The NAFEM Show and Host Milano Plan Cooperative Programs

Two of the foodservice equipment and supplies industry’s biggest events, The NAFEM Show and Host Milano, are exploring a partnership that could lead to collaborative programs.

Fiera Milano, S.p.A., owners and organizers of Host Milano, and the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM), owners and organizers of The NAFEM Show, have announced an agreement to explore adding unique, new experiences to their respective trade shows. The move signals an expansion of Host Milano's partnerships with the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. Host Milano already has a longstanding partnership with FEDA, which allows selected decision-makers from FEDA distributor member companies to attend the biennial hospitality exhibition at no charge, including airfare and hotel accommodations.

“Together, Fiera Milano and NAFEM engage the most important buyers in Europe and the U.S.,” said Francesco Conci, CEO of Fiera Milano S.p.A. “Working in unison, we will create highly innovative opportunities for exhibitors to showcase their latest innovations to customers. We’re very excited to build our partnership in the United States with NAFEM.”

Steve Spittle, NAFEM president and chief commercial officer at Middleby Corp., said, "For years, NAFEM and Fiera Milano have shaped industry trends and fostered innovation on both sides of the Atlantic. Working together, the value equation for our exhibitors will be unbeatable."

The first of the cooperative programs is expected to debut at the next NAFEM Show, Feb. 11-13, 2027, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. That will be followed up by additional cooperative programming at Host Milano, Oct. 22-26, 2027, at Fiera Milano in Milan.