The Italian Trade Agency spreads food culture through quality and authenticity awareness at Speciality Food Festival 2017

Dubai, UAE; September 19, 2017:  The Italian Trade Agency hosts 26 of Italy's most premium food producers at Speciality Food Festival, taking place on September 18 – 20, 2017.  Located in halls 5 & 6 of the Dubai World Trade Center, the 370sqm Italian pavilion will allow visitors the opportunity to explore, appreciate and learn about famous Italian products such as pasta, coffee, traditional cheeses, sweets, and olive oil.

 

Currently at its eighth edition, the Speciality Food Festival 2017 returns to Dubai to hold its largest trade show yet. The exhibition showcases a diverse selection of fine food, spices and ingredients attracting exhibitors and consumers from all over the world.

 

“At this year’s Speciality Food Festival, our mission is to showcase the exceptional Italian products that consumers love. However, our dedication is not only to the buyers, but to exhibitors as well. We have a duty to help incoming Italian companies understand the complex regulations of the food industry in the UAE,” said Gianpaolo Bruno, the Italian Trade Commissioner to the UAE, Oman and Pakistan.  

 

The Italian Trade Agency adds a twist to their pavilion by including two new aspects of the Italian food culture: 'Breakfast Made in Italy' and the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)/Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) seminars.

 

The ‘Breakfast Made in Italy’ booth aims to promote the culture, ingredients, appliances, and supplies related to a traditional Italian breakfast. The project works towards renovating the classical breakfast concept by offering great solutions and great Italian products to maximize the breakfast experience and its related services. This project is dedicated to the HORECA professionals and hotellerie institutes.

 

Coming into force in 1992, these trademarks were introduced by the European Union to avoid deceptive and misleading marketing schemes when it comes to traditional foods abroad. The IDO & GOP trademarks are based on a legal framework provided by the EU to define and label a product for quality, authenticity and reliability.

 

Addressing the press at a press conference held on Tuesday the 12th of September, H.E. Liborio Stellino, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE, stressed the importance of these trademarks and the international market's awareness of them.

 

He stated: “Consumers all over the world have been buying products, which they assume are authentic.  However, a simply branded 'Italian' product does not necessarily imply that this product is genuine as advertised. These trademarks are important because they allow buyers to understand the history and the efforts behind a specific ingredient. Italy has an unparalleled food culture, therefore it comes as no surprise that we have the highest rate of certified authentic PDO/PGI products in Europe.” 

 

Additionally, the Pavilion will hold numerous daily cooking shows throughout the exhibition. The Pavilion has established a fully-fledged program of chefs performing culinary demonstrations on how anyone can make high quality dishes with PDO/PGI products. Hosted by world-renowned chefs, including the three-star Michelin chef Heinz Back, these shows will revolve around the authenticity and quality of Italian meals. 

 

Italian Consulate General, H.E. Valentina Setta, has expressed her excitement about the cooking show by stressing that, “It is necessary to be able to learn the true methods of making authentic Italian dishes. When we talk about Italian food, we discuss it with an attention to health and sustainability. True Italian dishes are very focused on how food can improve your life.”  

 

The Italian Pavilion, located in Hall 5 and 6 of the Dubai World Trade Center from the 18th to the 20th of September 2017, hosts the below listed exhibitors: