Superior in quality and taste

The Italian agri-food industry is internationally recognised as a beacon of superior standards in terms of quality, safety, security, technological innovation, sustainability, biodiversity, respect for traditional values, as well as its positive social impact.

Italy is a country characterised by a wide diversity in soil and climate conditions that have shaped unique cultures and traditions. These features have brought about the formation of many small and medium-sized companies, often managed by families, that have heavily invested in products’ quality and uniqueness.

Among the key aspects of the Italian agribusiness landscape is the attention and care lavished on each stage of production and on each activity involved in bringing to the table a product of exceptional quality. Food processing is, hence, an art that has evolved into a technical specialisation constituting a chain in which each link is both indispensable and must be of the utmost excellence. Companies are more and more investing in this model of production aimed at maximising the products’ perceived value and at improving marketing strategies both at the national and international levels.

In the year 2016, the UAE was named the most important country in the MENA region for Italy’s agriculture and F&B exports, where total Italian exports to the UAE amounted to 317 million euros (almost Dh1.3 billion), while Italy’s imports from the UAE were worth more than two million euros. In the last 10 years, Italian sales to the UAE almost quadrupled, given the strong demand from residents and tourists alike for quality and healthy food and the rapid evolution of lifestyle.

Italian Trade Agency forecasts a continuous growth in the next few years with high market potential as Expo 2020 draws close. This is attributed to the associated strong flows of tourists, as well as the UAE residents’ attraction to the quality standards of Italian products and the flair of Italian lifestyle incorporated into them.