· The event that has always favoured the encounter between producers and Large-Scale Distribution and Retail this year will be even more effective thanks to the new format developed together with Business International-Fiera Milano Media and to the presence of numerous Italian buyers

· Authoritative partnerships with universities such as IULM and LIUC Castellanza, research institutes such as IRI, Nielsen and Eumetra, and with the trade publications Largo Consumo, Markup, Gdoweek and Distribuzione Moderna

· Speakers will include over 20 top managers from major companies in the sector, as well as start-ups and innovative companies, experts and analysts

· More than 12 meetings on the topics of new Retail formats, with a focus on omnichanneling, new distribution formats

Milan, 8 September, 2020 - The synergies between producers on one side and large-scale distribution and Retail on the other have strongly contributed to the resilience of the agri-food industry during the Covid emergency, and beyond. And now the challenge will be to keep this prominent role during the recovery, facing all together the important changes that are awaiting the sector.

Retail Plaza: the most effective meeting point between producers and retailers

Since its very first editions, TUTTOFOOD has been the privileged venue where producers can meet with organized distribution. An exchange that this year will be even more intense and effective thanks to the new format of Retail Plaza, the Italian reference event for the debate on innovation in the sector: a schedule of meetings where top managers, academics and experts will outline the future of retail, analyse new trends and compare best practices.

An approach that not only identifies trends, but also offers significant solutions so as to help companies respond proactively to this new normality: topics like the omnichannel and the new distribution formats leading to faster, but also more responsible, new consumption habits will be discussed.  As well as digital transformation and sustainability, which represents an extraordinary opportunity for innovation. Another added value will be the numerous and qualified presence at the exhibition of buyers, who use to make themselves available at Retail Plaza to discuss issues that are rarely addressed in other contexts.

The numbers can give you an idea of what's at stake. According to the data processed for TUTTOFOOD by IRI, during the first six months of the year the sales of packaged food in large-scale distribution came close to 30 billion in value (29,826 million euros), with a further increase of 1.5% compared to the same period of last year, which included the boom in sales during the first lockdown. In July 2021 the improvement is even more marked: the growth compared to the same month of 2020 is in fact 4.1%, with sales of almost 3.8 billion in value.

A fundamental moment of confrontation on the state of the art

Within TUTTOFOOD 2021, taking place at fieramilano from 22 to 26 October, an essential opportunity to meet and discuss these issues will be Retail Plaza, that is increasingly establishing itself as the event where to take stock of innovation in large-scale distribution and retail. Many new features will be presented this year. The entire format has been rethought and produced by giving value to the specific skills of Business International - Fiera Milano Media, one of the reference partners in the sector for its ability to create quality content, networking opportunities and new business opportunities. This year's edition will also benefit from the collaboration with Retail Institute Italy, a renowned industry association in our country, as well as from partnerships with the academic world - universities such as IULM and LIUC Castellanza - and with some of the main specialised research institutes such as IRI, Nielsen and Eumetra. Plus, it should also be underlined the contribution of media partnerships with the most important trade publications such as Largo Consumo, Markup, Gdoweek and Distribuzione Moderna.

The most topical issues at stake will be examined and debated at the highest levels thanks to the participation, confirmed to date, of over 20 top managers from the large-scale distribution and retail sector, including the Presidents of COOP Italia, MD, LIDL Italia and Coralis, the Managing Directors of Gruppo Végé, CRAI Secom, Penny Market Italia, Conad, Carrefour Italia, the General Managers-Sales Managers of Basko-Gruppo Sogegross, Glovo Italia, Deliveroo Italy, Decò Italia, Selex Gruppo Commerciale; the Marketing-Communication Directors of  Bennet, Pam Panorama, Carrefour Italy, Penny Market Italy, Conad. Some of the most innovative start-ups and companies will also be involved, such as Quomi, Qualitando, Acquainbrick, Appetite for Distruption, Macha and Poke House.

Also relevant is the attention given to inclusiveness, which will translate into the presence of some entirely "female" panels such as the one dedicated to Healthy Food, Happy Customers. Moderated by Cristina Lazzati, Editor-in-Chief of Mark UP and Gdoweek, the event will discuss how the Covid experience has led consumers to evolve from a focus on health to the need to "put health" in their shopping carts from a more comprehensive wellness perspective.

Twelve events to explore the hottest topics

Many hot topics will be discussed in depth: from the new formats of Retail, with a focus on Discount, and from Healthy Food, to the growth of Food Delivery and Last Mile and to the increasingly personalized services of tomorrow’s omnichannel Retailing, from sustainability and the digital evolution of marketing and Grocery transformation, up to conversations with the top managers of the large-scale retail sector who will talk about their business models and strategies to innovate.

By way of example, among the meetings of Friday 22 October, should be highlighted Omnichannel and increasingly personalised services: here’s the retail of the future, which will discuss, with the moderation of Armando Garosci, Editorial Director of Largo Consumo, how Retail is becoming increasingly smart in promoting personalised shopping experiences with no limits between physical stores and e-commerce; and Digital Food Marketing: the new world of food and catering, moderated by Nicoletta Polliotto, Founder & Food Project Manager of Muse Comunicazione, which will explore how to deal with contemporary, real-time and multi-channel communication without losing corporate identity. 

On Saturday 23 October, among many other topics, it will be discussed how the sector will evolve in light of the new socio-demographic balances, the greater flexibility in the business world and the consequences of the pandemic, in a conversation moderated by Giuseppe Stigliano, CEO of Wunderman Thompson Italy (WPP Group), Professor of Retail Marketing Innovation at IULM, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and Politecnico di Milano and co-author of the volumes Retail 4.0 - 10 Rules for the Digital Era and Onlife Fashion - 10 rules for a world without rules. Still with Giuseppe Stigliano, on Saturday 23 there will also be a Focus on discount that will examine the prospects for development in Italy in view of the growing competition and of the new requirements regarding services, including digital ones.

The discussions will continue on Sunday 24 October with a meeting moderated by Armando Brescia, Director of Distribuzione Moderna, on the Changes in consumption and new assortments: comparison between industry and retailing, which will deal with the evolution of the balance between the various components of the supply chain. On the other hand, once again with the participation of Giuseppe Stigliano, the meeting on the Future of Food Delivery will examine the evolution of this channel after the lockdowns, as a result of which an increasingly large public has become accustomed to the ease and convenience of being able to order a ready meal or the raw ingredients to prepare it with maximum flexibility. It will then be analysed how large-scale distribution, pushed by the changes in consumer purchasing patterns, might still be a protagonist of this change.

The debates at Retail Plaza will conclude on Monday 25 October. One of the most important events of the day will be the meeting on Digital transformation and large-scale retail trade moderated by Stefania Lorusso, Editorial Manager of Distribuzione Moderna, in which will be discussed how to exploit the double-digit growth of online sales caused by the pandemic in terms of reorganization of formats and customer experience. The transversal theme of sustainability will be addressed in the meeting Sustainability on the shelf: where are we?, that will explore the opportunities for innovation and new relationships with the customer, the territory, the community; with the actual realization "on the shelf" that requires to rethink assortments, products, packaging, logistics, waste management.

For the complete schedule of Retail Plaza please visit:

https://www.tuttofood.it/eventi/eventi/retail-plaza0.html.

TUTTOFOOD 2021 will therefore be an edition strongly oriented towards the quality of content, not only within the exhibition area, but also through the busy schedule that, in addition to Retail Plaza, includes events organized in collaboration with numerous partner associations: Unione Italiana Food (Aidepi), Apci, Assica, FederBio, Uiv, Unas/Unionalimentari.

This year, TUTTOFOOD will also be co-located with HostMilano, the world's leading trade fair for hospitality and eating out, and MEAT-TECH, the event dedicated to technologies for meat processing and ready meals. The co-location will allow the event to broaden its visitor base with members from related supply chains.

An experience to be enjoyed in total safety thanks to Safe Together, the protocol developed by Fiera Milano pursuant to the national rules and health protocols, that covers access procedures, management of exhibition areas - including sanitation - and protective measures during the visit.

TUTTOFOOD 2021 will be held at fieramilano from 22 to 26 October.

For further information: www.tuttofood.it, @TuttoFoodMilano