Italian agro‑food sector leads at New York's Summer Fancy Food Show

Italy’s pavilion was the largest national presence at the 70th Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, hosting more than 300 companies – about 10 % of all exhibitors. The pavilion was opened by Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida and featured senior officials such as ICE president Matteo Zoppas and ambassador Marco Peronaci, who highlighted the United States as Italy’s top extra‑European market, now growing by roughly 4 % this year.

Regional delegations underscored the event’s strategic value. A group of 17 firms from Piemonte, led by regional president Alberto Cirio and agriculture assessor Paolo Bongioanni, promoted wines, cheeses, truffles, nuts and other specialties, noting that Piedmont‑origin food accounts for over €700 million of annual export and aims for €1 billion. Puglia’s Nuova Fiera del Levante, represented by president Gaetano Frulli, used the show to showcase extra‑virgin olive oil and to build buyer relationships for its “Evolio” project.

At the same time, Coldiretti used its booth to warn that “Italian sounding” fraud – products marketed as Italian while using foreign ingredients or being produced abroad – costs the agro‑food sector between €42 billion and €90 billion annually, especially in the U.S. market where “Italian‑style” cheeses and cured meats are manufactured in large volumes. The organization called for stricter origin rules and greater label transparency.

The Specialty Food Association also introduced a new “Spark Pavilion” for first‑time exhibitors, offering over 40 innovative start‑ups a low‑cost platform to reach the roughly 8,000 buyers attending the show.