Italy's trade and exhibition bodies are intensifying outreach to Japan ahead of SIGEP World 2027, the international foodservice and out-of-home sector exhibition scheduled for January 23–27 in Rimini. The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) held a networking event in Tokyo on September 10, hosted by the Ambassador of Italy to Japan, Mario Vattani. The event brought together Japanese industry professionals, distributors, trade associations and media to explore business opportunities across gelato, pastry and chocolate, coffee, bakery and pizza supply chains, as well as foodservice technologies and equipment.

Strong Import Growth Signals Market Demand Japanese imports of food and beverages from Italy reached €467 million in the first six months of 2026. Within product categories directly relevant to SIGEP, growth accelerated: roasted coffee imports rose 43.0%, bakery and pastry products jumped 38.2%, cocoa-based food preparations climbed 25.2%, and ice cream grew 0.5%. Vattani said in his opening remarks: "In Japan, Italian agri-food excellence is widely appreciated, not only for the traditional quality of our products, ingredients and services, but also for the effectiveness with which our companies, through their daily work, are able to tell the story of territories, biodiversity, technologies and process innovation. Today, with SIGEP Meets the World in Tokyo, we are delighted to receive further confirmation of this."

Strategic Market Positioning Gianpaolo Bruno, director of the ITA office in Tokyo, characterized Japan as "a benchmark market for those competing on quality and the ability to innovate." He added: "For Italian companies, the event is a platform for presenting not only products, but also technologies, expertise and solutions across the entire supply chain. Our goal is to encourage an increasingly qualified presence of Japanese buyers and industry professionals in Rimini and to turn interest in Made in Italy into lasting business relationships." Ilaria Cicero, Global Exhibition Director of IEG's F&B Division and CEO of IEG Asia, said: "SIGEP Meets the World in Tokyo is a strategic stage in SIGEP World's internationalisation journey. Japan is one of the most sophisticated markets in the Asia-Pacific region and a natural counterpart for supply chains that combine quality, technology and innovation."

Why It Matters

For operators in Japan's foodservice and retail sectors, the event signals sustained Italian investment in supply-chain partnerships. Import data suggests Japanese demand for specialty ingredients and equipment remains robust despite overall beverage and food import declines, positioning SIGEP World as a potential sourcing platform for buyers seeking innovation and reliability.

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Written by FBM Publications Editors