Gruppo Food announces the passing of its founder, Paolo Dalcò (July 11, 1954 – August 17, 2026).
A visionary and enlightened publisher, he tied his personal and entrepreneurial story to specialized business publications — first with Business, a management magazine launched in the 1980s, and then with Food, the first B2B magazine dedicated to the agri-food supply chain, founded in Parma 35 years ago.
Bridging business and communication, he had the decisive intuition to turn information into a space for relationships among the protagonists of the economy.
Around Food, he went on to create editorial projects addressing multiple market segments, all of which are now reference points for the business community: Dolcesalato, founded 26 years ago and dedicated to pastry, bakery and gelato professionals; Food Service, for foodservice and commercial catering operators; and Italianfood.net, aimed at international retailers.
His great curiosity for the world of publishing led him to explore other fields as well, such as gastronomy and children’s books, founding Dalcò Edizioni. From this passion came collaborations with major Italian and international publishing houses, and projects with notable authors including Umberto Galimberti, Alessandro Baricco, Renzo Piano and Oscar Farinetti.
Throughout his life and career, he was always distinguished by his human and relational qualities, fostering the “building of bridges” between the protagonists of the market — industry, distribution and institutions.
Beyond Gruppo Food, his name is linked to other ventures born from the same intuition and vision that set him apart. The first, Confimprese, the Italian Association of Modern Trade Enterprises, founded in 1999 together with Mario Resca, then CEO of McDonald’s; the second, the Consorzio Italia del Gusto, the first private consortium of Italian food and wine companies, created together with Giovanni Rana in 2006 with the goal of supporting the growth of Italian food exports.
Gruppo Food continues its activity under the leadership of his son, Davide Dalcò, to whom he had already passed the torch in 2021, carrying forward the values and passions of its founder.
The family announces that the funeral will be held at the Church of Santissima Annunziata, Via Massimo D’Azeglio 8, Parma, at 10:00 AM on Monday, August 24, 2026.
A Holy Rosary in his memory will be celebrated at the same church on Sunday, August 23, at 7:30 PM.
Messages of condolence will be collected via Gazzetta di Parma and Corriere della Sera.
If you would like to leave a personal memory, you can write to us at ciaopaolo@gruppofood.com