UAE will get a taste of bona fide Italian food
dubai — The Italian Trade Agency is set to introduce authentic Italian fare to consumers in the UAE at the Speciality Food Festival 2017, which will be held from September 18 to 20 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The Italian pavilion will host more than 26 exhibitors and showcase quality products, ranging from pasta and olive oil to exquisite truffles and confectionery. It will also feature a special promotion titled, ‘Breakfast Made in Italy’, devoted to products and appliances used to prepare real Italian breakfast for a genuine experience.
A series of promotional activities dedicated to PDO (protected designation of origin — DOP in Italian) and PGI (protected geographical indication — IGP in Italian) will also be held during the fair to raise awareness about European Union (EU) quality logos that certify the origin and uniqueness of products. Informative seminars will be offered each day, followed by live cooking and tasting sessions conducted by chefs from famous restaurants in Dubai.
With Italy having the highest number of food protection labels in Europe, Gianpaolo Bruno — Trade Commissioner to the UAE, Oman and Pakistan at the Italian Trade Agency — is confident about the prospects of Italy’s agribusiness across the region.
“Agribusiness, which is a combination of agriculture practices and the transformation of agricultural products, is one of the major industries in Italy. In fact, it is the second most important industry in Italy after mechanical engineering, and represents a turnover of roughly 11.3 per cent of total GDP in the country. It is composed of thousands of small and medium-sized companies highly specialised in single stages of production. The Italian companies are a beacon of high standard as all the value chains are strongly monitored to give consumers the best possible quality that Italian agriculture can offer to the market, given the wonderful climate and soil condition prevalent in the country,” Bruno tells Khaleej Times.
The Agency takes on a multipronged approach to increase the presence of Italian consumer goods by working alongside major retailers and distributors. Its latest scheme is a strategic partnership with LuLu hypermarkets. “This is an important investment for us and we are looking forward to receiving strong benefits from it,” Bruno adds.
It further aims to raise awareness of the value chain of Italian enterprises by shining the spotlight on them at renowned trade fairs. Looking ahead, it will showcase the best of Italian products at the Speciality Food Festival in September and Taste of Abu Dhabi in November this year, as well as Gulfood in February 2018, complete with an exclusive pavilion, seminars, culinary demonstrations, etc.
“We aim to create awareness on the consumers’ side so that when they buy Italian, they know they are buying genuine products. They may have to pay a premium but they are buying healthy food because the value chain is certified and heavily monitored and controlled,” he says.
Bruno believes customers in the UAE are highly sophisticated and appreciate true quality as awareness of healthy lifestyles is on the rise. “We are here to provide the right wholesome ingredients for a healthier diet.”
These initiatives further complement the UAE’s ambition to secure and sustain food for future generations, thus fuelling investment potential in its agriculture and agribusiness fields. “One of the UAE’s top priorities is to have food security for the population and given the fact that production of food is very limited, due to the scarcity of soil and the extreme weather conditions, I think Italy could be a brilliant and important option for investors looking to explore opportunities in the agriculture and agribusiness value chain,” Bruno says.
With a horde of products in the market claiming to be Italian, the Agency is on a mission to create awareness about genuine food items, notably those backed by the PDO and PGI seas. These quality seals of the EU can only be acquired after following a strict set of regulations — from production to packaging — which is what makes each product worth its authenticity. Italy leads in the EU for the number of food protection labels. Currently, 291 food products have the PDO and PGI quality seals, including parmesan and buffalo mozzarella from Campania.
“Unfortunately, the Italian industry is heavily hindered by the phenomenon of Italian-sounding products. Fraudulent practices used by some producers and sellers are deceiving customers by embossing the Italian flag on their package, leading the customer to believe it is an Italian product. We are trying to debunk that kind of practice because it is hindering the industry, causing a loss in turnover and labour,” says Bruno.
“We are trying to instill the real value incorporated in Italian products that is not merely a flag embossed on a product. We aim to highlight the whole value chain, the care put in production and the stringent set of rules followed to be able to bring fresh produce even to remote locations to customers all over the world.”
The Italian Trade Agency looks forward to giving consumers in the UAE a true taste of Italian quality.
— farhana@khaleejtimes.com
When consumers purchase an Italian food product, they do not only wish to consume food, but would like to experience Italian fare and way of life Gianpaolo Bruno, Italian Trade Commissioner to the UAE, Oman and Pakistan at the Italian Trade Agency