Host, NAFEM Introduce Host America

Fiera Milano, organizer of Italy’s Host Milano, has offered more details on its NAFEM partnership, which was announced in October. The spin-off, called Host America, will launch at The NAFEM Show, taking place Feb. 11-13, 2027, in Orlando, Fla. “By combining the international reach of the Host brand with NAFEM’s deep roots in the U.S. market, the partnership creates new business opportunities and offers exhibitors direct access to a highly qualified audience of buyers and industry professionals,” Fiero Milano details in the release.

Host America will feature four Italian-made product sectors: coffee equipment and vending technologies; gelato equipment and refrigeration; furniture, tableware and hospitality design; and bakery and pastry equipment.

Fiera Milano says U.S. imports across Host’s core sectors increased from 22.5 billion euros ($26.3 billion) in 2019 to 24.8 billion euros ($28.2 billion) in 2025, and are forecast to approach 27 billion euros ($30.7 billion) by 2029. Equipment for gelato, coffee and bakery applications has mostly driven the growth. It also states that Italy serves as the U.S.’s seventh largest global supplier and the largest supplier within the European Union. Italian exports to the U.S. rose from 395 million euros ($449 million) in 2019 to 689 million euros ($783 million) in 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate of 9.7%.

Host America serves as the second recent spin-off of Host Milano. Fiera Milano also introduced Host Arabia, which took place in December in conjunction with Saudi HORECA. Meanwhile, the 44th edition of Host Milano will run Oct. 22-26, 2027.