Italy is the country of agri-food: this is nothing new since, according to SACE, this sector ranks as the leading manufacturing sector in Italy, with over 55,000 companies active in the field. But that's not all: in the last 10 years, exports of Made in Italy organic products have literally exploded (+181%), making Italy the main exporter of organic foods at an international level after the USA. Not only that: in 2022 the export of Bio Made in Italy products reached 3.4 billion euros, recording a growth of +16% considering the previous 12 months.
But which are the Bio Made in Italy products with the highest export share? Of these 3.4 billion euros, the majority is represented by food, for a value of 2.7 billion euros. But the role of wine is also relevant, which accounts for 20% of the remaining Bio Made in Italy exports, i.e. a much higher share than what happens with agri-food exports in general, where the incidence of wine is only 13% . In numerical terms we are talking about 626 million euros of Made in Italy organic wine sold on international markets, registering a +18% compared to 2021.
Already in the article dedicated toexport of Made in Italy pasta to the USA we were talking about how the future holds great business opportunities for the Italian food sector. And also in the case of organic food, great growth is expected in the coming years: the 30% of European consumers say they are interested in purchasing an Italian organic food product, a share that rises to 46% with regard to wine.
The undecided would be attracted not only by promotions and low prices, but also by famous brands, by information on low environmental impact and by the presence of eco-sustainable packaging. In fact, more than half of the current non-wine users have never tried organic Italian wine yet because they cannot find it in the assortment, while in 1 out of 5 cases they do not yet know its distinctive characteristics. The same reasons for non-purchase also concern food products: the 26% of those who do not consume Made in Italy organic food declare that they do not know its distinctive characteristics and, in 1 out of 10 cases, cannot find it in the usual points of sale.
In recent weeks we have reported how exports are an essential driving factor for Italian companies that want overcome the criticalities of the domestic market. Octagona presented numerous insights on business opportunities abroad for Italian companies, speaking for example of theexport to UAE or of how to export to Germany and ride the new golden moment of Made in Italy exports on the German market.
From the survey conducted between July and August 2022 by Nomisma for ICE Agenzia and FederBio on a sample of 290 Italian food and wine companies, it emerged as the the main destinations in Europe for organic Italian food are Germany (indicated as a whole by the 63% of the companies) and to follow France (46%) e Benelux (34%). For the wine to drive is still the german market (67%), closely followed by the Scandinavian countries (61%) – where, as always, the appreciation of organic wine is very high – and dal Benelux (59%). Outside the community borders they are the masters Swiss, United States and United Kingdom for both food and wine.
The data therefore confirm a strong interest in organic products in Scandinavia: almost 9 out of 10 families consumed an organic food product in 2022. Other factors that make Scandinavia a market with high potential include the percentage of consumers habits (more than 40% of Scandinavian consumers buy Bio in every shopping) and the importance of the Bio brand, so much so that 1 consumer 5 declares to place it in first place in the choice when purchasing food products.
And how is Italy positioned in relation to Scandinavian Europe? In the imagination of Danish consumers, Italy ranks first among the countries that produce the highest quality organic products: to think so is the 38% of consumers, therefore almost 4 out of 10.
In the case of Sweden, our country contends for leadership with Denmark: in this case, the share of users that Italy indicates when thinking of higher quality organic products is equal to 37%. As further confirmation of the excellent reputation of Italian organic products, for as many as 6 out of 10 Scandinavian consumers, Made in Italy organic food products have superior quality compared to products from other countries, while for 7 consumers out of 10 Italian organic products are perceived to be higher also in terms of guarantees of traceability and environmentally friendly production methods. Thanks to this excellent perception, Italian organic products are widespread in Scandinavia: the 65% of households bought a Made in Italy organic food product during 2022 and the 30% bought them at least once a week.
But which are the most promising products for Bio Made in Italy exports? Extra virgin olive oil, cheeses, tomato preserves, cured meats, cheeses and wine are the most purchased organic Italian products by Scandinavian consumers but also the categories for which the consumer is most interested in the bio-Made in Italy combination.
Thanks to this excellent perception, Italian organic products are widespread in Scandinavia, since these are foods that combine attention to sustainability with the high quality of Italian agri-food productions, incorporating cultural, social and environmental values recognized and appreciated all over the world. There quality of products and the general interest of foreign consumers for Made in Italy they are the business card of our bio on international markets. The high average per capita expenditure for organic products and the guarantees associated with organic food products are also considered elements of success.
And looking to the future, according to analysts, Scandinavian Europe it will remain the favorite market for the Italian agri-food sector in the coming years.
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