The roadshow of Fiere di Parma and ITA – Italian Trade Agency promoting TUTTOFOOD 2025 (Milan, May 5–8), made a stop in Tokyo on the occasion of Foodex, Japan’s premier food and beverage trade show. The deep connections between Japanese and Italian agri-food cultures will be showcased at the Milanese exhibition, where 12% of international exhibitors will come from Asia-Pacific countries.
Excellence and quality have been key factors in the growth of consumer goods in Asian markets (+2.7% organic value increase and +2.5% volume rise), with further growth expected in 2025 (NielsenIQ data). The “fresh food” sector is experiencing the strongest global expansion, with the Asia-Pacific region emerging as one of the most dynamic markets, ranking just behind Africa and the Middle East.
A remarkable 12% of international exhibitors at TUTTOFOOD Milano 2025 will come from the Asia-Pacific region (including China), underscoring the increasing importance of this market. This figure was highlighted during the Japanese leg of the global roadshow by Fiere di Parma and ITA – Italian Trade Agency. Based as usual on the networking format “The Italian Aperitivo”, the roadshow was introduce TUTTOFOOD to key food & beverage stakeholders worldwide. Now in its tenth stop, the roadshow has engaged over 1,000 decision-makers from leading global companies, top buyers, and trade associations over the past year.
The event at the Italian Embassy in Tokyo brought together Japanese entrepreneurs, international buyers, Trade Promotion Organizations (TPOs), local journalists, and key industry figures. The evening was hosted by the Italian Ambassador, Gianluigi Benedetti, alongside Antonio Cellie, CEO of Fiere di Parma. During the event, attendees confirmed the growing interest and presence of both Japanese and Far East companies at the show, thanks to collaboration with ITA Tokyo and Koelnmesse GmbH.
“In response to uncertainties surrounding potential trade tariffs, Fiere di Parma proactively shifted its focus towards high-potential markets with strong demographic and economic growth, such as Japan and South Korea, as well as the broader Asia-Pacific region, including China,” Antonio Cellie said. While presenting TUTTOFOOD Milano 2025, Cellie emphasized the show’s innovation-driven approach: “This 2025 edition, organized for the first time by Fiere di Parma in collaboration with Koelnmesse, marks a significant evolution for TUTTOFOOD Milano. With the integration of interactive technologies, experiential formats, and dedicated trend-focused areas, the event will become a relevant hub for innovation and an international food business showcase.”
TUTTOFOOD 2025 will welcome over 25% international exhibitors and attract approximately 90,000 visitors, including more than 3,000 top international buyers. The event will provide a common international platform for discovering new products and forming strategic partnerships with Italian, European, and global companies. Exhibitors will span the entire agri-food supply chain, covering key retail and foodservice sectors—from grocery and fresh products to semi-finished goods. The exhibition will feature an extensive selection of PDO, PGI, zero residue, and specialty products from around the world, alongside cutting-edge innovations in food processing and sustainable nutrition, all centered around quality, authenticity, and innovation.
Spotlight on Asia-Pacific – The Asia-Pacific region represents a crucial market for both Italy and the global food industry. According to NielsenIQ’s 2024 data on consumer goods performance, the region recorded an organic value growth of +2.7%, driven by a volume recovery from -0.9% in 2023 to +2.5% in 2024. As unit price increases slow (+2.6% to +0.2%), volume growth will remain a key driver in 2025. The “fresh food” segment has posted the highest global volume growth, and the Asia-Pacific region continues to follow this trend with a 3% volume increase, making it one of the most dynamic regions, second only to Africa and the Middle East.
Looking at Italian exports, Asia-Pacific saw the highest volume growth for ground and whole coffee (+2.3%), pasta (+5.8%), olive oil (+6.1%), and tomato concentrate (+8.1%) in 2024 compared to 2023.
“These trends are influenced by several factors driving retail transformation across Asia-Pacific, including digitalization and infrastructure improvements that are growly modernizing traditional commerce,” explained Beatrice Bonizzoni, Business Development Global Snapshot at NielsenIQ. “Additional key factors include the growing presence of small-format stores, up-trading and down-trading strategies in supermarkets and hypermarkets, and the rapid expansion of advanced e-commerce channels like quick commerce and social commerce,” she concluded.
TUTTOFOOD Week (May 3–8, 2025) – A major highlight of this edition will be the official “Fuori Salone” program, transforming Milan into a stage for food culture. The city will host events, tastings, show-cooking sessions, and exclusive meetings with renowned chefs and international brands. This will offer global professionals a unique opportunity to experience Italian and international food & beverage in an authentic setting, exploring emerging trends and inspirations directly within the local environment.
