Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) has boosted its trade show portfolio in Italy and abroad by acquiring 51% of the Nutrition Innovation (NIS) Summit in São Paulo in Brazil (from 31 March 2026), and by launching Fluidtech Expo in Vicenza in September 2027.
IEG’s acquisition of 51% of the NIS Summit, Brazil’s main business and innovation platform for the health and supplement market, was a R$20m (US$3.78m) transaction. Corrado Peraboni, CEO of IEG, noted it was the group’s 13th acquisition in Brazil.
Peraboni said the current NIS team would remain at the helm until 2029 to ensure continuity. At the end of that period, IEG will exercise the option to purchase the remaining 49%, he said.
The investment would appear to be a safe one: unlike cyclical sectors, functional nutrition and supplementation do not depend on crises or expansionary phases of the economy, but are driven by demographic changes, an ageing population, disease prevention, and greater consumer awareness. And, according to ABIA (Brazilian Association of the Food Industry), the Brazilian food industry recorded a turnover of R$1,277bn in 2024 (10.8% of GDP) with a growth of 10% compared to the previous year.
“Nutrition is not a trend; it is a structural necessity of modern society. People may put off buying a car or property, but they do not forego health, well-being and longevity decisions. Investing in the NIS Summit means positioning IEG at the centre of an ecosystem that is growing independently of the economic cycle. We are talking about applied science, concrete innovation and the connection between global industry and the Brazilian market. It is a sector that is evolving rather than contracting,” said Graziano Messana, CEO of IEG Brasil.
Integrating NIS into the IEG portfolio will strengthen the vertical Food & Beverage that the group already operates in globally in terms of international events, such as SIGEP World, and also widens the bridge between Brazilian operators and global innovation networks.
In the last two years, the group has acquired 100% of Expo InfraFM and MundoGeo, as well as 51% of Fenagra. “We will continue to invest in Brazil in a disciplined and strategic way. Our aim is clear: to build a resilient portfolio, connected to the economy’s big structural transformations, and position IEG among Brazil’s major players in the exhibition sector,” Messana added.
Now at its 6th edition, the NIS Summit has grown by 50% with over 140 exhibitors, 500 national and international brands, expected to attend. The event will be held 31 March-1 April at the Transamérica Expo Centre in São Paulo.
In Vicenza, Italy, IEG is launching a new show for the pump, valve, component and water treatment technology sectors. The dates have been set for 28-30 September 2027 and the Fluidtech Expo event will take place every two years in the halls of Vicenza Expo Centre. That expo will become part of IEG’s Green&Tech events portfolio which already includes the water sector.
Italy is Europe’s second market for both pumps and valves and Fluidtech Expo originated from dialogue between IEG and the sector’s leading companies. The aim, says IEG, is to create a “smart” business-oriented vertical event in the water mechanics and plant engineering sector.
Alongside the exhibition area, Fluidtech will offer technical meetings for sector professionals.
Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk
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