This year SIAB, the Italian bakery exhibition, comes around again, following the three-year agreed rotation with Europain France and IBA Germany.

SIAB has shown continuous growth and the eighth SIAB is back with a brand new format. Innovations in bread and confectionery will be seen alongside traditional favourites, but even pizza will be appearing in gluten-free versions!

Machinery will be much to the fore aimed at the craft, wholesale and industrial sectors.

SIAB 2007, May 5-9, with a new logo, is being organised by Veronafiera, which has a strong focus on the food industry. The last SIAB, in 2004, attracted over 70,000 visitors - up 19% over the previous show - with 550 companies from 19 countries exhibiting. The show focuses on bakery, pastry, cakes, pizza and, to a smaller extent, pasta.

For breads, the use of malts, sourdoughs nuts and seeds has contributed to a slight rise in sales. Fresh is much preferred to frozen, which remains a minority market in Italy.

The show takes place in the historic city of Verona, known for its food, wines and architecture.

Innovation will extend to furnishings with ecology in mind. In New York, the Green Bakery has seen a chain furnished in bamboo and cork selling only organic products, while in Italy, the design emphasis is on new tiles, niches as a design feature for displays, and the use of two-colour woods.