GOLOSARIO AWARDS FOR THE BEST PRODUCTS ON SHOW AT SOL&AGRIFOOD

Exhibitors and professionals visiting the event from all over the world were satisfied with growth in business contacts. Extra virgin olive oil in the limelight alongside all high quality Italian agro-food specialities. Golosario Award for the best products.

A “delicious” closing event on April 9th for Sol&Agrifood, with the presentation of this year’s Golosario Awards to winning companies. The four-day Exhibition of Quality Food welcomed endless tastings and promoted business contacts between companies and professionals from all over the world and proved to be extremely positive for the 350 exhibitors taking part thanks to the growing number of qualified and interesting buyers, especially from abroad.

This result was achieved through intensification of incoming activities implemented by Veronafiere through its international delegates in 60 countries, which helped attract delegations of importers and distributors to Italy from countries currently most interested in Made in Italy foodstuffs: China, Japan, USA, Great Britain, Germany, Mexico, France, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, India, the Far East, Australia, Central America and Latin America, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan.

“We are extremely pleased with the results of this edition of Sol&Agrifood,” said Giovanni Mantovani, CEO of Veronafiere, ” because we believe that quality agro-food production has enormous potential abroad. Moreover, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi – visiting final day of Vinitaly, Sol&Agrifood and Enolitech yesterday – has set a goal for 2020 of achieving 50 billion euros of exports for the agro-food sector. Compared to the current figure of 33 billion euros – itself an absolutely positive result given the already extraordinary growth achieved over the past 10 years – this is a stimulating challenge that Veronafiere is ready and determined to support through our platform of services largely for smallmedium export-oriented companies.” Alongside pasta, delicatessen meats, sweet and savoury bakery products, sauces and condiments, chocolate and coffee, cheeses, Italian and foreign small-brewery beers, fruit and vegetable conserves, one of the main protagonists at Sol&Agrifood was undoubtedly olive oil, with extra virgin products in the forefront. An important aspect at this edition of the event was the presence of international olive oils from Morocco, Croatia, Greece and Argentina.

Thanks not the least to the International Sol d’Oro Competition, Verona has become over time the international landmark for the recognition, valorisation and commercial promotion of excellence in olive oil. This is what the patronage of Veronafiere was requested for Sol d’Oro Southern Hemisphere. The initiative, which will tour producer countries in the southern hemisphere, was officially presented during Sol&Agrifood and will take place for the first time in Chile in September.

“Sol&Agrifood 2014,” said Massimo Gargano, President of Unaprol, “this year achieved a new rhythm for high quality Italian extra virgin olive oil, with critical and public acclaim confirming the leadership of our best products.” Gargano added: “the challenge now is to highlight the astonishing wealth of biodiversity in Italian olive oil, representing a primacy envied all over the world.” Other products of excellence at Sol&Agrifood over and above olive oil were showcased and deserve acknowledgement. And this is the Golosario Awards came into being.

The initiative, created in collaboration with food critics Paolo Massobrio and Marco Gatti, envisages a specific and strictly incognito jury which, having tasted the products on show, prepares personal rankings. This is then given to the two critics for their final judgement. Traditionally, the winners are announced on the closing day of the event and their names and chosen products are included in The Golosario Guide. The competition involves several categories all sharing the same assessment criteria of the “taste judges”: quality and attention to origin and production methods.

These are the winners this year:

SNACKS

– Az. Agr. I Dossi – Gambolò (Pv) – Rose petal jam

– Az. Agr. Calaciura – Belpasso (Ct) – Pistachio “pesto” sauce

Galfrè Antipasti d’Italia – Barge (Cn) – Porcini mushrooms in olive oil

– Pariani – Givoletto (To) – Hazelnut oil

DELICATESSEN MEATS AND MEAT

– Crocedelizia – Soragna (Pr) – Boiled shoulder of ham

– Antica Larderia Mafalda – Colonnata Carrara (Ms) – Colonnata Lard

– Salumificio Mezzaluna – Fermo – Ciauscolo

– Salumificio Sapori Antichi di Aspromonte – Canolo (Rc) – Nduja

CHEESE

– Botalla Formaggi – Biella – “Lunatico” Cheese

– Caseificio Romano Anna – Ciminà (Rc) – Caciocavallo di Ciminà

PASTA AND RICE

– Riso Zaccaria – Salussola (Bi) – Rice

CONFECTIONERY AND BAKERY PRODUCTS

– Az. Agr. Angelo Ballasina – Granozzo con Monticello (No) – Biscuits with Nero Venere Rice

– Tarallificio Nonna Maria – San Severo (Fg) – Sweet&sour “taralli” with Primitivo wine

– Az. Agr. Ra Nissòra – Roddino (Cn) – Baci di dama

– B. Langhe – Alba (Cn) – Dolce Tarocco

BEERS

– Birra Amarcord – Rimini – Midòna blonde double-malt Beer

– Birrificio Gjulia – Cividale del Friuli (Ud) – Grecale special blonde beer

– Birranova – Triggianello (Ba) – Negramara Extra Beer

– Birrificio I Peuceti – Bitonto (Ba) – Murgiana Beer

SPECIAL PRIZE

– Az. Agr. Pratticò Arturo – Africo Nuovo (Rc) – Bergamot Juice

– Figulì – Villorba (Tv) – Ramì bread sticks