PARIS (ITALPRESS) – “Total exports of Made in Italy have reached €643 billion, with a target of €700 billion, to which the agro-food sector significantly contributes with its €72 billion. In light of international complexities and tariff barriers, we know that entrepreneurs are making considerable sacrifices. We are working to strengthen the operational tools that help companies sell better and generate increasing value abroad.” This statement came from Matteo Zoppas, President of the ICE Agency, during the inauguration of the Italian Pavilion at SIAL in Paris. The event, which runs until October 21, sees Italy maintaining its position as the leading country in terms of exhibition space, with approximately 700 companies participating in total at the fair.
“Being here with 700 Italian companies among 8,000 total exhibitors, of which 218 are directly supported by ICE, is a signal of enormous importance – Zoppas continued. – Our primary objective at the fair is for the companies to achieve substantial business. An event yields better results when foreign buyers, carefully pre-selected, arrive prepared to meet products like those of our entrepreneurs. We want to provide these businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, with opportunities and relationships capable of transforming their commercial trajectory and internationalization in the global market.”
“This year – Zoppas added – we also have the opportunity to enhance the storytelling of our Italian food culture with an element of extraordinary prestige: the recognition of Italian Cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, a milestone strongly pursued by Minister Lollobrigida.”
Regarding the stability of the agro-food sector and competition, Zoppas emphasized: “Competition, such as the natural one with our French partners, is a vital stimulus that drives both sides to improve. Italy excels due to its extraordinary capability for research, development, and continuous innovation. Many of our traditional food categories, from cheeses to chocolate, from preserves to pasta, are experiencing double-digit growth in France. I have full confidence in Italian entrepreneurs: they always know how to evolve to showcase the true Made in Italy anywhere.”
In conclusion, the President of the ICE Agency highlighted the strong institutional synergy: “All this work to support our exports is part of the momentum provided by Premier Giorgia Meloni and the entire Government to allocate more energy and resources to this organization. We are working intensely and with the utmost determination, coordinated by the Farnesina and Minister Tajani for Growth Diplomacy, to achieve the great goal of €700 billion for Made in Italy together.”
As part of Italy’s participation, the ICE Agency organizes a collective of 218 companies spread across Halls 1, 5B, and 7, covering a total area of approximately 3,000 square meters.
The Italian presence offers companies a significant opportunity to showcase their excellence to international operators and develop new commercial relationships with buyers, importers, and distributors. The French market holds a prime position for the Italian agro-food sector. France is indeed the second-largest destination for exports in the sector, after Germany. In 2025, the year when Italian agro-food exports surpassed €72 billion globally, French imports of agro-food products from Italy reached €6.84 billion, representing a 4.78% increase compared to 2024. The positive trend continued in the first half of 2026: the value of French imports from Italy was €3.35 billion, up 2.3% compared to the same period in the previous year. The composition of these exchanges reflects the variety of Italian production. In the first six months of 2026, French imports of Italian cheeses reached €563.7 million (+1.8%), pasta €254.7 million (+0.4%), and hams and cured meats €107.4 million (+5%). At SIAL, the participating companies will express this plurality of supply chains: Hall 1 will feature gastronomic specialties, Hall 5B will showcase confectionery products, and Hall 7 will highlight dairy products. For operators, it presents a direct meeting opportunity with companies from various regions, united by a focus on quality, product origin, and innovation.
Participation at SIAL Paris 2026 reinforces the strategic role of the fair as an international hub for promoting Italian agro-food. In France, the second-largest market, exports reached €6.7 billion, an increase of over 5% compared to the previous year. In a context of slowing growth in 2026, SIAL represents a fundamental opportunity to consolidate the achievements and open new opportunities in international markets.
This edition is even more significant, considering that we celebrate two particularly valuable milestones: the centenary of the ICE Agency alongside businesses and the recognition of Italian cuisine as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. With around 700 Italian companies present and an ICE collective of 218 firms, we enhance the excellence and variety of our supply chains, strengthening the positioning of Made in Italy worldwide.
The promotion of Italian productions also takes place through a program of live culinary demonstrations. In the Live Demo area of the StrEat Lab, chefs Matteo Pioppi and Justine Piluso present typical recipes with Italian products, showcasing their qualities and how to use them. The demonstrations accompany professional meetings, presenting products within the context of cooking and consumption.
-photo courtesy of ICE Agency Press Office – Paris Office –
(ITALPRESS).
