Regional delicacies like cooked grape must, grape seed oil and salami, single-serve packaging and organic varieties were Italy’s highlights at the Winter Fancy Food Show (WFFS) in San Francisco, one of the most important trade fairs in the United States, whose specialty food market is worth $109 billion of sales. (see below the interview to Senior VP Chris Nemchek)
Under the umbrella of the Italian Trade Agency and the slogan “Extraordinary Italian Taste”, 60 companies from cheese maker Auricchio to salami producer Terre Ducali showcased a selection of their best offers for the US market to a crowd of importers and distributors catering to large retailers as well as delis, groceries and restaurants.
After a first successful debut last year as the only partner country of the summer edition held in New York, Italy travelled to San Francisco as the only partner country of the winter show, with a coordinated campaign declined from the elegant white booths to the badges of the around 18,000 attendees.
For specialty brands like Veroni, known for its cold cuts, olive oil maker Benvolio and anchovy fillets specialist Delicius the three-day show (Jan 17-19) was a window open on a market which is finally discovering the variety of the authentic regional Italian cuisine. Big food players the likes the Consortium for Prosciutto di Parma, Grana Padano, Prosciutto di San Daniele, Montasio cheese, and dairy group Granarolo were also at the show. “These are champions that have made Italian food important in the US and we continue to support them. But more attention must be paid to new companies,” said Maurizio Forte, US Trade Commissioner and Executive Director of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA-ICE).
The presence of new entrants including cherry tomato sauce specialist Agromonte, pasta maker Ferrarini and quality frozen pizza brand Valpizza is a positive sign of the role that trade shows have in bringing producers close to buyers, said Donato Cinelli, president of Universal Marketing, the exclusive agent for the Italian pavilion at the Fancy Food Shows. The organization effort behind the scene is bearing fruit. Well over 300 Italian companies are expected at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York (June 26-28).
By Antonella Ciancio