Now in its seventh edition, scheduled at Fiera Milano (Rho) from 6 to 9 May, Tuttofood aims to strengthen itself not only as a consolidated business platform, but also as a major international hub of the high quality Italian food system. An event which is able to cover the entire supply chain. In addition to being a traditional meeting place between supply chains and the needs of an increasingly varied demand, the event is an opportunity to share knowledge and to grasp and deepen insights on the future of the sector, thanks to a programme that is the central element of the fair. Fabrizio Curci, CEO of Fiera Milano, confirms this: “Food is part not only of our industrial capacity, but also of the culture of Italy. The goal of Tuttofood is to move away from the concept of the ‘fair of supply’ and to be more and more a place where supply and demand meet, also through important cultural insights. The fair must have an increasingly international standing, helping companies to do their job. For this reason we have allocated major investments to the selection of major international buyers – supported by ICE – Italian Trade Agency”. This attention is reinforced by the agreements signed with important overseas associations such as Restaurant Canada, which brings together Canadian restaurants and out-of-home chains, and the Specialty Food Association, the most important food association in the USA.
AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT
The efforts made in view of Tuttofood 2019 aimed at making the exhibition a point of reference in the global trade scene for the food & beverage business community. An event capable of creating synergies and shortening distances between professional operators, companies and markets around the world. All this displaying the best Italian know-how, putting it in contact with professionals from all over the world, and attracting foreign countries and foreign companies that are interested in the Italian market. Last March, at the time of the press conference where Tuttofood 2019 was presented, the presence of representatives from 32 foreign countries was confirmed. From Spain, Greece, and Portugal to the USA, the UK and China. On the other hand, confirming the international profile of the event the US Ministry of Agriculture has recently issued an important award which attests Tuttofood as the only Italian event in the food sector that can ensure an effective contribution to US exports. The American pavilion will host more than 30 companies: the focus of the group will be numerous American excellent products, including nuts and dried fruit.
EVOLUTION PLAZA DEBUTS
Among the most interesting initiatives of this year’s edition of Tuttofood, two areas stand out. Evolution Plaza is the big novelty for 2019, integrated in a single ‘digital village’ with the exhibition area Tuttodigital. It will be the place dedicated to deepening latest trends in the digital world, with technologies that look to the future: from product traceability to the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence and solutions designed for services such as accounting or delivery. Successful case histories such as Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI, Chocolate of Modica PGI, and Grana Padano PDO will also be presented. Finally, the Italian consortium of digital commerce Netcomm will take care of the e-commerce Food Lab, which will address issues related to digital retail food: from the design and definition of Kpi to critical steps, logistics and payments, with a focus on exports and the presentation of best practices. Retail Plaza, on the other hand, will offer the Italian and international retail community a renewed concept to host a debate on a number of strong themes: assortments, pricing and positioning policies, payments, supply chains, and the new People & Dialogue approach to customers. The data partnership with Nielsen has been confirmed for an event that over the years has been involving some of the major distribution companies.
NEW THEMATIC AREAS
There are many new developments in the thematic areas of the event, starting with Tuttowine, the space dedicated to wine in collaboration with UIV- Unione Italiana Vini. New areas are also reserved for the nutritional traditions of different cultures such as Tuttokosher and Tuttohalal, destined to bring further value to the international character of Tuttofood 2019. The new categories will be inserted within the most consolidated areas of the show. Focus on the world of delicatessen and gastronomy at Tuttodeli, and on preserves with Tuttogrocery. Spotlight on the world of desserts and bakery products with Tuttosweet, while TuttoPasta is to consolidate the dry pasta segment with the enlargement of the historical producers’ dedicated space and a focus on fresh pasta. TuttoFrozen and TuttoSeafood will be characterized by several new entries, while TuttoDairy and TuttoMeat will present many product innovations.