Italy is the great protagonist at the Summer Fancy Food Show 2018: 300 exhibiting companies and almost 8,000 square meters at the Javits Center in New York City. It is the home of the trade show dedicated to specialty food and beverages: the largest and most important in North America and the most important in the world, according to many insiders. The Italian Pavilion, once again the largest in the international area, hosts 12% of the total exhibitors who are presenting the entire range of Made in Italy agro-food under the distinctive sign ‘The Extraordinary Italian Taste’. After last year’s restyling, which saw the layout of the stands renewed, the Italian Pavilion presents itself with an innovative design to give greater comfort to exhibitors and visitors who will find it more business-oriented.
A new Italian space at Summer Fancy Food Show
This year, a new area of the fair dedicated to Extraordinary Italian Taste was organized by institutional partners Cibus, Tuttofood, Vinitaly, Specialty Food Association, and Universal Marketing. In the pavilion on the upper floor, called ‘River Pavilion’ for its splendid view of the Hudson River, 9 open kitchens have been set up – animated in rotation by 36 companies – together with a wine bar. This is where the second edition of the Italian Food Awards USA organized by Italianfood.net (the integrated international B2B project of the Food Group) took place.
Italian food rocketing in the USA
The value of Italian food and beverage imports in the USA increased by 18.5% in the first 4 months of 2018, compared to the same period in 2017. Italy maintains the sixth place in the list of world’s top exporters to the United States, with a market share of 3.2% after Mexico, Canada, China, Chile, and France. According to data from the US Department of Commerce, Italian food exports in 2017 exceeded 4.8 billion dollars: a 5.4% increase compared to the previous year. For now, in 2018 Italy is also confirmed as the first country in the export of wine, olive oil, pasta, cheese, balsamic vinegar and mineral water to the USA.
An increasingly attractive Italian Pavillion
Phil Kafarakis, President of the Specialty Food Association, said: The Italian pavilion is a huge attraction for the participants. American consumers have embraced Italian cuisine long ago, with a deep interest in the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. Interest in products from all over Italy is very strong. The SFA is proud to work closely with Italian producers and exporters to bring the best of Italian food and drink to the U.S. market. Made in Italy food, supported by public investment for promotion, confirms its leadership in the U.S., the leading non-European destination market for the Italian products – said Maurizio Forte, Director of ICE – ITA (Italian Trade Agency) New York Agency and U.S. Coordination. ICE collaborates with Federalimentare, Cibus, Tuttofood and Vinitaly, continuing its partnership with the Specialty Food Association and Universal Marketing. We are truly proud of the work we have done for these 300 companies – said Universal Marketing CEO Donato Cinelli, the only agent in Italy of the Specialty Food Association and producer of the Italian Pavilion. Today, the United States is truly the ideal place to highlight the value and work of Italian companies; Made in Italy is an integral part of the culture of beauty, a quality that has always been appreciated and sought after by the American people.