Record-breaking Italy, Winter Fancy Food partner for the second time,
no one has ever received this recognition.

The Specialty Food Association and Universal Marketing are proud to announce that Italy will be the Partner Country for the Winter Fancy Food Show, January 19 to 21, 2020, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
The Fancy Food Winter Show is the largest trade event dedicated to specialty foods on the West Coast.
Italy’s achievement is an absolute first, no one has ever received this recognition from the Specialty Food Association, the show’s owner and producer.
Under the banner, “The Extraordinary Italian Taste,” more than 75 food companies from nearly every region in Italy will present the best of pasta, cheeses, olive oil, charcuterie and much more, to the world of large and small retailers and the restaurant world.
The goal is to reach American consumers through the excellence of the participating companies that will present the genuine quality of Italian products.
Sustainability, genuineness and authenticity are the themes at the core of the 2020 Fancy Food Shows.
During the San Francisco show, tastings and cooking shows will be held in the “Taste It Live” area, which will be equipped with kitchens, and in the Buyers Lounge level up, which will include an Italian corner with coffee and culinary creations offered to visitors. This will all be coordinated by cooking stars such as chef Fabrizio Facchini, Executive Chef at Cotto NYC & President of Cooks Alliance Slow Food USA, chef Francesco Sodano, Executive Chef at Il faro di Capo d’Orso, Maiori, Salerno, Star Chef Luigi Fineo, Executive Chef of n10 Los Angeles, Corporate Chef Michele Mazza, Brand Ambassador at “Il Mulino” and President of Associazione Italiana Chef NY (Italian Chefs Association in NY), Roberto Caporuscio, Master Pizza Chef & owner of pizzerias Keste and Don Antonio in New York, and Francesca Romana Barberini, TV host and Italian food Ambassador.

“We are privileged to have Italy as the first country to work with us for both the winter and summer shows in 2020,” stated Phil Kafarakis, president of the SFA. “The popularity of Italian cuisine in the United States is undeniable. Historically, among the many international participants at the Fancy Food Shows, Italy has systematically hosted the largest pavilion. At our 2019 Summer Show, the Italian pavilion covered more than 24,000 square feet!
Americans adore Italian cuisine and Italian specialty foods have played an important historical role in spreading the taste for world flavors in the United States. Today, in a scenario of growing change in consumers’ eating habits, authentic and innovative Italian products continue to influence all distribution channels. We are happy and excited to see what they will bring to the 2020 Fancy Food Shows,” Phil Kafarakis concludes.

“At the 2020 Winter Fancy Food Show, Italy will arrive with more than 75 exhibiting companies – once again we are the most represented country – owing to the firm alliance between the ICE Agency, Specialty Food Association and Universal Marketing,” states Antonino Laspina, director of the ICE Agency in New York and coordinator of the USA network.

“It is a further honor that, for the 2020 shows, Italy was named Partner Country by the organizers.
Genuine Italian products will be on display: from cheeses to pasta, from prosciuttos to olive oil, along with preserves, condiments, sweets, mineral waters and much, much more.
“There will be no shortage of surprises in the intended program of cooking shows in the ICE Lounge, which will make it possible to appreciate the Italian products live,” concludes Antonino Laspina.

“It will be an important beginning for all of us, in a city like San Francisco, with its growing passion for the great culture and craftsmanship of Made in Italy products.
Like Universal Marketing, we are proud of what we have conceived, planned and created,” declares Donato Cinelli, president of Universal Marketing, the exclusive agent for Italy of the Specialty Food Association.

“We’ve put our maximum effort, in realization and production, into the first of the two Fancy Food shows, during this year which is very special for us.
“San Francisco will launch 2020, a year dedicated to special activities across the United States of America, events that will continue until the Summer Show in New York, where the activities will be even more numerous and special,” Cinelli continues. “Being the organizers of the Partner Country’s pavilion for both of the 2020 shows is a great privilege but also an even greater challenge.”
“When, 25 years ago, we accepted the challenge, and we took part in creating the Italy pavilion within the Summer Fancy Food in New York,” Cinelli concludes, “we never thought even for a moment that we would be able to reach these goals.

“To announce that Italy will be the Partner Country for Fancy Food for all of 2020 is beyond our wildest expectations.”