Made in Italy on Stage at FOODEX Kansai: Best Italian Selection’s Contribution to Promoting Italian Agri-Food in Japan
We didn’t just take part. We represented.
From July 23 to 25, 2025, Best Italian Selection brought its heart – and the heart of Italy’s culinary heritage – to FOODEX KANSAI at INTEX Osaka.
A debut? No. An explosion of stories, encounters, tastings, and visions.
Sport, Expo and Made in Italy: How Italy Speaks to the World Through Taste
During the days of FOODEX KANSAI, we had the honor of witnessing a powerful moment in Italy’s global narrative in Osaka: the thematic panel "Sport and Made in Italy: Winning Together", hosted inside the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka.
A meeting featuring some of the highest-ranking voices in Italy’s international strategy:
- Matteo Zoppas, President of ICE-Agenzia
- Marco Rago, Legal Advisor to the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice President of the Italian National OneWater Committee
- Mario Vattani, Commissioner General for Italy at Expo
- And of course, Roberto Baggio, global ambassador of Italian sport
Alongside them, our fellow countryman Gianpaolo Bruno, Director of ICE Tokyo, and Filippo Manara, Consul General of Italy in Osaka.
“Sports diplomacy is extremely important for Italy,” said Vattani, highlighting how sport – from fencing to winter sports design, and the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) – has been a central pillar of the cultural programming at the Pavilion.
This message was reinforced by President Zoppas, who reiterated that the Expo is a strategic global stage to help achieve Italy’s export goal of €700 billion, emphasizing the sport industry’s value as an economic ambassador of Made in Italy.
In this integrated national system, food and wine also speak the language of identity, passion, and expertise.
We, too, at our FOODEX stand, told the story of this Italy.
An Italy that doesn't just export products – it creates relationships, emotions, and opportunities.
