Hospitality meets the future at THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2025
From robot noodle chefs to zero-alcohol spirits and pizza cooked in under two minutes, THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2025 had something for everyone working (or dreaming) in the hospitality industry. Held from March 5 to 7 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, the second edition of the exhibition brought together businesses, experts, and buyers to talk about what’s next in the hotel, restaurant, café, and catering (HoReCa) world.
This year, it welcomed 466 companies from 25 countries and drew 19,454 trade attendees from across 87 countries. It was loud, fast-paced, and full of new ideas.
A taste of the future under one roof
THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2025 offered a complete overview of the industry’s most sales-generating and future-focused products and services. These include nine major segments: Bakery and Ice Cream, Café and Bar, Cleaning and Laundry, Dining, Furnishing, Kitchen, Services, Tech, and Wellness.
One of the most dynamic spaces at the exhibition was the Xperiential Zone, a dedicated space showcasing real-world solutions to some of the industry’s biggest challenges. From contactless check-in tech to waste-reducing kitchen tools and plant-based menu innovation, this area offered a peek into the full ecosystem of a modern HORECA operation.
Zero alcohol spirits
The zero-alcohol spirit range from Sober Spirits was among the products that turned heads at THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2025.
“Basically, it’s a non-alcoholic spirit, 0% alcohol. Many people want to be more healthy in their lifestyle and also enjoy the party without having any hangover afterward,” said Francesco Moretti, the brand’s ambassador.
Using a technique that removes the alcohol but keeps the flavour, Sober Spirits is tapping into a growing demand for conscious consumption. “They extract the ethanol, so you’re going to have the flavour, but the notes [of the spirits] stay in your glass,” he added.
Coffee with a lighter footprint
Sustainability was another big theme, particularly in the Café and Bar segment. Prefer, a company focused on environmentally-friendly ingredients, showcased a coffee innovation designed to cut costs and reduce emissions.
Jake Berber, the co-founder and CEO of Prefer, shared with The Thaiger, “We’ve developed a roasted and ground coffee product that allows us to decrease the costs and carbon footprint of our coffee partners. We’re really excited to help coffee companies here reduce their costs so that consumers can continue to enjoy coffee.”
Their versatile product can be used for instant coffee, ready-to-drink beverages, and even as an ingredient for distributors.
Robots in the kitchen
Hospitality tech had a strong presence, too, at this year’s exhibition. Perhaps one of the most interesting demonstrations came from Malaysia’s Codemax with their robotic noodle-making system.
“When you order something from the point-of-sale or the self-ordering kiosk, the robot will start working immediately,” explained Benny, co-founder and director. “It picks up the ingredients, puts them in the boiling tank, and once it’s cooked, it pours the soup and gets the bowl ready.”
The robot handles most of the cooking process automatically, and only the final garnish is added by a human. For restaurants looking to save on time and labour, it’s a promising solution.
Knowledge-sharing and pizza academy
On the education side, THAIFEX – HOREC Academy hosted 50 speakers across more than 20 panel sessions. Here, industry leaders, such as Tim Hill of GlobalDate and Meeporn Oeawpanich of InterContinental Pattaya, shared insights and ran live demonstrations.
Over at the Asian Pizza Show Academy, Chef Thanwa Seesaed of Bangkok’s much-loved Peppina gave visitors a crash course in traditional Neapolitan pizza.
“The pizza [Napoletana] is very simple, but we use high-quality ingredients. It’s very fast to cook, we need around one minute and a half. That’s it,” he explained.
Nearby, Chef Anthony Russo, founder of Russo’s New York Pizzeria, walked visitors through the process behind his signature American-style pies.
He shared, “We started in 1999 making New York-style pizza. My parents were in the restaurant business back in New Jersey. We’re expanding in the states… but also globally. Our goal is to open up casual dining, serving New York-style pizza, pasta, salad, and sandwiches in this market. Bring Little Italy to Thailand. It’s our goal.”
Hosted buyer programme, competitions, and more
In addition to the flavours and tech demos, THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2025 was also a serious business event.
For buyers, the Hosted Buyer Programme streamlined high-value meetings with over 500 leading suppliers. Participants included brands like McDonald’s, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, and Sidhorn Kempinski.
Rounding out the event were live competitions and awards, including the ASEAN Barista Team Championship, THAIFEX – HOREC Innovation Awards, and the Thailand Ultimate Housekeeping Challenge. These competitions proved that skill, creativity, and innovation are alive and well in Southeast Asia’s hospitality scene.
THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2026 is coming
If you missed it this time, don’t worry. THAIFEX – HOREC Asia will return to IMPACT Muang Thong Thani on March 11 to 13, 2026. It promises even more innovation, flavour, and opportunity.
For more information, visit https://thaifex-horec.asia/ or follow them on Facebook.
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