Host Milano 2025 holds the 25th WBC and largest show to date

Five days, full of vision, connections and opportunities: the 44th edition of Host Milano concluded on Tuesday 21 October, bringing together professionals, companies and key players from around the world. The event showcased the evolution of hospitality in all its forms through content, training and opportunities for dialogue.

An experience defined by quality and innovation: Host has become not just a showcase for products, but a strategic platform where businesses can strengthen their competitiveness and continue to innovate while preserving their identity and tradition.

Sustainability took center stage. Host was the first event at Fiera Milano to implement an ESG strategy, integrating environmental sustainability, innovation and inclusion as competitive levers and key elements of its international positioning. This commitment is shared by many exhibitors, who presented eco-friendly products such as beer machines that reuse broken malt during production or designer fitness equipment made from natural and recyclable materials.

Completing the experience, Host 2025 staged 800 events, featuring approximately 3,000 opinion leaders – including academics, experts, masters, chefs and industry figures – who animated the fair with ideas, debates and new visions for the future of hospitality.

Host Milano 2025 was a true international HoReCa platform with both exhibitor and visitor attendance growing: Germany (+16%), Denmark (+45%), Australia (+20%), Brazil (+29%), the United Arab Emirates (+21%), and the United States (+27%). Among professional visitors, over 700 were hosted buyers, brought to Milan also thanks to the collaboration of ICE – Italian Trade Agency.

The 2,050 exhibitors chose Host to present new products and innovative solutions, with the aim of strengthening their visibility and consolidating business relationships. There was great satisfaction for the interactions with international professionals and the quality of the contacts established, confirming Host as a strategic and unmissable event for the hospitality and foodservice sectors.

Operators attended Host with the aim of discovering distinctive solutions, innovation and new business opportunities. The feedback was extremely positive: the breadth of the offer, spanning the entire hospitality and foodservice sectors, and the cross-sector integration – increasingly recognised as a strategic trend – were particularly valued as a major added benefit of the event. Solutions to automate complex processes also attracted significant interest, while design and AI-integrated proposals drew considerable attention, particularly at an international level.

Historically, coffee has been one of the main strengths of Host Milano since its early editions.
Because of its importance, the dedicated area sports its own brand identity as SIC – Salone
Internazionale del Caffè. The entire coffee value chain, from raw beans to the bar counter, is
represented at SIC: selected roasters, importers, producers and industry players from five
continents, as well as the world’s top brands, all come to Host Milano.

The show featured five coffee and tea pavilions, which included multiple education sessions and talks – ‘Beyond the Cup’ – and of course, the World Barista Championship. Beating 50 other competitors, Jack Simpson of Australia is the 2025 World Barista Champion. Simon SunLei of China came in second place and Ben Put of Canada placed third. Jason Loo of Malaysia, Hiroki Ito of Japan, and Christopher Sahyoun Hoff of Denmark rounded out the top six, respectively.

On his win, Jack Simpson said “I first started competing eight years ago, but this particular journey began about eight months ago when I visited Jamison and Jonathan on their farms. Their passion and dedication inspired me to step back into competition. I truly wouldn’t have done this without them. When you see the six finalists on stage, these are the real heroes — they’ve produced such amazing coffees. I’m excited to see what lies ahead, to spend more time with my team, and to recognise and appreciate the twenty to thirty people whose hard work made this victory possible.”

The full rankings are now available for all rounds at: wcc.coffee/latest-news/announcingthe-2025-world-barista-champion.

Host is extending its hospitality platform beyond Italy with Host Arabica, which will take place from 15 to 17 December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, through a collaboration between Fiera Milano and Semark. Furthermore, a new partnership with NAFEM will bring Host in the United States starting in 2027.

The 45th edition of Host Milano will be held at Fiera Milano from 22 to 26 October 2027.

For more information visit host.fieramilano.it.