Market Trends

Exports, markets and growth strategies. Taking a food brand into more than 100 countries requires a strategy that balances identity, adaptation to local markets and consistency in positioning. The experience of Fabbri 1905 shows how the heritage of an Italian company can become an international competitive advantage, provided it is supported by innovation, a strong understanding of consumers and the careful selection of business partners.

Longer breakfast hours, brunch, mid-morning snacks, afternoon snacking and aperitivo are playing a growing role in European foodservice. Out-of-home consumption is becoming more evenly spread throughout the day and less tied to the traditional lunch and dinner dayparts.

Food & beverage sales in Europe grew by 2.7% in the first four months of 2026, but volume sales remain under pressure. Against this backdrop, smaller pack sizes and more accessible entry price points are becoming strategic tools for increasing sales velocity, reaching a broader customer base and adapting assortments to different channels.

The 2024/2025 production campaign for Pecorino Romano PDO closed with just over 39 million kilograms of cheese. The 47 dairies in the supply chain processed more than 300 million liters of milk, 76% of which was allocated to certified production. The supply chain includes nearly 9,000 sheep farmers and 47 dairies. Sardinia accounts for 92% of total volumes, while cooperatives represent 54% of production.

In the first four months of 2026, EU agri-food trade showed an interesting signal: the surplus remained positive and increased slightly compared with the same period of the previous year, despite a slowdown in exports. According to the European Commission, between January and April 2026 the EU agri-food trade balance reached 15.6 billion euro, up 233 million euro compared with 2025.

The premium segment continues to play an important role in European consumption, but its meaning is changing. Even though the cost of living remains a major concern, consumers are not necessarily giving up high-end products. Instead, they are becoming more selective about when it is worth spending more.

The Italian black truffle sauce market is emerging as one of the most interesting segments in the international premium condiments landscape. According to estimates by Growth Market Reports, the global value of the sector reached 1.22 billion dollars in 2025 and could reach 2.31 billion dollars by 2034, with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 7.3% over the forecast period. In addition to market data, the second part of the article includes a concise guide for buyers, designed to help assess the different product types and how they can be marketed across different sales channels.

'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.

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 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.

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.

In retail, product discovery now happens across different touchpoints. The store still matters, but today the customer also comes into contact with a product through online search, social media, digital promotions, automatic suggestions and, increasingly, artificial intelligence tools. For distributors and retail chains, this means that in addition to managing the shelf well, they also need to make the product visible, understandable and convincing along a much broader discovery journey.

Sauces and condiments made with Italian black truffle are gaining a more significant role in the international gourmet market. According to a recent Growth Market Reports analysis, the global market reached USD 1.14 billion in 2024 and could rise to USD 2.15 billion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.3%. Beyond the numbers, however, the most meaningful signal for the supply chain is this: a product once associated almost exclusively with fine dining is now finding broader space in premium retail, e-commerce, food service, and high value-added industrial applications.