SANA Food kicks off

February 2026

From today until February 24th, SANA Food kicks off in synergy with Slow Wine Fair: two events taking place simultaneously, united by a single, overarching goal: to bring new ideas and energy to the world of food and wine out of the home.

Bologna, the city of good food and wine, welcomes industry professionals from this morning to a single event that brings together two fairs that, despite their different histories, promote a new culture of eating out.

SANA Food, in its renewed and consolidated synergy with Slow Wine Fair, promotes a meeting of quality, sustainability, and innovation that puts producers, operators, and professionals in the Horeca sector at the center, creating a virtuous dialogue between attention to local area, environmental sustainability, organic products, wholesomeness of the products, ethical supply chains, and the culture of good, clean, and fair wine. The inauguration was attended by institutional representatives, organizations, trade associations, and non-profit organizations, confirming the strategic importance of the event for the agri-food sector.

Gianpiero Calzolari, President of BolognaFiere, opened the event, emphasizing how the combination of wine and food continues to be a highly valuable segment for the market, enjoying steady growth and increasingly positive results. BolognaFiere is strengthening its commitment to the sector through numerous international initiatives, leveraging a solid global network to promote the industry. He added that the contribution of partners and institutions is crucial to the strategic development process. Daniele Ara, Councilor of the City of Bologna with responsibility for schools, environmental education, agriculture, and agri-food, emphasized how fairs dedicated to quality food and wine represent an identity value for Bologna and the entire region, promoting informed consumption and excellent supply chains. Eleonora Iacovoni, Director General of the PQA (Protection and Evaluation of Organic Food) at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, emphasized the importance of supporting the organic sector, in which Italy is a leader, through initiatives such as SANA Food. Brunella Saccone, Director of the Agri-food Office at ICE, emphasized the internationalization opportunities for companies in the sector.

Giancarlo Gariglio, Coordinator of the Slow Wine Coalition, highlighted how the Italian wine sector is reinventing itself: quality, sustainability, and inclusion are guiding the new narrative of wine, highlighting local areas, biodiversity, and the contribution of women and young people.

In his speech, Rossano Bozzi, Business Unit Director at BolognaFiere, emphasized the event's strategic value for the Horeca sector. With 1,400 exhibitors, BolognaFiere confirms its commitment to innovation, offering a comprehensive project that combines quality, sustainability, and responsibility. In a constantly evolving HoReCa market, the Group positions itself as a benchmark for development capable of combining economic growth and a culture of sustainability. Giancarlo Tonelli, General Manager of ConfCommercio Ascom Bologna, added that the UNESCO recognition strengthens the supply chain's work and commitment to continuing to promote healthy and responsible eating, enhancing quality and dialogue between restaurants, schools, and local communities.

Maria Grazia Mammuccini, President of FederBio, and Barbara Nappini, President of Slow Food Italy, presented the perspective of organic supply chains and associations, reiterating the centrality of sustainability, biodiversity protection, and transparency throughout the supply chain. Organics and biodiversity are at the heart of a shared strategy that strengthens the collaboration between FederBio and Slow Food and aims to support small and medium-sized businesses, organic districts, and the agroecological transition. Trade fairs thus become a concrete lever for promoting local communities and opening up new market opportunities, from HoReCa to exports.

The inaugural event thus concludes, leaving behind enthusiasm and new perspectives for the future of the world of eating out and good, fair, and clean wine, themes that will resonate throughout the coming days of the fair.