Between 27-29 March, the bakery, confectionery and gastronomy industry gathered at the 16th edition of the GastroPan exhibition. The event brought together over 100 exhibitors and attracted over 18,500 visitors, confirming once again its status as the most important trade fair in Romania. After approximately 10 months of organization, in just three days, the exhibition stands were full of specialists and enthusiasts in the field, offering a unique setting in which innovation and cutting-edge technologies harmoniously combined with craft traditions.
27 March, Thursday – official opening and the Gallery of Exceptional Specialists from Romania
The first day of the exhibition was marked by the official opening, a moment of reference held in the presence of officials and guests of honor: Viorel Marin (ANAMOB president), Ilonka Boldizsár (UIBC president), Elena Ionete (ANAMOB executive director), Septe József (president of the Hungarian Bakery Association), but also other specialists such as Lady Chef Cornelia Ghișoi, Robert Eisler – Pangastro trainer, Chef Florin Kiss – Pangastro trainer, Radu Zărnescu – president of Euro Toques Romania, Szabó Károly – executive director of ADI Harghita etc.
One of the most spectacular moments of the day was the Gallery of Exceptional Specialists in Romania, a space dedicated to excellence in confectionery and baking. Here, visitors admired spectacular tiered cakes, decorated with flowers made of wafer, fondant and sugar paste, along with sophisticated candy bars. The gallery's centerpiece was the impressive Dacian helmet, an exceptional creation that has captured attention and sparked a wave of discussion in recent months.
28 March, Friday – tradition and excellence at the Bread of the Year 2025 competition
The second day of the exhibition, 28 March, was dedicated to one of the most prestigious competitions within GastroPan – the “Bread of the Year 2025” Competition, held in both the industrial and artisanal categories. Over 20 products were exhibited and evaluated by a jury made up of recognized experts in the field: Daniela Voica, Elena Ionete, Adriana Păucean and Liviu Gaceu. After a careful analysis of each product, the title of “Bread of the Year 2025” was awarded to the following creations:
- Rye flour bread from Bocskor Bakery – winner of the industrial category, appreciated for the perfect balance between taste, texture and nutritional value
- Banat bread made by Moara Maria Bakery – designated the best artisan bread, a product with a 30-year history of tradition in the winning bakery, impressing the jury with the authenticity of the recipe and the craftsmanship.
The competition demonstrated once again that, regardless of the technology used, quality and respect for tradition remain essential elements in the art of baking.
Three days of connections, partener – connections, partnerships and new opportunities
The three days of GastroPan 2025 exhibition were dedicated to exchanging ideas, strengthening professional relationships and exploring new collaboration opportunities. The exhibition stands were characterized by discussions between specialists, networking sessions and presentations aimed at bringing together suppliers, producers and entrepreneurs in the field of baking, confectionery and gastronomy.
Exhibitors and visitors took advantage of this day to lay the foundations for new partnerships, to test innovative equipment and ingredients and to discover the development directions of the industry. It was the moment when the innovation presented during the three days began to take shape in the future plans of the professionals present at the event.
Thus, the 16th edition of GastroPan ended successfully, consolidating its status as the most important profile event in Romania and demonstrating once again that tradition and innovation can go hand in hand to redefine industry standards.
Innovations that define the future of the industry
GastroPan 2025 was not only about tradition, but also about innovation, bringing to the fore solutions and products designed to revolutionize the industry. Among the most interesting novelties presented were: oriental flavors and tastes in gelato, a virtual assistant based on artificial intelligence created specifically for bakery administrators and managers, as well as the Carpathians and Danube chocolate, inspired by the successful chocolate recipes of Dubai. Visitors also discovered a robot that cuts cakes with ultrasound, sustainable packaging, unique jams such as aloe vera jam, but also different types of coffee beans and ground coffee designed to satisfy any preference.
These are just a few of the innovations that attracted the attention of specialists, and in the following editions we will continue to explore them one by one, bringing to the fore their impact on the industry.
On the website www.gastropan.ro and the GastroPan social media pages, you can find images and videos materials about the products, solutions and technologies presented at the event by each exhibitor.
The organizers would like to thank all exhibitors, visitors, specialized associations, competitors, sponsors, jury members and partners who supported the holding of this event!
Congratulations to the competitors for the ingenuity, talent and professionalism with which they prepared for this competition!
