Food Accademia has hailed the TRMarketplace digital forum for supporting the Italian fine food and beverage company’s re-building efforts in DF&TR.

Created by CEO Fabrizio Canal in 2015, Food Accademia pledges authentic Italian foods and wines & spirits to travel retail from a portfolio approaching 50 brands.

It counts points of sale with the likes of Dufry and Lagardère Travel Retail in Italy and boasts a growing distribution footprint in Europe.

The company also possesses a developing food service business for products such as meats, cheeses and pouring wines.

NEW WEBSITE

Canal commented: “With the cancellation of TFWA WE this year, TRMarketplace comes at the perfect time for us. “Like so many brands affected by Covid-19 – and particularly those where travel retail is the main focus – 2020 has proved financially very difficult, with business coming to a practical standstill.

“But, with travel beginning to open up again, we must look ahead and we must be prepared. TRMarketplace provides us with an extremely cost-effective mechanism for showcasing our variety of Italian brands to retailers globally, to ‘virtually’ meet with our existing and hopefully new customers, introduce our latest new lines, and to rebuild our business as we head towards 2021.

“The timing – to coincide with when we would have been in Cannes – works perfectly for us. It means we have plenty of time to follow up with our retail partners during the last quarter to firm up orders and kickstart our road to recovery stronger than ever.”

Food Accademia will arrive at TRMarketplace with a new website showcasing products to global travel retail buyers and will present exciting news regarding brand partners and merchandising support.

“We know very well that consumers in the ‘new normal’ will not be purchasing in the same way as before,” added Canal. “What we do believe is that priorities will be different. Lockdown in many countries has seen families and individuals with much more time on their hands – time when they have rediscovered the kitchen, cooking from scratch rather than ‘quickly prepared meals’.

“They have discovered new recipes, new ideas – and a new love of fine foods and cooking. We believe that travellers will now be far more interested in the availability of unique, authentic and quality fine foods, wines and spirits that they can take home with them or gift to friends and family. We are here to provide the perfect selection.”