People came from all over the world to discuss the fate of wholesale markets, with 40 countries represented and delegates from 5 continents. The WUWM (World Union of Wholesales Markets) world conference was held in Rimini (at the Palacongressi) from 30 October to 1 November. The event was organised by Caar di Rimini, Italmercati, and the Emilia Romagna Markets network with the support of Adria Congrex.
Click here for photos of the opening morning!
The first day saw some Italian and foreign operators discuss their experiences. Luca Lanini (University of Padua) and Paolo Merci (vice-president of Italmercati) outlined some objectives of the wholesale markets. "Facilities need to enter directly into food policies and strengthen the relationship with consumers. Cities, especially the larger ones, must involve wholesale markets in their procurement policies. Citizens and health must come first."
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Luca Lanini (Sinloc) and Paolo Merci (Vice President of Italmercati)
It won't be easy to increase efficiency in practice, but some markets are already trying thanks to NRRP funding. "It is also necessary to increase exports, at least for those markets that are more inclined to trade with other countries, but also to put new policies into practice to become hubs within the cities and manage last-mile logistics."
The markets also need more political clout, with involvement in decision-making at all levels. "Lastly, we must not preclude working in synergy on concrete projects with the foreign markets."
Click here for photos of the opening morning!
Gianni Indino (Caar)
The morning of 31 October started with the customary greetings, first from Gianni Indino (chairman of Caar Rimini) and then from Frenchman Stéphane Layani (chairman of WUWM). Italmercati president Fabio Massimo Pallottini dictated the strategies. "The Italian markets and the more than 4,000 companies operating there handle 7 million tonnes of fresh produce every year, worth over €11 billion. On a European level, wholesale food markets represent an impressive industrial and economic resource, guaranteeing the supply of fresh produce to around 200 million consumers every day. Wholesale markets also play an essential public function in the food supply chain, ensuring availability, wholesomeness and safety of fresh produce."
Click here for photos of the opening morning!
Fabio Massimo Pallottini, president of Italmercati
"In recent years, thanks also to NRRP funds, which have allocated over €268 million for the modernisation of our facilities, we have been investing in advanced logistics, digitisation and sustainability. Italmercati is pursuing a reform for a more efficient and structured market system, with the aim of 'building a network' and giving a single voice to the entire Italian supply chain towards the institutions."
Click here for the photos of the inaugural morning!
Valentino Di Pisa, president of Fedagro
Valentino Di Pisa, president of Fedagro Mercati, did not mince his words: "We are at a crossroads. Our operators must also think about training and changing their mentality. New services are indispensable, selling produce alone is no longer enough. Even the change in working hours, from night to day, must be approached with serenity and understanding of the changing times."
Click here for photos of the opening morning!
Dan Carmody of the Eastern Market in Detroit
Dan Carmody of Detroit's Eastern Market explained how his facility has been diversifying its services for several years. "After a period of decline in the 1990s, we diversified. We have an area where food boxes are prepared with fruit and vegetables from our farmers. We have a packaging area where producers can use packaging services and prepare what they have to sell. We have decided to stay in the city centre and have helped to set up greenhouses for urban farms."
The experiences of the Emilia Romagna markets
In the late morning, some operators of the Emilia Romagna market network talked about their experiences. Gianni Indino recalled how Caar is closely connected to the H&R channel because of the tourism linked to the Romagna Riviera. Alessandro Giunchi (For Mercato Cesena) and Fabio Gardenghi (Lem market) described the close connection between a small chain of large-scale distribution and the market through the role of wholesalers acting as trusted buyers of high quality products.
Duccio Caccioni (Caab Bologna) pointed out that a paradigm has been inverted in Bologna, i.e. the logistical aspect has taken over from the commercial one. The role of small trade in the city and district markets must also be strengthened. Marco Core (president of Cal Parma) and Roberto Ferrara from the coop Leone Rosso described the experience of supplying fruit and vegetable portions every day for the 540 young people in the cooperative.
Paolo Bruni (CSO)
Other sessions were held in the afternoon of 31 October. Paolo Bruni, President of the CSO, stated that "traditional fruit and vegetable markets can play a great role if they insist on quality. Consumers today are very diverse, from those looking for the lowest price to those looking for sustainability, healthiness, quality and novelty, regardless of the price paid, and traditional retail has the opportunity to stand out when it comes to quality. Today, about 45% of organic purchases are made at traditional outlets and, if we consider that these channels hold just over 20% of the fruit and vegetable market share, we cannot but conclude that they represent a point of reference for these types of products. Today, even the fruit and vegetable sector is pushing a producer brand policy that manages to express quality and recognisability."
For more information
WUWM
https://wuwmrimini2024.com/