Food processing: from Parma to Chicago, by way of Cologne

Fiere di Parma has a record year and looks to internationalization with the Koelnmesse Italia agreement. This year at Cibus Tec will be the debut of European Pavilions, which will bring the best European food processing & packaging technologies to the fair. Coming soon, an Italian delegation will appear at the first edition of ProFood Tech 2017.

“Better and better” was the sense of a message conveyed during a recent Milan press conference with numerous but unanimous points by Gian Domenico Auricchio and Annalisa Sassi (president and vice-president of Fiere di Parma, respectively), Antonio Cellie (CEO) and Thomas Rosolia (CEO Koelnmesse Italia).
In other words, Fiere di Parma is redesigning its business model in order to further enhance its performance at the national level, as well as to strengthen its image as a major global player, partly thanks to the promising alliance with Koelnmesse.
The two concerns’ joint mission is to bring to Parma for Cibus Tec 2016 (25-28 October) and to the satellite showrooms of Anuga FoodTec (one of the world’s foremost food & beverage technology platforms) the leaders of Italian and European food processing and packaging.
Upcoming stops on the tour of Made in Italy food tech (which will travel to India and Brazil starting in February 2016) include ProFood Tech in Chicago. Scheduled for 4-6 April 2017, this event represents a new platform for networking with the most qualified North American operators, thanks to partnerships with the PMMI (Packaging Machinery Manufacturers’ Institute) and IDFA (to which 85% of North American dairy producers belong).

Success = development & partnerships
According to Cellie «The shared growth plan with Koelnmesse will reap the benefits of a long-term industrial partnership made in the exclusive interest of exhibitors. In fact, the Cibus-Cibus Tec-Anuga-Anuga Foodtec community represents a unique business platform for Italian food sector operators».
His words were echoed by those of Rosolia, who invoked the value of the strategic cooperation between the two concerns: «This cooperation gives us great satisfaction and confidence. We have worked together serving food sector concerns for a long time, with excellent results. We are also optimistic about the future, because our new projects in food technology are sure to repeat the achievements we have made in the past».
To guarantee support for this long-term global project, the two partners are making a remarkable sum of assets and funds available.
In this regard, as far as Fiere di Parma is concerned, Auricchio’s opening remarks are illuminating: «2015 was a record year for us, with actual revenues of approximately 32 m euro, well above historical performance in odd years (during which certain major events are lacking, Editor’s note), and an EBITDA of almost 5 m euro. Indeed, thanks to the “CibusèItalia” Expo project, performance more than exceeded the projections of our business plan and budget, reflecting a fair organizer at the height of efficiency (personnel accounts for 9% of costs, compared to a sector average of over 20%), with overperformance at all events (managed or hosted) and joint project platforms abroad. All of this “delivers” to shareholders a completely renewed company, ready for a new cycle of international development».  

2020 is already upon us
In light of all this, the Parma-based operator’s business plan has been updated, providing for:
- new food initiatives during odd years (teaching & networking in specific focus areas, B2B meetings, etc.) that capitalize on existing competencies and experiences;
- continued development of initiatives put in place abroad thanks to the structured offer of exhibition spaces and food and food processing sector events (thanks to the cooperation with Anuga-Koelnmesse Italia), making the concern a point of reference for all Italian operators interested in growing in strategic markets, including with the support of ICE;
- setting up Cibus Academy, consisting in training modules for Italian enterprises and international retailers that make use of university and research materials from institutions with which Fiere di Parma has established a relationship over time, as well as stakeholders (ICE, Federalimentare, organizations for the protection of certain products, etc.).