The 39th edition of the event saw the participation of 121 exhibiting brands, including 15 brands from abroad making their debut at the event. More than 800 people attended the 70 training sessions featuring over 100 speakers

Milan, 6 October 2026 – The 2026 edition of Salone Franchising Milano, the leading event in Italy for franchising and retail organised by Fiera Milano, closed on Saturday 3 October, confirming its position as the Italian benchmark for brands that are most resilient to changes in the market and consumer habits.

The 5,000 visitors, 3% of whom came from abroad, mainly from Europe and America, represent the first result of an international opening built through new relationships and partnerships with operators and partners across borders. This is a path that represents one of the objectives in which we intend to invest decisively: already in the coming months, we will launch new initiatives and activities dedicated to this, in order to further expand the international community and bring new opportunities for discussion, business and networking to Milan.

“This edition marked an important step: we focused on a shared vision of the event and, above all, of the role it can play for franchising. We did not want to limit ourselves to describing a sector only through figures, but to give space to the experiences, discussions and relationships that build its future every day,” observed Francesca Cavallo, Head of Hospitality Exhibitions at Fiera Milano. “This is the direction in which we want to continue working: making the event a place to meet, exchange views, create connections and turn them into concrete opportunities. We know there is still a way to go, but today we have stronger foundations and a community with which to share this journey. This is where we start again, with the ambition of growing the event together with the market it represents and accompanying its evolution, in Italy and beyond its borders.”

The interesting variety of brands present represented the range of proposals currently available in the world of franchising: from food service, which is establishing itself as one of the most representative sectors for chain outlets, to services for every need, right through to large-scale retail, which also featured Eurospin, Main Sponsor of Salone Franchising Milano for the fourth consecutive year.

The more than 70 events, with over 100 speakers in total, held over the three days, were attended by more than 800 participants, demonstrating the usefulness of the topics proposed for the many professionals in the franchising sector who aim to keep pace with market developments.

Among the aspects of greatest interest that emerged during the sessions were the need to receive training on the regulations governing the franchising market abroad, which still differ from country to country in Europe, as well as attention to the current opportunities made available by public and private organisations to finance new entrepreneurial initiatives in Italy.

The testimonies of the franchisors who took part in the workshops also highlighted the importance of understanding and being able to manage technological evolution as a strategic asset for the efficiency of networks and individual outlets, without overlooking the importance of enhancing and training staff, who are still considered a key point of reference for customers and the focus of sales relationships.

The one-to-one consultations with experts from the sector’s three leading Italian associations – Assofranchising, Confimprese and Federfranchising – once again supporters of the event, further enriched the sharing of knowledge, best practices and experiences, enabling visitors to receive important information for starting a new business.

Further information at: https://www.salonefranchisingmilano.com/en/

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