SIGEP Asia 2026 and Restaurant Asia 2026 deepen their engagement with Asia's F&B, Foodservice and HoReCa ecosystem
Major industry initiatives, regional leadership, AI adoption, international competitions and professional exchange converge at the three-day co-located shows
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE, July 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- SIGEP Asia 2026 and Restaurant Asia 2026 officially opened today at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, bringing together the region’s F&B, foodservice and hospitality ecosystem for three days of major industry announcements, strategic dialogue, technology showcases & kitchen demonstrations, international competitions, business networking and professional learning.The Official Opening Ceremony was graced by Guest-of-Honour Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Key messages were also delivered by Dr Ilaria Cicero, CEO of IEG Asia; Mr Fabio Conte, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Italy in Singapore; Mr Benjamin Boh, President of the Restaurant Association of Singapore; and Mr Victor Mah, President of the Singapore Coffee Association.
The opening of the co-located shows marks a significant step in their development from specialised trade exhibitions into a wider regional industry platform where governments, associations, businesses, operators, technology providers and international partners can come together to introduce new initiatives, examine shared concerns and identify practical responses to the challenges reshaping F&B, foodservice and hospitality.
This role was underscored at today’s Opening Ceremony by the announcement of the F&B AI and Digital Integration Programme, which enables F&B businesses to access advisory support to identify and leverage AI-enabled solutions and digital integration services.
The announcement reflects the growing importance of SIGEP Asia and Restaurant Asia as a platform not only for product discovery and commercial exchange, but also for industry-wide initiatives aimed at strengthening business capabilities, productivity and long-term competitiveness.
Over the three-day event, industry discussions will address many of the most pressing issues confronting operators today, including manpower constraints, rising operating costs, increasingly complex business environments, technology adoption, workforce optimisation, customer engagement, sustainability, supply chain shifts and changing market expectations.
A Regional Convening Point for Industry Leadership
SIGEP Asia 2026 and Restaurant Asia 2026 bring together presidents and senior representatives from F&B, foodservice, manufacturing, catering, hospitality, restaurant and equipment associations in Singapore and across the region.
Their presence provides businesses, media and industry professionals with opportunities to engage representatives from across Asia on emerging market trends, technology adoption, operational challenges and possibilities for deeper regional collaboration. Supporting organisations include:
• Restaurant Association of Singapore;
• Association of Catering Professionals Singapore;
• Hospitality Purchasing Association Singapore;
• International Food & Beverage Association;
• Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association;
• Singapore Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers & Suppliers;
• Vietnam Food & Beverage Ecosystem;
• Restaurant Association Vietnam; and
• other regional industry organisations.
By convening this breadth of leadership on one platform, the event enables industry concerns to be examined from multiple perspectives - from the realities facing individual restaurants and hospitality operators to broader questions involving workforce development, technology, supply chains, manufacturing, equipment, procurement, and cross-border expansion.
SIGEP Asia 2026: International Craft, Innovation, and Professional Exchange
SIGEP Asia 2026 brings the international worlds of gelato, pastry, bakery, pizza, chocolate, coffee and artisan foodservice together with Asia’s expanding professional F&B and hospitality market.
As the regional extension of SIGEP World in Rimini, Italy, SIGEP Asia provides a dedicated Asian platform for international knowledge exchange, product innovation, artisan craftsmanship, professional education and commercial collaboration.
Across its competition arenas, demonstration areas, exhibition floor and SIGEP Sessions programme, the show combines international culinary traditions with contemporary questions involving technology, business management, market growth and changing customer preferences.
World-Class International Competitions
1. Gelato World Cup - Asia Selection
The Gelato World Cup - Asia Selection is being held at SIGEP Asia from 15 to 17 July 2026. Eight teams from Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Sri Lanka are competing for the opportunity to represent Asia at the Gelato World Cup in January 2028 at SIGEP World in Rimini, Italy. Singapore enters the competition as the reigning world champion, adding particular significance to the staging of the Asia Selection in the country.
The championship tests teams across technical execution, product quality, presentation, creative interpretation and their ability to work across multiple aspects of professional gelato production.
The judging panel includes senior figures from the international gelato community, including Sergio Colalucci, President of the Gelato World Cup; Sergio Dondoli, Vice President of the Gelato World Cup; Giancarlo Timballo, Honorary President of the Gelato World Cup; and Chef Kenny Kong, Chairman of the Jury, alongside the managers of the participating teams.
2. Bakery World Cup Asia Selection 2026 - BREAD IN THE CITY
SIGEP Asia and Restaurant Asia are also hosting the inaugural Bakery World Cup Asia Selection 2026 - BREAD IN THE CITY, organised by SBCTA in collaboration with IEG Asia.
Teams from Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore and the Republic of Korea will compete across bread-making, viennoiserie, pizza, laminated pastry and artistic showpieces.
The competition runs alongside the International Union of Bakers and Confectioners Congress 2026, held in Singapore from 13 to 15 July, strengthening the country’s role as an international gathering point for the bakery and pastry sector. The judging panel includes Chef Matteo Cunsolo, Chef Elisabete Ferreira, Chef Günther Koerffer, Chef Han Sang Baek, Chef Peng Fu Dong and Chef Tomohiro Nogami.
3. Singapore National Coffee Championships 2026
The Singapore National Coffee Championships return for their third edition, co-organised with the Singapore Coffee Association.
Singapore’s leading coffee professionals are competing across the Barista, Brewers Cup, Latte Art and Cup Tasters championships for the opportunity to represent the country on the international stage. The competition brings together technical knowledge, sensory evaluation, presentation skills and the continuing evolution of Singapore’s specialty coffee community.
SIGEP Sessions: Business Insight Meets Culinary Craft
The SIGEP Sessions on 16 and 17 July bring together chefs, restaurateurs, hospitality specialists, F&B business leaders and industry organisations through seminars, roundtables, masterclasses, tastings and live culinary demonstrations*.
*Note: Please refer to the Photos & Information Downloads Dropbox link below for the full programme of the SIGEP Sessions on 16 and 17 July 2026
International Ambassadors and Live Professional Engagement
Throughout SIGEP Asia, visitors can engage international and Singapore-based professionals through guided tastings, masterclasses, demonstrations and discussions. The show’s Excellence in Foodservice Ambassadors represent major sectors within the artisan foodservice economy:
• Chef Janice Wong, Chocolate and Pastry Event Ambassador;
• Chef Antonio Brancato, Pizza Brand Ambassador;
• Chef Matteo Pertoldi, Bakery Brand Ambassador;
• Chef Natasha Chiam, Gelato Brand Ambassador;
• Chef Justin Foo, Technology Brand Ambassador;
• Emi Fukahori, Coffee Brand Ambassador and World Brewers Cup Champion 2018; and
• Chef Lee Yum Hwa, Pasta Brand Ambassador.
Chef Janice Wong’s Chocolate Wall installation also returns as one of the show’s immersive artisan showcases.
Restaurant Asia 2026: Turning AI Discussion into Practical Action
A centrepiece of the opening day is the RAS Leadership Symposium 2026: The Intelligent Restaurant, organised by the Restaurant Association of Singapore. The Symposium responds to the growing need for F&B operators to understand how artificial intelligence can be applied practically across restaurant operations, marketing, workforce planning, revenue generation and decision-making.
Rather than approaching AI as an abstract or distant development, the programme examines how restaurant businesses can begin using it within their present operating environments. The Symposium opens with “Building Lean, Building Bold”, a keynote by Joshua Chan of Ergotune, examining how businesses can maximise human leverage, operate with leaner teams and rethink how organisations are built in the AI era.
This is followed by “Your Restaurant AI Needs Awareness”, presented by Shawn Liam of Atlas, which addresses the operating foundations required for AI to work effectively within a restaurant, including how disconnected tools and systems can be brought together into a more coherent operational layer.
In “When Everyone Can Execute, What Matters?”, Alwyn Cheong of Oddle examines how AI changes organisational bottlenecks and how restaurant operators can strengthen decision-making, marketing systems and revenue growth.
Gao Rifeng of The Lo & Behold Group will provide an operator’s perspective in “An Operator’s Honest View”, sharing candid observations on the organisation’s AI journey, including what worked, what did not and what lies ahead.
The regional and international picture will be addressed by Whey-Han Tan of OpenTable in “From AI Adoption to Real Results”, offering a global view of how AI is being deployed across F&B businesses, what is working at scale and what is beginning to emerge.
The Symposium culminates in a hands-on workshop, “Design and Build Your First AI Agent”, facilitated by the speakers together with Kai Yi, Co-Founder of StaffAny; Sung, CEO of Grain; and Alan, Co-Founder of Oddle.
Participants will work in groups to design an AI agent for restaurant operations by mapping its triggers, inputs, steps, human checkpoints and intended output, and they will leave with a completed agent canvas and a starting framework that can be further developed within their businesses.
Technology, Food Innovation, and Future-Ready Foodservice
The Technology Innovation Pavilion demonstrates how AI, robotics, automation, integrated systems and digital engagement tools are being applied within foodservice and hospitality operations.
Among the solutions being showcased are robotics for hospitality and cleaning operations, food-waste management technologies, AI-enabled business tools, membership applications, digital rewards, e-commerce functions and marketing capabilities.
The Pavilion gives operators an opportunity to consider technologies not as isolated products, but in relation to productivity, sustainability, customer engagement and the day-to-day demands of running a foodservice business.
International Pavilions and Specialised Showcases
The exhibition floor features a growing international presence through dedicated country pavilions, including the Italian Pavilion presented by the Italian Trade Agency, together with the Japan Pavilion and Korea Pavilion, alongside specialist showcases such as the Pizza Corner organised by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the expanded Vietnam Food & Beverage Ecosystem Pavilion, the WorldChefs Lounge, the Specialty Coffee Association Lounge, and the Nightlife & Entertainment Pavilion.
Additionally, the Food Tech & Pack Asia Pavilion brings together companies specialising in food technology and packaging solutions, showcasing innovations that support food production, processing, packaging efficiency, operational excellence and supply chain capabilities across the foodservice ecosystem.
Another new highlight is the Hotpot @ Halal Zone Pavilion, which showcases Halal-certified products, ingredients and services for one of Asia's fastest-growing dining segments. Bringing together international and regional F&B brands, suppliers and service providers, the Pavilion creates new opportunities for trade buyers, distributors and foodservice operators seeking to serve the expanding Halal dining market.
Complementing the exhibition is the Fruit & Vegetable Asia Pavilion, a dedicated sourcing platform connecting fresh produce buyers, processors, importers, cold-chain specialists, technology providers and sustainability leaders, further strengthening the show's position as a comprehensive marketplace spanning the entire foodservice value chain.
Business Matching, Procurement, and Regional Connections
Beyond its competitions and educational content, SIGEP Asia and Restaurant Asia serve as a commercial meeting point for exhibitors, buyers, distributors, operators, procurement professionals and decision-makers.
The Xcelerate Programme facilitates targeted meetings between exhibitors and qualified buyers, while quick-fire networking sessions connect exhibiting companies with delegations from the Airline Catering Association and the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association.
These programmes are designed to support more focused conversations around procurement requirements, distribution opportunities, business partnerships and regional expansion - catering the needs of suppliers and solution providers spanning ingredients, foodservice equipment, restaurant technology, coffee, bakery, gelato, hospitality operations and professional services from the region.
Industry Leadership - A Shared Vision for the Region’s F&B Future
Dr Ilaria Cicero, CEO of IEG Asia and Global Exhibition Director of the SIGEP Network, said, "SIGEP Asia has evolved into far more than an international trade exhibition. Today, it is a regional platform where artisan excellence, innovation, technology and business come together, connecting global expertise with the immense opportunities and dynamism of Asia's foodservice and hospitality industries.”
She added, “This year's edition reflects that evolution through its world-class competitions, international pavilions, professional masterclasses and thought leadership sessions, while bringing together industry leaders, associations, buyers, exhibitors and innovators from across the region. Together, they reinforce Singapore's position as a trusted gateway where ideas are exchanged, partnerships are forged, and the future of foodservice in Asia is shaped."
According to Benjamin Boh, President of the Restaurant Association of Singapore, “Restaurant Asia has become an important platform for the industry to come together - not only to discover new products and technologies, but also to have meaningful conversations about the challenges facing F&B businesses and the practical solutions needed to address them. The important industry announcement of the F&B AI and Digital Integration Programme at today's opening reflects the growing role of the show as a platform for initiatives that support business transformation and long-term competitiveness.”
He added, “The RAS Leadership Symposium builds on that purpose by bringing operators, technology providers and industry experts together to explore how AI can be applied in practical ways across restaurant operations. By combining strategic dialogue with real-world business insights, Restaurant Asia continues to strengthen its role as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration and sustainable growth within Singapore's F&B industry."
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Photo & Information Downloads:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/r4mvian9uy5o2h72deap3/AHYVQqAXCkFp2gOz4zY6IeI?rlkey=e0s3i2v8aaxln1uvnk0l3mplo&st=ogs5upgg&dl=0
Photo Credit: IEG Asia
About SIGEP Asia
SIGEP Asia is Southeast Asia’s leading trade event dedicated to artisan Foodservice excellence, bringing together global brands, artisan producers, Chefs, cafés, bakeries, gelaterias, pizza operators and hospitality professionals across sectors including gelato, pastry, bakery, pizza, chocolate, coffee and tea.
As the regional extension of SIGEP World in Rimini, Italy, the event showcases the latest trends, craftsmanship, ingredients, equipment and innovations shaping the future of artisan F&B and premium Foodservice across Asia.
About Restaurant Asia
Restaurant Asia is a focused trade platform for the broader Foodservice and hospitality industry, connecting operators, distributors, procurement professionals and solution providers across restaurant operations, kitchen equipment, technology, automation, sustainability, hospitality solutions and nightlife concepts.
The event serves as a platform for practical business growth, operational innovation and industry networking for Southeast Asia’s evolving Ho.Re.Ca. and Foodservice sectors.
About IEG Asia
IEG Asia is the Singapore-based subsidiary of Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), one of Europe’s leading exhibition organisers. The company develops trade platforms across Southeast Asia focused on Foodservice, hospitality, lifestyle and specialty industries.
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Released by The Rainmaker Marketing Group Pte Ltd on behalf of SIGEP Asia 2026 and Restaurant Asia 2026
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