Leading producers from Italy’s Euro 46 billion food and beverage industry present at The Speciality Food Festival

Dubai –

 In 2020, despite the challenges of the pandemic period, Italy exported a record of 46 billion euro worth of food and beverage (+1.7% from 2019) and confirmed as the 6th largest international food supplier.
The Italian agribusiness is the 3^rd most valuable national sector and employs 1.4 million people (6% of the national employment market), with 900,000 involved in agriculture forestry and fishing and 473,000 working in the food industry.
This remarkable performance depends on several characteristics combining tradition and modernity: the strong Italian heritage in food cultivation and production, its huge biodiversity, the international awareness of the benefit of Mediterranean diet and to the large diffusion of sustainable, traceable and responsible models of consumption and production.

Italy, in fact, has largest number of certifications of origin of agri-food products in the EU, resulting from an incredibly bio-diversified sustainable agriculture able to transform simple ingredients into the most loved iconic foods in the world.
In 2020 the global European sales of organic food products reached 6.9 billion euro (+11% in 2021/2020) and in Italy they have increased by 156% over the past decades thanks to a growing demand related to their healthy nutritional properties, safety assurance and a sustainable approach to environment and communities.
With a global reputation for offering some of the world’s finest gourmet ingredients, 80 companies are located at the Italian Trade Agency pavilion at The Speciality Food Festival, which is taking place from 7 to 9 November at the Dubai World Trade Centre and realized in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in the UAE, the Consulate General in Dubai and the CNA (National Confederation Craft Industries and Small-Medium Enterprises). The ITA pavilion is the largest European pavilion at the fair.

Italy’s top 8 globally exported products showcased at Speciality Food Festival are: olive oil, coffee, pistachios, cheese, pasta, processed vegetables, fish and meat. Products include bio and Free From, clean label and Halal, coffee, juices and other beverages, dairy products and ice cream, pasta, rice, cereals and pulses, chocolates, creams, desserts, cakes, sweets and snacks, fruits and vegetable preserves, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, appetisers, seafood preserves, mushrooms, truffles, sauces and condiments.
His Excellency Nicola Lener, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE said, “I am really pleased to be here and I warmly welcome the Italian food and beverage companies present. Their huge participation demonstrates how vibrant and solid this sector is for our national industrial and economic system and how it was crucial during the darkest period of the recent pandemic emergency for the resilience of our Country.
Italy praises one of the most dynamic, advanced and safe food and beverage cluster in the world resulted by both our long-standing tradition in production and treat ingredients as well as the cutting-edge technologies aim at guaranteeing the health of consumers, the traceability of products, the sustainability of manufacturing and logistic processes in a framework of industrial efficiency and environmental protection. In this regard, I recall that Italy homes 60,000 organic farms and 40,000 farms committed to preserving seeds and plants at risk of extinction.
These issues will be widely discussed during the Innovation Talks devoted to “Italian Sustainable Food” that ITA is organising, with the Italian institutions support, and which will be held on next November 9^th at Italian Pavilion”.
Amedeo Scarpa, Italian Trade Commissioner to the UAE, said: “The UAE imported 190 million worth of Italian F&B products in 2020. In the first 7 months of 2021, we record an increase by a 27,7% (130 mln in value) of f&b export to UAE, compared to previous year and by +4,3% compared to pre-pandemic 2019. The UAE offers the best Italian eateries and fine dining options outside of Italy, with many Michelin- starred chefs making Dubai their second home. Italian food producers benefit hugely from the UAE’s strong tourism, hotel and restaurant industries and their desire for using authentic Italian ingredients. The interest in Italian products across the world has resulted in the Italian government increasing export targets to an unprecedented Euro 50 billion in 2021, and I expect a large proportion of this to be a direct result of the strong trade relationship with the UAE.”
The Italian Trade Agency is hosting a number of activities at its pavilion during the three-day trade fair for visitors to enjoy, including: 

• The ITAlian Food Lab with daily cooking shows by some of Italy’s Michelin starred Chefs Chef Heinz Beck, Gianni Tarabini, Paolo Gramaglia, Pasquale Palamaro, joining Top Italian Chefs from Dubai’s Italian restaurants scene. They will show how to create authentic Italian dishes, regional specialties and seasonal delicacies at home with 100% Italian ingredients.
• Breakfast Made in ITAly every morning CNA and a group of 24 Italian companies will offer to the public a special taste of authentic “colazione italiana” under the claim : ‘Start your day, the Italian way’.