The demand for Italian food in the world is increasing. In the year of the pandemic, Italian food exports reached a value of about 17 billion euros in the first 5 months of 2021, between January and May, recording an increase of 8.9%.

The data - provided by Coldiretti - are very encouraging both for Italian producers and importers, distributors and suppliers of Italian food and wine in the world.

Data for 2021: wine and artisanal products on the rise

In 2020 the export of Italian products was the only growing sector during the pandemic, and this trend is confirmed in 2021. Coldiretti’s note explains the reasons for the Italian success:

"A result obtained despite the difficulties of commercial exchanges and the restaurant lockdown that has heavily affected Italian cuisine but also favored the return of all continents to home cooking with the boom of recipes made in Italy. The Covid health emergency has led to a behaviour change in consumers globally who have preferred healthy products such as those of the Mediterranean diet. To drive growth there are in fact basic products such as wine, which is one of the most exported Made in Italy products, followed by fresh fruit and vegetables."

The main markets for Italian food exports

Among the countries in the world that record higher growth in demand, we find the United States (in second place in terms of total export value, but in first place in terms of demand growth, with +14.2%).

The elimination of the additional 25% duties on exports to the USA played a very positive role, favoring the affected products (cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, salami, mortadella, seafood, fruits, juices and liqueurs) and also being a driving force for other products.

From the Coldiretti report we read:

"The trend was also positive in Germany, which ranks first among the importing countries of Italian food with an increase of 5.4%, the same as in France which ranks third, while UK ranks fourth due to Brexit and administrative burdens, in which food exports collapsed by 8.4% ".

The trend is also positive in emerging markets, with Italian food and wine ready to conquer new records in 2021.