With more than 35 years of expertise, further enhanced during the Expo2015 six-months with hundreds of foreign top buyers at the “Cibus è Italia” pavilion, Cibus confirms itself as the food industry highest quality platform to increase the exchanges with foreign markets.
The complete program of the 18th edition of Cibus, the International Food Fair organized by Fiere di Parma and Federalimentare, has been presented to the press in Milan. The Minister for Agricultural Policies, Maurizio Martina, will inaugurate the event on Monday May 9 in Parma. The exhibition will continue until May 12. In the wake of the Expo Fair even the figures are breaking records: 3,000 exhibitors on 130,000 square meters of exhibiting area, 70,000 visitors expected, of which 15,000 from abroad. Two thousand top buyers from all continents will arrive; thanks to the cooperation with ICE Agenzia (Italian Trade Commission) and a total investment of more than 3 million Euros, and thanks also to the important contribution of the Government through the Ministry of Economic Development as part of “The Extraordinary Italian Taste” campaign promoting the Italian agri-food products. Concurrently to the fair the “World Food Research and Innovation Forum” and the Federalimentare annual meeting will be held.
“Cibus is a constantly growing exhibition – declared Gian Domenico Auricchio, Chairman of the Fiere di Parma – for the volume of business it generates, its international relevance also in figures: the number of exhibitors has grown by 11% compared to the previous edition and the exhibiting area have increased by 8%. The venue of the fair is ever more modern and functional: at the West entrance the CIBUSèITALIA pavilion presented at the Expo2015, with more than 1,300 square meters surface area, has been reassembled; the parking lots facing this entrance have been completely paved and the exterior of the pavilions has been renovated and modernized”.
In 2015 the food sector exports reached 37 billion euros, raising hopes to reach the objective set by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi: 50 billion by 2020.
“In terms of quality, added value and consequently prices paid for our products on international markets, the Italian agri-food exports have no competitors – stressed Luigi Scordamaglia, Chairman of Federalimentare – The objective of 50 billion Euro by the end of the decade would guarantee an increase in direct and indirect employment of about 100,000 units and would open the way for Italian food products to join the European leadership, partially narrowing the gap with the other countries. With an annual export increase of 6-7%, this objective is within our reach. Today’s challenge is to turn projects that can create jobs and wealth into investments and results in terms of exports of Italian food and beverages to consolidate a positive growth trend. If Expo2015 celebrated the Italian food model as an international model of reference worldwide, Cibus current edition will strengthen that achievement. We are already looking further, as we work towards bolstering international participation to future events by offering more services and more competitive advantages to Italian companies that promote their products on world markets”.
In the meantime Cibus continues its evolution from sector leading exhibition to a permanent platform for knowledge and promotion to sustain the Italian agri-food exports.
“Cibus 2016 is the finish line of years of work – stressed Fiere di Parma CEO Antonio Cellie – during which we have participated side by side with the Italian food companies in the most important international sector exhibitions (from Beijing to Bangkok, from Chicago to San Francisco), organized road shows (Tokyo, Dubai, Singapore) and meetings with the international buyers in the Cibus Market Check (from Moscow to New York, from São Paulo to Shanghai). The challenge in the years ahead is to turn Cibus into a permanent platform for promotion abroad, serving Made-in-Italy food companies and institutions. With 3,000 thousand exhibiting companies and all the flavours of the Italian food products, we will present to the world an extraordinary image of our wealth of know-how throughout all the supply chains”.
CIBUS 2016 HIGHLIGHTS – Three thousand companies representing all product sectors: meats and cold meats, cheeses and dairy products, fresh and frozen delicatessen, pasta, preserves and sauces, confectionery and bakery products, ready-to- eat, beverages, typical and regional products, and more. Among the new proposals there is a section dedicated to fresh and very fresh products, one to seafood and one to certified Halal and Kosher products (www.cibus.it).
Cibus will present hundreds of product innovations, evidencing the great dynamism of the Italian industry which aims at gaining new positions in foreign markets, and contribute to the relaunch of family consumption in Italy. Offers of organic, gluten free and vegan products are growing, as well as the use of environment-friendly packaging. Detailed information on the new products will be available from May 6 on Cibus website.
“Cibus historical segments are packed filled with exhibitors, both new ones and those who are back after sometime – said Elda Ghiretti, Cibus Brand Manager – but we also feature new entries such as the fresh, very fresh products with new players in the fresh cut offer, seafood, the showcase of Halal/Kosher Italian products. Cibus is a prestigious international event with hundreds of cooking shows, tastings, and all types of events, more than 25 conferences and workshops”.
THE FAIR AND THE CITY – With an international background the World Food Research and Innovation Forum, organized by the Emilia-Romagna Region under the patronage of the European Community, in cooperation with Cibus and Federalimentare will be held on May 9 and 10 at the Centro Congressi Auditorium “Niccolò Paganini” in Parma. The work will focus on the challenges of feeding the planet, the legacy of Milan Expo 2015 and Milan Charter, the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the commitments undertaken by the international community to win the challenge of climate change. During Cibus 2016 Fuorisalone, the program of activities in the streets of Parma has been renewed and expanded: Cibus in Fabula, from April 30 to May 20 with 13 street art works on huge canvases of 70 square meters created by international artists and curated by the multidisciplinary artist Felice Limosani, are shown at the Ospedale Vecchio. 13 murals will be auctioned to benefit Oxfam Italia, the NGO that develops projects for a sustainable life and the right to water in 90 countries. Fuorisalone includes tastings, shows, activities for children, cabaret shows, and more. Cibus is also the set that Sistema Parma has chosen to invite the delegates of UNESCO’s Creative Cities for Gastronomy: a network that includes Parma since last December and that counts 17 more participants, from the USA to China, from Brazil to South Korea, from Norway to Spain. The UNESCO delegation will stay in Parma for four days and will also visit Cibus 2016.
