CIBUS 2021 marks the restart of the Italian agri-food market
CIBUS 2021 is the first major Italian international fair that will take place in Parma from 31 August to 3 September; it represents a stepping stone for Made in Italy agri-food products.
The reopening of Cibus – following the cancellation of the 2020 edition due to the pandemic – represents a clear sign of recovery for the italian food & beverage industry. The XXth edition of Cibus 2021 will be, in fact, the first showcase of new products expected to drive the recovery of internal consumption and international exports.
Cibus 2021 will feature new products that will fuel the recovery of domestic consumption and foreign exports, ranging from cured meats to cheeses, pasta to tomatoes, oil to baked goods, beverages to grocery, frozen foods to local products, and so on.
“This event marks the true restart of the country” announced the Minister of Foreign Affairs Luigi di Maio.“Even throughout the epidemic, our agri-food exports increased, reaching 46 billion dollars. The Farnesina worked with the government to help companies by implementing financial and promotional activities, as well as granting loans of up to 10 billion euros. Another 576 million was allocated to the exhibition sector. In light of an unprecedented plan for promoting Made in Italy in cooperation with our embassies network and the ICE, we hope to make many of these supports structural”.
About three thousand exhibiting companies are expected to attend the event, many of which had already booked their stands for the 2020 edition of Cibus, then postponed due to the pandemic. All the players in the agri-food chain will be present: “All the companies have confirmed their attendance” said Fiere di Parma president Gino Gandolfi, “and we are happy to report that we have observed an eagerness in them, a specific energy that suggests a great desire to restart”.
“Cibus will be the emblem of the Italian food industry’s recovery” Federalimentare president Ivano Vacondio stated. “It took an epidemic to teach us that food, and especially high-quality food, should not be taken for granted.”
There will be Italian, European, and international buyers at Cibus 2021, who will be treated to a one-of-a-kind experience that includes visits with thematic itineraries dedicated to typical products from the food valley. The “Cibus Forum”, the exclusive conference complex, will also provide an opportunity for players in the agri-food chain to discuss the sector’s most pressing concerns. Thanks to the contribution of its numerous exhibitors, Cibus has in fact become an important international reference point and an observatory for agri-food trends. The fair will therefore represent an amazing opportunity to analyze the great changes accelerated by the pandemic, both in terms of production and consumption.
According to Carlo Ferro, president of ICE, the COVID-19 outbreak has pushed some key changes that will become the new standard in the future: “The epidemic has expedited some megatrends that will be typical of future markets, such as a focus on healthy diet and sustainability, as well as a shift to digital media. Cibus will also be a chance to reinforce the importance of a healthy, balanced, and sustainable Mediterranean diet, in combination with the territory’s bio-diversity, the excellence of the entire agri-food chain, and the distinctiveness of the Italian lifestyle”.
When it comes to technological changes and evolutions, Cibus food brand manager Riccardo Caravita is confident that the digital/physical binomial will define a new vision of fairs. “The changes are linked to the new way of seeing fairs in this pandemic phase, in addition to the security procedures required for a significant event with big influxes from both Italy and outside. This year’s Cibus will undoubtedly be a smarter fair, focusing more on physical business while also including a digital component”.
