Host 2017 Milano – Event Round-up

October 20-24 saw the return of Host, a hospitality event of epic proportions where key industry players from across the world came together to share their latest innovations.

We were in attendance with our international contingent to meet friends, colleagues and new contacts and showcase the True experience. Here’s our round-up.

Coffee shop culture

As hundreds of coffee exhibitors descended on Host to showcase the latest trends, it seems the next craze is icy cold as consumers’ taste for cold brew grows.

Exhibitors had plenty of new products to cash in on the trend, from cold brew concentrates to coffee/ice cream hybrids, indicating the thirst for cold coffee is going to be around for some time.

80 of the world’s biggest coffee brands are located in Europe and they account for more than 14,000 outlets across the continent.

At True, we’re helping the café, from storing those cold brews at the perfect temperature, to helping customers choose a sweet accompaniment to their drink in a beautifully-designed display unit.

Advice from key players, including Milan coffee giant Lavazza, is to invest in your environment. Coffee lovers will pay a premium for the Italian experience – helping you to increase profits on every cup. Featuring products in a stylish True merchandiser unit makes them look great, encouraging customers to try, and ensure products are chilled to perfection.

Create the perfect coffee shop culture

The best burgers

Host saw an increased focus on elevating the humble burger to a more gourmet dish, with ingredients and tools to add new flavours. It’s a fact that 60% of sandwiches sold the world over are burgers.

Experience dining is also a trend in the burger trade, with open kitchens all part of diners’ expectations.

An open kitchen means chefs and ingredients are on display, but the speed of service can’t be sacrificed for style. A solution is having a set-up which provides immediate access to ingredients, such as drawered ‘chef base’ refrigeration directly underneath the grill equipment, and prep table cabinets with chilled toppings organised into individual pans for constructing the finished product.

If it’s gourmet or on the go, the burger should always be fast food.

The True Burger Joint

Juice bar trends

Europe is the world’s number one consumer of fresh fruit juices, with the average person drinking 19 litres every year. Health conscious customers are looking for easier ways to get their five-a-day. Juices and smoothies aren’t going away, and the concession for these along with health foods that don’t have added preservatives means good-looking refrigerated merchandiser cabinets are a necessity for trendy food shops and cafés.

The True Juice Bar showcased great-looking uprights and under-counter units that not only display products fantastically but also keep stock at the right temperature to keep them fresh – ideal for expensive, nutritious ingredients – to stop waste.

Great drinks deserve great presentation

A passion for Pizza

Of course, being in Italy, pizza is a big deal at Host, but across the world, we’re passionate about this fast food staple.

Quality ingredients make the pizza, so regardless of whether you’re a pizzeria in the proud Italian tradition or a busy takeaway operator, preserving ingredient freshness is key.

This is the ethos for True’s pizza prep table range, with deep preparation surfaces and accessible ingredient pans which maintain consistent and uniform food-safe temperatures.

New accessories, such as our ‘ingredient catcher’ system which allows cheese and other toppings which fall wide of the pizza base to be reclaimed, help to reduce waste.

New prep tables for your pizzeria

Bakery must-haves

The modern bakery has an artisan feel – and that’s something we’ve mirrored in the True Bakery. There’s a crossover between the café, with bakeries also hosting customers to enjoy baked goods, rather than just buying their daily loaf.

Furniture suppliers at Host showcased a variety of styles to provide comfort and space, and the overriding trend across the board is that of experiential dining.

For the bakery, this means solutions for easy, speedy sandwich prep, but also display units to showcase bakes with multiple functions, part-chilled for desserts and part-ambient temperature for breads and pastries – saving space and showcasing delicious treats.

The perfect platform for artisan baking

Champagne showcase

Experiential dining isn’t the only thing customers are after… experiential drinking is exciting customers too.

Prosecco, champagne and artisan liqueurs, in addition to cocktails, mean customers expect a huge range of options – that all require careful storage to maintain temperature. The challenge comes when bars are in full swing and beautiful display units are constantly being opened and closed.

True has met this challenge with stylish, customisable options that keep drinks cool while making an impact. A stunning display attracts the eye, showcasing luxury brands in surroundings that fit their price tag, encouraging customers to buy.

Serve your drinks the right way

The future of refrigeration

The journey through the True experience showcased a host of products, including exciting concepts that will support customers to adapt to an ever-changing catering landscape.

If there’s one message to take away – it’s all in the experience.

From a bakery breakfast to an evening cocktail and all stops in-between, customers expect and will pay more for premium ingredients, products and surroundings.

True can help throughout and events like this give us the confidence that we understand where the market is heading – so we can help you get there.

Keep up to date on our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and with our e-mail newsletter to check out our latest products, along with advice and industry news – for a confident kitchen.