Parma, May 12 – SPECIALTY FOOD ASSOCIATION official buyer delegation visited Parma-Italy, UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy

Yesterday, Parma received the Speciality Food Association member delegation. The Specialty Food Association is a non-profit US Trade Association founded in New York in 1952, representing over 3.500 producers and buy of quality food specialties.

Federico Pizzarotti, the City Mayor, gave his welcome to the American operators in the fabulous location of the Opera House Teatro Regio. “It is for me a privilege to receive a delegation of the US Association Specialty Food Association. The City of Parma, UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy is happy to actively continue the continental and overseas road map for the promotion of its cultural and gastronomic excellences, with such important professionals as our most welcome American hosts visiting today”

Led by SFA’s President Phil Kafarakis, the Delegation stayed in Parma on May 11 and 12, to discover the cultural, productive and agrifood specialities of the territory, during technical visits to a Parmigiano Cheese Farm, a Parma Ham production site and to ALMA, the International Training Center for Italian Cuisine.
“It was a unique experience for our members” declared Phil Kafarakis on behalf of the Specialty Food Association and of the buyers who attended the mission “I wish to thank Mayor Pizzarotti and Fiere di Parma CEO Antonio Cellie. For us who deal with food promotion, Italy represents a milestone: its culture, its history and the quality of the products are a must in the whole world. This is the first of many more missions to come to Italy, concluded Karafakis, educating american buyers is an essential part of Specialty Food Association‘s mission”.

The 2 days tour was organized in close collaboration and effective synergy by Parma City, Fiere di Parma and Parma Alimentare.

“For Fiere di Parma it was a privilege to support the City of Parma in this activity and to welcome the members of SFA, the Organizers of Fancy Food , the main food exhibition in the USA. We are really enthusiastic for the direct connection created during these 2 days, among SFA and the city of Parma” declared Antonio Cellie, Fiere di Parma CEO – “There are several elements of convergence between CIBUS and Fancy Food. First of all, the “premium” peculiarity of our trade shows and the common mission to divulgate the culture of quality food – Italian and not only-to the world retailers and restaurant industry. In fact, a progressive expansion of food culture through the world will give an enormous benefit to Made in Italy foods, and having Specialty Food Association as our partner will be decisive to consolidate the growth of Italy’s exports.”

This initiative is part of the networking and relational activities that the City of Parma is developing to strengthen its own distinctiveness on national and international scale as the capital of the Italian food valley and national UNESCO creative city of gastronomy.

PHOTO: SFA’s President Phil Kafarakis, and Parma Mayor Federico Pizzarotti