The international exhibition GastroPan is an indisputable source of knowledge and transfer of essential information for the future orientation of the bakery, pastry, confectionery, gelato, chocolate, milling and HoReCa industry. The event, scheduled to take place between 14-16 March 2024, at Brașov, in Lux Divina complex, will unite demand and supply, suppliers and customers, offering detailed presentations of products, technologies and services intended for an interested specialized public. This 3-day exhibition can be considered a scientific-professional event supported by suppliers and manufacturers of machinery, installations, raw materials and ingredients, as well as innovative technologies and solutions that can be easily implemented in their own businesses.
GastroPan exhibition has been gathering for 15 consecutive years, producers, suppliers, specialists in the bakery, pastry, confectionery, HoReCa, gelato, chocolate and milling industry, to show the latest technologies, solutions, raw materials and ingredients, as well as the news from all industries to those interested in opening or modernizing their own business.
14-16 March 2024 – Thursday, Friday, Saturday – Romania, Brașov, Lux Divina center – the largest exhibition in the field in Romania will take place, where the latest generation technologies and current trends will animate the atmosphere of the event and visitors will be overwhelmed by information, tastings, live demonstrations. Its appeal has extended considerably beyond Romania's borders, attracting both exhibitors and thousands of visitors from abroad. One of the essential aspects of the GastroPan exhibition is its comprehensive program, which offers numerous opportunities for technical discussions, the exchange of ideas and the establishment of new connections. The event showcases innovative technologies, explores new concepts and offers delicious recipe presentations.
The courage to tackle difficult routes
The courage to tackle difficult routes stands out in the current context. The future has remained and remains uncertain, as even representatives of the industry's leading business associations and organizations have pointed out. However, the GastroPan exhibition provides a certain guide and through B2B meetings between suppliers, producers and entrepreneurs, mutual support is created to face the challenges.
The industry is currently facing a complex period where the emphasis on business management has become more pronounced. Companies are forced to carefully evaluate their portfolio of products and technologies, analyze the product range to reduce consumption of raw materials, energy requirements and human resources, and focus on the essence of their own domain. Therefore, at GastroPan 2024, new and modern technological solutions will be presented, developed to meet current needs, in terms of raw materials and equipment, but also to promote new ideas and concepts in the field of food products.
Baking and cooking: with or without IoT
Luxury and sustainability, new trends and consumption dynamics, unprecedented market scenarios and increasingly specialized professionals, such as the percentage of growth of bakers and confectioners in the world. Nowadays, the entire bakery and pastry and confectionery supply chain is constantly renewing itself, as it can today, there is as much significance as possible in technology. This demonstrates the use of flexible machinery and equipment capable of delivering accurate, consistent results making all the difference.
At the heart of it all is a reduction in time and energy consumption, as well as an increase in functionality, which can be achieved through artificial intelligence, useful for the online control of parameters and programs – a trend, that of loT (Internet of Things), which pairs with digital devices, but also intended to be used in small bakeries.
Alternative methods for bakeries and confectioneries
Companies present methods of saving energy and resources, which is quite an important topic to take into account – following the recent increase in prices. But other cleaning or sanitizing methods will also be presented, all based on sustainability.
On the one hand, reducing energy consumption plays an important role. In the previous edition of the exhibition, ovens that save between 15-20% were presented showing that sustainability is also a valid purchase criterion for customers.
Consumers are looking for seasonal products and are paying more attention to innovative packaging that is equally recyclable or reusable. In addition to industrial and artisanal bakery, food trends and digitalization, GastroPan offers a place for exchanges and solutions with a focus on sustainability.
What are the food trends of the future?
What expectations do consumers have for tomorrow's products? Along with industrial and artisanal bakery, digitalization and sustainability, food trends are a topic of interest at GastroPan, representing a perfect place to discover trends emerging around the world and how they can be applied to your own business.
Every day, new innovations and recipes, customized bakery concepts and creative technologies are developed taking into account the needs of consumers and the potential of the bakery industry. Since there have been many changes in recent years due to the pandemic, the biggest question is: what trends were in the year 2023, but what trends will appear in the year 2024? Four major trend themes are foreseen: digitalization, indulgent health orientation, sustainability and natural-organic.
Digitalization is an already emerging, but rapidly developing trend, including robotics and online ordering and payment solutions. Innovative developments are taking place especially in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), such as baking robots and new home systems with recognition products. Digital communication has changed a lot – customers see what they would like to have online, then want to order and pay with their smartphones. Another idea is the one without staff, for example, a pick-up store open 24/7: a machine where you can directly select the products and pay without cash. In today's online world, food businesses need to be active on social media and their products on display need to be "Instagrammable".
Health with indulgence is becoming a trend more and more expected by consumers. Health has become a topic of great interest and people are increasingly concerned about the proper functioning of their digestive system and maintaining a healthy gut. Consumers are also convinced that improving health has a positive impact on mental health, a belief shared by 79% of them. This translates into looking for gut-friendly multipurpose foods.
That's why the vast majority of the population is opting for a more plant-based diet with less meat and fish as part of being healthier. We are talking about "plant-based products" here. Customers expect more vegan and vegetarian alternatives. Tastes are also slowly changing, in a kind of silent revolution. With a plant-based diet, however, many miss the original taste of meat and others.
The trending topic of sustainability has become the image factor for many companies: sustainable, regional or local and fair concepts are successful. In particular, the "local" attribute is on the rise with consumers also paying more attention to sustainability and short distances when it comes to packaging. Agriculture is becoming more and more used grown in special greenhouses and sent directly to the restaurant.
Current topics presented at GastroPan
Current topics show the most important trends in the industry, combine supply and demand and look at the future of the global bakery, confectionery and HoReCa industry: what are the market needs, what tomorrow's customer values, what influence technology, ecological and social developments have on the industry bakery, confectionery and HoReCa and the positioning of a company?
ARTISAN BAKERY AND MODERN CONFECTIONERY
- Hands-on training in development – where skilled craftsmen are the backbone of innovation and the engine of progress.
- Combining tradition with innovation – bakery is a field in which traditional and modern aspects intertwine at the same time. Learning from masters and passing on experience is central to the training process in the craft sector and our culture.
DURABILITY
- Transparency and sustainability – two particularly important key concepts, both for the production process and for consumption, they represent crucial characteristics in terms of quality and purchasing decision. In the bakery industry, there is a special concern for topics such as the use of regional and seasonal products, the reduction of waste and food waste, green packaging options, as well as production technologies that save energy and resources.
INDUSTRIALIZATION – be prepared today for tomorrow with modern machinery and equipment
- The bakery and confectionery industry open up new perspectives for the future, putting innovative ways and methods to the fore. These include the optimization and automation of processes with the help of artificial intelligence, but also the possibility of strengthening customer loyalty through new sales channels and direct communication.
QUALITY OF FINISHED PRODUCTS
- Competition – being and remaining competitive in the market – involves production in accordance with qualified guidelines and established standards. It is crucial that food processing meets both hygienic and sensory standards set by regulations. Also, testing procedures and quality management can be used to react to any deviations and identify potential for improvement.
COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
- IT solutions at GastroPan represent an essential component in the evolution of the bakery, confectionery and gastronomy industry. These technologies provide efficiency, consistency and innovation, thereby helping to increase business success and meet the ever-changing demands of consumers. Among the essential IT solutions present at GastroPan are: business management software, production automation systems, e-commerce platforms, customer relationship management systems, food quality and safety management systems, digital marketing platforms.
Why should you visit the exhibition?
To benefit from consultancy, knowledge transfer and demonstrations. The busiest stands at GastroPan are usually those that organize programs that give visitors the opportunity to better understand the features and benefits of the solutions presented by the suppliers. In these programs, visitors will have the opportunity to interact with bakers, confectioners or talented chefs, they will be able to test the machines, taste the products and discover new sources of inspiration and working techniques.
Between flour and luxury pastries, evolution never stops
The trend is the same, almost everywhere. Bakery and confectionery customers are now looking for a quality product, whether it's bread, pizza or pastry. Precisely for this reason, at the next edition of the GastroPan exhibition, we want to contribute to the spread of the culture of quality and innovation also in the world of pastry at an international level with a direct look to the future.
But it is also the transformation that makes its way through the pastry world touching the bakery world. Here we talk about new trends, such as products with alternative flours – from gluten-free turmeric-flavored pizza (created for people with celiac disease), to products made with flours and vegetables, as well as the rediscovery of some ingredients, flours stone-ground whole grains or those from pumpkin or spelled, used in rotation to always have a different product on offer. Not to mention the current and inevitable theme of baking – sourdough – which is used and introduced, more recently, also in pastries.
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For more information and details on the methods of participation and promotion prepared, contact the organizers at
GastroPan, the 15th edition, will take place between 14-16 March 2024, in Brașov, Lux Divina center. The exhibition takes place every year and brings together both suppliers and customers from the bakery, pastry, confectionery, gelato, chocolate, milling and HoReCa sectors, in an environment conducive to detailed presentations of products, technologies and services aimed at a specialized and interested audience.
The 15th GastroPan edition, between 14-16 March 2024, in Brașov, brings three days dedicated to innovation, state-of-the-art technology, knowledge that results in the meeting between producers and technology and solution providers with old and new customers. Advanced training takes place with days full of business and networking, in a solid and innovative environment with a multitude of offers, ready to support in further development of each type of business. The new proposals, the volume of business generated and the high level of all events contributed to increasing the success of the exhibition and strengthening a national and global reference point for the entire bakery, pastry, confectionery, gelato, chocolate, milling and HoReCa.