At the Fancy Food Show in New York, the Secretary General of Unioncamere Puglia talks about the strategies put in place to support the internationalization of the region’s agribusinesses. From the “nursery” of companies to the economic and social fallout of the food sector, passing through the value of tourism and new American consumers in search of authenticity.
Secretary, let’s start with the Apulian Fair.
Let’s just talk about the Apulian Fair. I am the general secretary, not the president-and I am glad to be. Presidents change often, but we are humble workers.
You are the secretary general of Unioncamere Puglia. I have to say that Puglia is almost a second home region for me, and Puglia has some incredible excellence in the field of food.
Along with Campania, which is probably twice as valuable from the point of view of the production of the processed. So Campania first, then Puglia. But yes, it’s true. If you want, we say it like this…
Here at the Fancy Food Show there is a basket of very high quality and great variety of Apulian companies. What tools has Unioncamere Puglia put in place to support these companies to get here, to the United States?
The goal is to make them grow, evolve, conquer bigger spaces. Our mission is to be a kind of “nursery” for companies: when they reach a stable presence, maybe they participate on their own or stop participating in this fair. But this remains the most important fair in the Americas market, and companies know that. They come with us, but we can never get enough space for all of them.
Of course, we do more than just that. A few months ago, for example, we hosted buyers from a large U.S. institution. Everything we do we do together with the Apulia Region, thanks also to its financial contribution. The initiative went very well and we are confident.
The U.S. market has, for the past few years, been the top market in terms of trends. Hopefully, the economic uncertainties will dissipate, because there is a lot of work to be done. The most interesting thing is that companies are growing. And we need medium-sized companies, which can also structure themselves because of this market.
Are the data, at the moment, comforting?
Absolutely. The Apulian food data are very interesting. And they also have a social implication, because they carry with them the primary, the agriculture: so the resilience of the territory, both environmentally and socially.
But they are also interesting on an economic level: we have thousands of businesses, and agribusiness production that is probably close to 10 billion euros. It is a really strategic sector.
The American consumer is increasingly attentive to tradition, values, and original flavors. How do you support companies in communicating these values to the U.S. public?
This is a very interesting development, perhaps the most significant. Until a few years ago, this fair was all about one lever: price. Today, this is no longer the case. For a few years now, the American consumer is beginning to demand quality, authenticity.
And in this, I can say with some presumption, we have an advantage. Because our producers are in love with their product, with the process by which they make it. It is a competitive advantage that bodes well for the future.
Puglia is now also seen by Americans as a major land of excellence. What initiatives are you supporting to help companies take advantage of this unique opportunity?
Apulia today benefits from a strong tourism promotion policy. No less than 10 million tourists arrive at the airports alone every year. And a direct Bari-New York flight has also been operating for a month. These are important tools, because tourism is a great driver for the spread of regional typicality.
These are system tools: everyone does their part. The Chambers of Commerce, Unioncamere Puglia, are here with the region. And they are investing – and the results are already being seen.
Perfect. Thank you for being with us. See you then with even more companies at the next Fancy Food.
Thank you, thank you to you.
The article Luigi Triggiani: “This is how we grow Apulian businesses in the American market” comes from TheNewyorkese.