From Liguria to the Big Apple: eight of Liguria’s finest
in the USA
Our work with Universal Marketing and Regione Liguria
Every year, the Summer Fancy Food Show is a unique showcase for Italian companies that want to get noticed in the US market.
And so in June 2025 we set off for the Big Apple to take part in the most important event for Made in Italy companies with their eye on the American market.
We attended as a partner of Universal Marketing, the Specialty Food Association’s exclusive agent for Italy and official organiser of the Italian pavilion at the Summer Fancy Food Show. Our aim was to work alongside Regione Liguria, the regional government, in driving business for its group stand of eight Ligurian companies, each with its own story and its own products, turning Regione Liguria’s exhibition space into the place to go for anyone wanting to discover the authentic best of Ligurian food & beverage.
An initiative designed to bring each brand to the fore, create qualified contacts and generate real business development opportunities.
What will you find in this new success story?
Companies represented
Artigiana Genovese,
Pastificio Alta Valle Scrivia,
Oleificio Santagata,
Biscottificio Grondona,
Amaretti Virginia, Pesto di Pra’,
Tonitto 1939 and Nuovo Liquorificio Fabbrizii.
Project timing
4
months
Target
Buyers, importers,
hotel, restaurant and catering operators and
gourmet retailers
in the United States
Objective
Raise the international
profile of Ligurian companies
and generate qualified leads
Opportunities generated
67
active leads
Destination
United States
Challenges
01
Raising the profile of the “Liguria” brand
In a market as complex and varied as the United States.
02
Ensuring a structured approach
that maximises the number of meetings and qualified leads
03
Strengthening Ligurian SMEs’ export skills
by establishing lasting business relationships with importers, distributors and hotel, restaurant and catering operators.
Solution
HOW DID WE ARRIVE AT THE IDEAL SOLUTION?
After an initial set-up phase, spent analysing the market in all its complexity and defining the most suitable strategy, we identified the tools and actions needed to respond in practical terms to the challenges we had found.
WITH OUR SALES
INTELLIGENCE PLATFORM
We analysed the digital presence of American prospects, selecting the contacts with the closest fit to Ligurian products.
SELLING
We took a fully personalised approach, backed by insights from the Mallei platform and by analysis of US buyers’ engagement patterns.
MANAGEMENT
A native-speaker team specialising in the US food market handled direct contact with decision-makers, adapting content and tone. This sped up the building of a business relationship and significantly cut the time needed to arrange meetings.
PRESENCE
AT THE SHOW
We supported the companies on the stand itself, handling conversations about certification, distribution and FDA compliance and turning their products into real opportunities for the American market.
FOLLOW-UP
Direct contact, sending tailored materials and developing the relationships begun in New York, which led straight away to requests for samples and follow-up meetings.
Strategy
Our work with Universal Marketing and Regione Liguria began with the aim of supporting Ligurian companies in the US market and making the most of their commercial potential during the Summer Fancy Food Show.
We began with a detailed analysis of US buyers using our Sales Intelligence platform, which enabled us to identify 1,489 decision-makers and gather valuable information about them, so as to understand their interests and priorities. This allowed us to build a personalised communication plan and start targeted conversations before the show had even begun.
In the ‘Liguria Lounge’ exhibition space, brought to life by a chef preparing Ligurian dishes for visitors and buyers, the eight companies were able to present their products more effectively, thanks to the information gathered on decision-makers and the advance preparation on the topics American buyers ask about most, such as certification, distribution, shelf life and FDA regulations. Having our specialists on the ground made for more productive exchanges and strengthened the overall image of Liguria as a whole.
The pre-show activity generated 67 qualified leads among CEOs, Senior Buyers, Purchasing Managers and category managers. The contacts came mainly from the East Coast and the Midwest, and the profiles identified proved to be a good match for the target market, from specialist importers and gourmet retail to premium restaurants and foodservice. Many buyers engaged with the companies in the weeks before the event thanks to the preparatory work, and this prompted immediate requests for samples and further information.
Beyond the results achieved during the event, the project created strategic assets that remain available for future activities, such as a validated database of US decision-makers, repeatable working methods and an established international network. The companies were supported with preparatory work that included reviewing their English-language materials, sales briefings and intercultural training, all of which made taking part in the show run more smoothly.
The project ended with a structured follow-up phase to keep in touch with the buyers met in New York. The personalised messages have already led to further requests and new commercial developments. The initiative built relationships with 551 international trade contacts and showed how effective an approach based on data, intercultural skills and direct support for companies can be. The mission now stands as a practical example of how a region working together can strengthen its presence in global markets through strategic, coordinated work.
Statistics
TRADE CONTACTS
PROFILED
Results
Quality relationships built with international players and lasting business relationships begun
PROFILING
OF CONTACTS
Qualified contacts with validated decision-makers
opportunities
generated
Active leads generated, with sales conversations already under way
prospect-to-lead conversion rate
Almost double the benchmark for the Italian gourmet sector in the USA.
Next steps
Our experience at the Summer Fancy Food Show 2025 confirmed the value of an integrated approachthat combines Sales Intelligence, social selling and direct, expert relationship management. This method turned a presence at the show into real business opportunities, strengthening the position of Regione Liguria and the companies involved in the US market and showing how seriously Liguria as a whole is committed to supporting its producers as they expand internationally.
The results achieved, together with the assets created and the strength of data-driven, intercultural work, show that this is a best practice that can be repeated, one that deserves institutional and media attention and confirms Liguria’s role as a credible player in international economic development.