With positive resolutions, first from the Fiere di Parma Shareholders’ Meeting on Feb. 7 and then that of the Fiera Milano Board of Directors on Feb. 9, the agreement between the two companies for harmonized management of their events dedicated to the agri-food sector, namely Cibus and Tuttofood, was finally signed.
As of today Fiera Milano is the second private shareholder in Fiere di Parma, with an 18.5 percent stake, after Crédit Agricole Italia, which holds 26.44 percent. Together with Unione Parmense degli Industriali, a 6.88 percent share, an agreement is thus consolidated between the private partners who have led the Ducale company for the past 14 years which, from now on, will manage both events with Cibus’ historical partner: Federalimentare. The Public partners i.e., the Municipality and Province with 15.97 percent each and the Emilia Romagna Region (which holds 4.15 percent) expand their pact to include the Chamber of Commerce (which holds 9.78 percent), responding to recent institutional solicitations.
An operation of an industrial nature, but with inevitably political implications, strongly desired not only by all the Shareholders of Fiere di Parma and Fiera Milano, but also urged by the various parties involved in the promotion of Made in Italy Agribusiness, namely Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ministry of Business and Made in Italy, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, and ICE Agency.
The combined action of the two leading trade fairs in Italy can create a champion capable of competing at the European level by specializing the two events: Cibus Parma an immersive showcase of Made in Italy Food and its territories, Tuttofood Milan a global and innovative platform for food&beverage from all over the world. Both trade fair formats will know how to capitalize on the characteristics of their districts and cities: Parma barycentric with respect to all Italian production districts, their excellences and main PDO-IGPs, Milan ideal location to communicate to the world – inside and “outside” the fair – the new paradigms of good&sustainable food. A combination that should convince Italian and foreign exhibitors to privilege our country as a fair theater over other venues in Europe and around the world, currently less characterized. In fact, the “menu” that will be offered to operators from all over the world – retailers, importers, distributors, restaurant chains, etc. – will be particularly attractive each year thanks to educational and factory&terroir tours in Parma in odd-numbered years and a global and “contemporary” showcase with a rich “fuori salone” in Milan in even-numbered years.
“At the conclusion of this long journey and this extraordinary result,” said Gino Gandolfi, President of Fiere di Parma, “I do not forget when in the midst of the pandemic in the fall of 2020, Giampiero Maioli , ceo of Credit Agricole Italia, Enrico Pazzali, President of Fondazione Fiera Milano, Carlo Bonomi President of Fiera Milano and our Ceo Antonio Cellie spoke to me about this vision of theirs to unite the two platforms of Italian Agribusiness, as all the operators had hoped for so many years, in order to enhance more and more and in a coordinated way the typical Made in Italy productions and, involving me, they gave life to the project that today is realized. I am also convinced that the entry of the leading Italian trade fair operator into the share capital of Fiere di Parma will produce other significant and fruitful synergies. For these reasons, I feel I must thank all the Public and Private Shareholders of Fiere di Parma, our Board of Directors and our structure that have made this agreement possible with their decisive contribution.”
“Federalimentare welcomes the Cibus-Tuttofood agreement with great satisfaction,” said Federalimentare President Paolo Mascarino, “as it contributes to the vision of creating greater synergies in Italy among all the players in our food system. The opportunities for growth are in international markets, and thanks to Cibus-Tuttofood we will be able to count on exhibition events of even higher level and visibility that will strengthen the competitiveness of Made in Italy food abroad.”
The specialization and enhancement of the two events on Food&Beverage is only the first step in an alliance that envisages further synergies between the two trade fair companies in other strategic sectors for our country such as Mechanics and Tourism where Milan and Parma host leading events in Italy such as, respectively, Ipackima and CibusTec, BIMU and Mecfor, BIT and Salone del Camper&Outdoor.
Below are statements from some of the key players:
“As shareholders we are convinced of the importance of the agreement with Fiera Milano because it will allow Fiere di Parma and Cibus to continue on their path of international development: investment and the ability to look to the future are essential elements to continue to accompany the world of Italian Agribusiness to success”-said Giampiero Maioli, Head of Crédit Agricole in Italy-“As a bank, we are proud to have contributed actively to writing this new chapter together with all the players who, like us, see the agreement as an important result and an undeniable opportunity for the Italian exhibition sector and for the companies in the sector. I thank all those who have contributed to the definition of this transaction, which will certainly bring value to our country.”
“The agreement signed between Fiere di Parma and Fiera Milano goes in the direction of strengthening a common action for the promotion of Italian agribusiness,” stressed Gabriele Buia President of Unione Parmense degli Industriali, “The synergy created will ensure a first-rate role for companies, not only from our territory, but for all the entrepreneurial realities that express the quality of Made in Italy food. In addition, the agreement will help Italian food companies acquire new spaces of visibility in international markets.”
“The agreement marks a historic step and opens up very relevant prospects for growth in the socio-economic and trade fair context in which we find ourselves,” commented Michele Guerra, Mayor of Parma. “The public shareholders have worked in recent months with great commitment so that this operation, whose industrial value has never been in question, would guarantee the territorial protection of Fiere di Parma’s fundamental assets, which represent a crucial resource for our territory. The broad political majority that voted in favor of this resolution shows that Parma is united and ready to accompany this new path with responsibility and conscience.”
“The Province of Parma has deliberated with a large majority, and with conviction, on the project that sees Fiere di Parma become a major operator in the national and international agribusiness trade fair system,” said Andrea Massari, President of the Province of Parma – For the first time, all the public partners have allied themselves and signed a strong and binding pact aimed at protecting the territory and Cibus, which must remain a great showcase and symbol of Made in Italy agrifood excellence in the world, without giving up on a project of growth and development in agreement with Italy’s main exhibition player, Fiera Milano. These have been months of intense confrontations with the sole purpose of working for the common good and the future of our extraordinary land.”
“With this agreement we consolidate a great international platform in food,” commented Vincenzo Colla, Councillor for Economic Development and Green Economy, Labor, Training and International Relations of the Emilia Romagna Region, “An expansive operation to catalyze exhibitors and visitors, putting Italian agribusiness and beyond into a system. As a region we will continue to support the development of this project, starting with the fair system.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
