HIP - Horeca Professional Expo

What HIP - Horeca Professional Expo does

HIP - Horeca Professional Expo is an annual trade exhibition and innovation congress for the hospitality (Horeca) sector, organized by Next Business Exhibitions S.L. (NEBEXT), a privately held Spanish company headquartered in Madrid. Founded in 2016, HIP runs each March across six IFEMA Madrid halls (60,000+ sqm) and is structured around 13 specialized innovation areas covering foodservice, equipment, design, digital transformation, delivery, healthcare catering, and automated foodservice. The event attracted a record 61,917 hospitality professionals and 1,024 exhibiting firms at its 10th edition in 2026, with HIP 2027 targeting 65,000+ visitors and 1,200+ brands. 86%+ of visitors hold decision-making authority, making HIP a concentrated marketplace for enterprise purchasing activity.

The company's intellectual product extends well beyond a conventional trade show. The co-located Hospitality 4.0 Congress features 720+ international experts across 30+ summits covering AI, robotics, sustainability, and emerging technologies, complemented by specialized forums including the Future Gastronomy Startup Forum, Leadership Summit, IA Horeca Summit, and Foodservice Robotics Pioneers. Annual awards (Horeca New Business Models Awards) and a €60 Virtual Pass offering video-on-demand access to recorded sessions extend the platform into a year-round digital content asset.

HIP monetizes through three primary revenue streams: (1) tiered exhibition space rental across Partner, Exhibitor (premium and business zones), and Newcomer participation models; (2) congress passes and virtual tickets; and (3) multi-tier sponsorship and partnership packages anchored by Global Main Partners (Coca-Cola, Heineken, Danone, DAMM, Estrella Galicia, Europastry, TheFork, Just Eat) alongside Official Bank (CaixaBank), Insurance Partner (Mapfre), and Official Provider (MAKRO). Distribution combines a direct enterprise sales force for exhibitor bookings with self-service online registration, supported by media and supporting partner networks. The organizer has invested in ESG positioning via Biosphere certification and circular-economy partnerships with the Madrid Food Bank and Otro Tiempo Otro Planeta, generating measurable sustainability outcomes (16 tons of food donated, 585 kg waste collected in 2026).

Name

HIP - Horeca Professional Expo

Legal name

Next Business Exhibitions S.L.

Website

https://expohip.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HIP - Horeca Professional Expo is an annual Madrid-based trade exhibition and innovation congress for the hospitality industry, attracting 60,000+ decision-makers and 1,000+ exhibitors across 13 specialized innovation areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Hospitality trade show
• B2B exhibition events
• HORECA industry events
• Hospitality congress
• Trade fair organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Exhibition Space Rental: Companies pay to exhibit at HIP, booking booth space in various innovation areas. Three participation models available: Partner (maximum visibility and benefits), Exhibitor (premium or business zone options), and Newcomer (turnkey package for startups).
2. Congress Passes and Tickets: Revenue generated from selling congress passes and visitor tickets. Virtual Pass available for €60 to access video on demand content.
3. Sponsorship and Partnership: Companies sponsor the event as Global Main Partners, Premier Partners, Official Providers, and Insurance Partners, generating sponsorship revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HIP - Horeca Professional Expo is an annual B2B trade fair and congress for the hospitality (HORECA) industry, organized by Next Business Exhibitions S.L. (NEBEXT) in Spain. It offers exhibiting companies a platform to present products and services to hospitality professionals, alongside a congress program (including the Hospitality 4.0 Congress), summits, awards, and a virtual pass for remote participation.

Product overview

HIP - Horeca Professional Expo operates as a multi-product event platform for the hospitality industry. The core offering consists of the annual Horeca Professional Expo trade exhibition combined with the Hospitality 4.0 Congress (the world's largest hospitality innovation congress). The platform is organized into 13 specialized innovation areas covering all hospitality segments from foodservice solutions and equipment to digital technology and sustainability. Supporting products include the Virtual Pass/Video On Demand service for post-event content access, over 35 themed summits and forums (including specialized tracks on AI, robotics, and emerging technologies), networking activities like the Leadership Summit and Future Gastronomy Startup Forum, and the annual Horeca New Business Models Awards. The platform also includes a digital HIP App for visitor navigation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hospitality 4.0 Congress: The world's largest innovation congress for the hospitality industry, featuring 35+ summits with 720+ international experts covering topics including AI, robotics, sustainability, digitalization, and customer experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• €84 million economic impact generated for Madrid by HIP 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Banco de Alimentos (Madrid Food Bank)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFight against food waste partnership. HIP encourages exhibitors and catering providers to donate leftover food to the Madrid Food Bank. In 2026, more than 16 tons of food was donated, making HIP the trade fair that collects the most food in the Iberian Peninsula.
• Ocean 52minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability partner contributing to HIP's environmental initiatives.
• Otro Tiempo Otro PlanetacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCircular economy and social inclusion partnership. Collects and recycles waste such as used cooking oil and coffee capsules, creating employment opportunities for women in vulnerable situations. At HIP 2026, 585 kg was collected.
• Oxfam IntermónminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability partner supporting HIP's social responsibility initiatives.
• Queer DestinationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiversity and inclusion partner for HIP events.
• AMEBAminorOthersResearch partner providing industry insights and data for HIP.
• CircanaminorOthersResearch partner providing market intelligence and consumer insights for the hospitality industry.
• Coca-ColaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Main Partner at HIP, showcasing beverage solutions to hospitality professionals.
• DAMMflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Main Partner at HIP, presenting beer and beverage offerings to the Horeca sector.
• CaixaBankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Bank of HIP, providing financial services and support for the event.
• MapfrecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHIP Insurance Partner, providing insurance coverage and services for the event.
• MAKROcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Provider at HIP, serving as a key supplier for the event.
• TheForkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Main Partner at HIP, showcasing restaurant reservation and management solutions.
• IFEMA MadridflagshipOthersOfficial venue host for HIP events. HIP is held at IFEMA - Feria de Madrid, Av. Partenón 5, 28042 Madrid, Spain.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Anuga: Anuga is one of the world's largest food and beverage trade fairs held biennially in Cologne, Germany. It is a broad incumbent in the F&B trade show space, with Horeca-relevant exhibitors and attendees overlapping with HIP's coverage.
• SIAL Paris: SIAL Paris is a major biennial food innovation trade fair held in Paris, France, with significant Horeca-relevant exhibitor and buyer attendance. It is a broader incumbent food industry event that overlaps with HIP's Horeca channel.

Emerging players

• ProWein: ProWein is the world's leading wine and spirits trade fair held annually in Düsseldorf, Germany. It overlaps with HIP's Horeca Wine & Spirits innovation zone and competes for beverage brand exhibitor spend.

Regional players

• IBTM World: IBTM World is a leading global MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) trade event held in Barcelona. It is a regional peer in the broader exhibitions industry with comparable event-driven B2B monetization, though focused on the MICE segment.
• FoodHotel: FoodHotel is an international food, hotel, and restaurant equipment trade show series with editions across Asia and other regions. It is a regional peer offering a comparable Horeca equipment and supply trade show format in different geographies.

Direct peers

• HOST Milano: HOST Milano is a biennial hospitality industry trade show in Milan, Italy, covering foodservice, coffee, retail technology, and Horeca equipment. It is a directly comparable European Horeca-focused event competing for global exhibitor budgets.
• Sirha: Sirha organizes the biennial Sirha Lyon and Sirha Trade exhibitions, flagship Horeca and food service trade shows in Lyon, France. It is the most direct European competitor to HIP, targeting overlapping exhibitor and attendee bases across hospitality, foodservice, and food innovation.
• Alimentaria: Alimentaria is a leading food, beverage, and foodservice trade fair held biennially in Barcelona, Spain. It overlaps with HIP's Horeca audience, particularly food and beverage exhibitors serving the hospitality industry in Spain.
• NRA Show (National Restaurant Association Show): The NRA Show is the largest annual restaurant industry trade show in the United States, focused on foodservice equipment, technology, and supply. It is a direct peer in Horeca trade show model and audience, although primarily US-focused.

Others

• Fira de Barcelona: Fira de Barcelona is one of Europe's largest trade fair venue operators and organizers, hosting numerous events including Alimentaria. It is an adjacent peer as a venue operator and competing trade show organizer in the same Spanish market as HIP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/search
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/expo-hip

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HIP - Horeca Professional Expo