The new frontiers of agri-food exports to Turkey, India and the Mercosur region
The growth rate slowed to +0.5% in the first half of 2026, following the 5.1 per cent growth recorded in 2025 (to 59.3 billion): here’s how the geographical breakdown of shipments is changing
“Exporting panettone and pandoro outside Italia is tricky: they’re large products, they’re expensive and they aren’t part of every culinary tradition. So we turned them into croissants to take them to Kolkata in India, and then into different forms across Asia and Eastern Europe.” Michele Bauli, chairman of the group, explains this clearly from the stage at the IDG Days – the annual event organised by Italia del Gusto, which brings together businesses, experts and the academic world – how the ‘Made in Italy’ label is not a golden ticket that opens every door.
It takes ingenuity. “It all started with a competition organised by the New York Times to find the best panettone,” he says. “They required same-day delivery, and we racked our brains to get it there on time, fresh out of the oven,” Bauli continues. “Today, through Olivieri, we’re doing the same thing in the premium segment, and that panettone costs $105.”
Nor is heritage the only means of bringing the cause to a successful conclusion. “To make a breakthrough abroad,” insists Guido Repetto, chairman of the Elah Dufour Novi Group, which is hosting this year’s event between Gavi and Novi Ligure, “we need to ask ourselves: what do we bring that is different?”
“The ability to innovate without losing one’s identity can strengthen the competitiveness of ‘Made in Italy’ food products on international markets,” adds Giacomo Ponti, president of Italia del Gusto. He proudly highlights the figures for a complex, niche product that has conquered foreign markets, drawing its momentum from the ‘Made in Italy’ label. “Balsamic Vinegar of Modena sells 100 million litres a year, 92 per cent of which is exported to 110 countries.” But how is the company’s story conveyed to the end consumer? “By adapting our know-how and Italian identity to the tastes of foreign customers,” states the CEO Giacomo Colussi.
The debate is ongoing, and discussions continue. Meanwhile, the figures from the Observatory on International Food & Beverage Markets, produced by Nomisma for Italia del Gusto, show that Italy remains one of the few major global exporters still in positive territory, against a backdrop characterised by significant differences between markets and product categories.
