(Finance) – 120 thousand m2 of exhibition space distributed across 8 pavilions – which will offer a complete cross-section of the Italian food sector, presenting at the fair all the best of the main Made in Italy agri-food sectors – for a record edition. Sold out at Cibus 2024, scheduled for Parma from 7 to 10 May, reference event for the Made in Italy agri-food sector, the result of the consolidated collaboration between Parma and Federalimentare Fairs.
A 22nd edition which this year will surpass any other in terms of the number of exhibitors (over 3,000 brands and a waiting list of 600 companies) and the presence of buyer of Italian and international large-scale distribution – to date more than 1,000 already registered – from markets such as the United States, Germany, Spain, France, the United Kingdom and the Middle East. 2024 will also be the year of the ASEAN countrieswith the return of China, the great absentee during the pandemic, and an important delegation from Japan.
An increasingly symbolic exhibition of Italian agri-food, which also proves to be active on the world stage, with a strategy that aims to create one that Antonio Cellie, Amanaging director of Fiere di Parma, defines “a system of national and international alliances that consolidates Italian and European agri-food as a reference for conscious and sustainable consumption on a global level. Our events guarantee not only a trade fair but an experiential path designed to accompany markets, even distant ones, towards our food model. The finalization of the partnership with Koelnmesse is part of this strategy.”
An agreement, the one recently signed with Koelnmesse, by virtue of which the German group, one of the main players in the exhibition market in the world, will deal with the international development of both Cibus and Tuttofood, the management of which has passed to Parma in light of of the agreement signed in 2023 with Fiera Milano. In particular, the agreement with Cologne will bring international visitors to Cibus and exhibitors from abroad for Tuttofood. “With the support of Koelnmesse, the two events will be able to count on more international visitors and exhibitors, also thanks to a reprogramming of the calendars that will harmonize Cibus, Tuttofood and Anuga, the Koelnmesse food and beverage fair. Cibus will thus be able to consolidate its role as facilitator of the development of Italian agri-food exports, while Tuttofood will see foreign exhibitors grow from the current 10% to at least 50% in the space of two editions”, comments Cellie.
“The Cibus International Food Exhibition, organized by Federalimentare and Fiere di Parma, is the reference event for the Italian agri-food sector. Like every year, Cibus features the excellence of our agri-food sector, a dynamic entrepreneurial fabric, capable of combining tradition and innovation and which manages to intercept the tastes of Italian and international consumers, thus constituting a showcase for our Made in Italy. The fair also represents an opportunity for reflection on the food industry and its entire supply chain which have demonstrated , even in particularly critical moments such as the pandemic and the current international crisis due to conflicts, great solidity in knowing how to guarantee safe and quality food for everyone”, declares Paolo Mascarino, President of Federalimentare.
In Parma, thanks to the collaboration with ICE Agency, buyers, category managers and purchasing managers of the most important supermarket chains will be present. As well as an international point of reference for Horeca, the key importers and distributors for Made in Italy in the world.
A large international presence, the result of the roadshow that Cibus has developed over the last year in the main markets together with ICE Agency. A global tour that has already touched Cologne, Shanghai, Las Vegas and which will see Dubai and Tokyo among its next stops, concluding between June and October in New York (USA) and Paris.
Lots of i Top Buyers who will be able to live the immersive experience of the Cibus Destination, a program of highly engaging retail and technical tours, organized in the area and within the Food Valley companies. On-site tours are also planned, among the Cibus stands, with visits and tastings dedicated to the specific requests and needs of top Italian and foreign buyers. Regional products, away from home, innovation, niche products and for the fine dining segment: these are just some of the discovery paths that will guide professional visitors among the stands of the fair.
New to this edition will be the area “Food of ideas”, which will enhance the innovative drive of the exhibiting companies at the event. The space will host some of Cibus’ successful areas, such as the Innovation Corner – the showcase of new products presented at the fair by exhibitors – and the Startup Area created in collaboration with Le Village of Crédit Agricole.
For the first time at Cibus T-OWN: a project which, in an original way, will present the ideas and initiatives implemented by agri-food companies to inform end consumers of the social, energetic and nutritional characteristics of individual products.
A call for ideas designed by the T_OOL spin off sponsored by the University of Parma.
Among the previews, a rich program of conferences and dedicated initiatives at Authentic Italian Food&Beverage: the focus will involve three major thematic areas: the new balance between distribution and the brand industry, exploring the repercussions on the supply chain after the recent anti-inflation pacts; the protection and enhancement of traditional gastronomic heritage through the comparison of the different experiences and best practices of national and foreign consortia; the thematic itineraries in the Cibus spaces dedicated to Ho.Re.Ca. operators