There were over 78,000 visitors to the Tuttofood edition which closed today, an increase of 40.8% over the previous year and 78.7% of foreign visitors.
Of significance is the fact that 2,100 selected top international buyers met with 2,838 exhibitors, of which 433 foreign, representing 7,000 brands, 11,790 in pre-scheduled appointments through the online Expo Matching Program calendar. So much so as to bring the new CEO of Fiera Milano, Corrado Peraboni, to say that “Tuttofood is ‘the’ ultimate tool for further internationalisation of Italian agrifood. Thanks to Tuttofood, many small to medium quality businesses had access to markets in which it would be difficult for them to be known in any other way. The goal of 50 billions in exports is increasingly within the reach of the food system and we are doing our part”.
A qualitative survey conducted on the top international buyers during the event revealed that Italian products are in demand worldwide, not only due to the appeal of our food and wine, but also because they have a reputation of being natural, safe and of high quality. Among the emerging markets, India and China are the most sensitive to the value added of all-Italian ingredients, while Middle East consumers especially appreciate the naturalness. Searching out original and little-known specialities, on the other hand, is the fad of Americans and Northern Europeans.
This strong interest in Italian food is confirmed by Kennet Pray, director of Kroger (2619 supermarkets and 786 convenience stores in the United States) for whom American food lovers are strongly attracted by Italian food that is affordable and simple and, especially upscale clientèle, is constantly in search of quality specialities.
