.

Corrado Peraboni, CEO of IEG, and Gerald B?se, president and CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH, signed a Letter of Intent and the first event in the agreement schedule will be the ‘Southern China international gelato, pastry, bakery and coffee trade show’, scheduled to take place 19-21 April 2023 at the World Exhibition and Convention Centre, Shenzhen. It will be co-located with Anufood China – powered by Anuga, Koelnmesse’s food event in the south of China.

Peraboni stated: "With this agreement, SIGEP, which is one of our flagship events, will strengthen its mission as the standard-bearer of Made in Italy food products in the world. Starting, together with Koelnmesse, from China, which is the main foreign market outlet for Italian exports. Made in Italy, which, according to Istat (the Italian Statistics Institute), had reached a turnover of almost €500bn (US$550bn) at the end of August 2021, registered a double-digit increase in Beijing, equal to almost 20%."

B?se commented: "This (partnership) enables us to offer our Chinese customers a wide range of services on the spot and to intensify our contact with them, even in times of Covid-related entry restrictions to Europe.”