'Nduja, a Calabrian speciality with a strong territorial identity, is gaining an increasingly relevant role among high-value Italian gastronomic products. Originally a spicy spreadable salami linked to Calabria's rural tradition, it is now increasingly used in restaurants, gourmet recipes and retail channels dedicated to typical and premium products.
Consumers are looking for foods and beverages that help them feel better, stay in shape, have more energy, support digestion and look after their long-term wellbeing. At the same time, many health-related messages are starting to look alike or compete for attention on the same product, with a counterproductive effect. Protein, fibre, gut health, energy, immunity, focus, sugar reduction and healthy ageing have become increasingly common themes on packaging, as well as across social media, websites, trade publications and sales materials.
In the food sector, production flexibility is becoming increasingly connected to packaging. Distributors and retailers are asking for broader assortments, dedicated versions, different formats, channel-specific packs and faster response times. For food producers, this means rethinking lines with a different approach, one that can manage variants without losing efficiency.
Electrolytes are moving beyond the sports and fitness niche and entering a new phase of everyday consumption. A clear signal comes from UK retail, where Tesco recorded 175% growth in sales volumes for hydration and electrolyte products over the past year. This figure confirms that the category is becoming increasingly relevant not only for specialist brands, but also for beverage manufacturers, functional ingredient companies and F&B distributors.
In the food & beverage industry, a brand's longevity is no longer enough, by itself, to create value. As the following examples show, for producers, distributors, importers and international buyers, company history becomes truly relevant when it translates into tangible assets: continuity, recognizable quality, capacity for innovation, distribution strength, production investment, adaptation to new consumption patterns and commercial support across markets.
The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Show will take place from 25 to 27 May 2026 at ICC Sydney, bringing a dedicated trade focus on pizza, pasta and authentic Italian flavours to one of Australia’s most dynamic foodservice markets.
International demand for Italian products continues to influence the purchasing choices of distributors, importers and professional buyers. In the foodservice sector, in particular, there is growing interest in ingredients that combine origin, technical quality and transparency throughout the production chain. This also applies to the flour market, where bakers, pizza makers, pastry chefs and restaurant operators are looking for reliable raw materials suited to professional applications.
In the food & beverage sector, inventory management has always depended on a complex balance between product availability, logistics costs, stock rotation, waste, service continuity and demand forecasting. This balance becomes even more critical in fresh, refrigerated and frozen categories, as well as in beverages and products with a sensitive shelf life, where inaccurate forecasts can lead to stockouts, excess inventory, spoilage or higher operating costs.
Italian pasta exports approach EUR 4 billion: market data and opportunities for buyers and importers
Italian pasta remains one of the most representative categories of Made in Italy food on international markets. According to Unione Italiana Food analysis based on Istat data, exports reached 2,456,940 tonnes in 2025, up +2.1% compared with 2024, for a total value of EUR 3.969 billion.
Changing meal habits are reshaping demand across the food market, especially for products designed for quick, flexible and convenient consumption. The growth of food-to-go and ready-to-eat products is driven by more fragmented routines, less regular daily schedules and a greater willingness to replace home-prepared meals with ready-made, accessible solutions perceived as reliable.
The beverage market is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the growth of no- and low-alcohol options and functional beverages, together with a broader range of consumption occasions. As reflected in recent product launches, new beverages are increasingly designed around specific needs: socializing without excess, hydration, energy, relaxation, focus, digestion and everyday well-being.
The EU has introduced new guidance for managing emergencies linked to transmissible animal diseases. This is an important issue - also in public debate - for the safety of food supply chains, especially in the meat and animal-derived products. The new European guidance aims to clarify operational steps relating to controls, restrictions, movements and restocking.
Private label continues to strengthen across Europe and has now reached a threshold that would have been hard to predict just a few years ago: in the six main European packaged FMCG markets - France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom - private label now accounts for 50% of sales by volume. This figure confirms a market shift that is now clearly visible both on supermarket shelves and in retail strategies.
Delivery accounted for 22% of global foodservice spending in 2025, and it continues to grow. More specifically, home delivery keeps gaining ground in the global foodservice market, having risen from 9% in 2019 to 21% in 2024, with a projected share of 24% by 2029. The key question is how suppliers - manufacturers and distributors specializing in foodservice products - can interpret this shift, and which opportunities and B2B marketing strategies emerge from the latest data.
Among Italian cured meat specialties that continue to enjoy strong recognition in international markets, mortadella holds a prominent place. Its ties to the Emilian tradition and the category's clear identity still make it relevant for importers, distributors and food service operators, especially when the range includes products designed to meet different needs.
Puglia in Food's range is built around a clearly recognizable regional identity: Salento rotisserie specialties. Traditional recipes are adapted to meet the day-to-day needs of foodservice operators and professional kitchens seeking speed, practicality and consistent results. From dough preparation to filling and freezing, each step is carefully controlled to deliver an artisanal product ready in just a few minutes.
- Professional flours: Petra Molino Quaglia prioritizes quality and a traceable supply chain
- TUTTOFOOD 2026: growing focus on food supply chains, business and international outlook
- From shelf to AI: how product discovery is changing in retail
- New EU packaging guidance: what the food industry needs to know
