Food Accademia expands Italian offer with new wines and exclusive food gift packs

Food Accademia returns to Cannes this year with a selection of the very best of Italian food, wine and spirits, including a number of new additions to the portfolio (Red Village K15).

Wines. Stand out in travel retail is vital. What makes Bollicine Chardonnay & Riesling wines so suitable for the channel is the brand’s elegant and unique black spherical bottle – the only one of its kind in the world. The bottle shape means that less product is in contact with the glass while the short neck reduces the level of oxygen in the bottle – both elements working together to create an excellent flavour; in this case a delicious combination of lime and fresh mint, plum and gooseberry, finishing with flavours of fruit and cinnamon.

Under the Cà dei Frati label, come two wines Lugana and Amarone. Lugana – the icon of the vineyard – is an exceptional white wine carrying a rrp of Euros 15 and perfect for drinking any time, anywhere, while Amarone is a superb red wine from Verona targeted at the 35+ age group. These wines are just part of a portfolio from the Cà dei Frati winery which are now exclusively available to global travel retail from Food Accademia.

The wine offer also includes two wines from Ricci Curbastro which are easy to drink, beautifully packaged, and perfect for any adult traveller. Ricci Curbastro Brut is an

expressive example of sparkling Franciacorta, with a captivating combination of floral (from the Pinot Blanc) and fruity (from the Chardonnay) notes. Franciacorta Brut Rosé is a lovely wine, an explosion of bouquets and ‘flavours’ that come together to satisfy all the senses.

Spirits. Joining the portfolio in Cannes are Oscar-winning grappas from Castagner:  Torba Nera 12 years from the Miti Italiani collection; Fuoriclasse Leon Grappa Riserva 15 years and 3 years, both distilled using the very best raw materials, ultra-modern techniques and ageing in fine wood. 

Made from lightly roasted Merlot, Cabernet and Pinot Noir grape skins, left to age in cherry and oak barrels, Torba Nera Miti 12 yo has a personality that is both opulent and well balanced.  For travel retail, the luxurious presentation box, which doubles as a stand for the wine when opened, makes Torba Nera Miti 12  year old a perfect gift option for wine drinkers aged 35 plus.

Grappa Riserva 15 years old has a highly elegant, intense aroma and warm vanilla and spicy notes. Ageing creates a suave, warming, caressing and harmonious flavour, making it a perfect premium purchase for travellers.

Also new is Italian favourite, Russo Limoncello from the Amalfi Coast – perfect for destination merchandising.

Fine Food. The Fine Food options from Food Accademia are extended in Cannes with a number of new additions to the portfolio that represent Italy at its best. These include Pastificio del Campi pasta, arguably the world’s best known Italian speciality; Franci Extra Virgin Olive Oil casket; and an exceptional Parmesan Cheese Malandrone 1477 (aged from a minimum of 24 months to over 120 months to provide a wide variety of flavours).

Highlights include Viola Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a Tin Cup that is exclusive to travel retail. With its fragrant aroma and balanced mix of bitter and pepper flavours, it is a perfect gift item. As is the range of travel exclusive presentation boxes produced for Food Accademia by Zaini Milano Chocolate, including hand-crafted pralines and dragée, ‘cremini’ and ‘gianduiotti’ chocolates.

The beauty of the fine food portfolio is its suitability for gifting. Examples include the newly added Cavalli Balsamic Vinegar 25 years offered in a blown-glass bottle, screen printed with an original design and serial number. Aged in oak, chestnut, cherry, juniper and mulberry vinegar barrels (batteria) without any additives, this is a superb product perfect for fine food displays.

Food Accademia is also introducing a new series of exclusive gift boxes, bringing together smaller sizes of different food items. This include the Sommariva Gift Box, containing a trio of different sauces such as Pesto Genovese, Black Taggiasche olive oil cream and Anchovy cream; the T&C Truffles Gift Box, containing five sauces perfect to accompany appetizers, finger food etc; the NIK Gift Box , containing dried pasta with goji berries and accompanying spicy tomato sauce which uses health-giving Moringa oleifera leaves; the Torrefazione Cannaregio Gift Box, containing toasted and ground mocha coffee from the only roasting house in Venice;  and the Caviar Giaveri Gift Box Zar Trilogy, high quality caviar selection from Russian sturgeon roe

 Food Accademia was created by Fabrizio Canal to offer top quality, authentic Italian fine foods to travel retail. “Italy has a global reputation for food, oil, wines, and Food Accademia brings the very best that the country has to offer to global travel retail. Since we started this business in 2016 we have made slow but steady progress within the channel and are now enjoying sales distribution in airports throughout Italy (of course), but also elsewhere in Europe and the Asia Pacific,” he says.

Canal believes strongly that Italian fine foods have huge potential in travel retail outside Italy. “Our team is able to select the right products according to culture and market trends in each country and region,” he continues. “Our specialists can suggest the best product portfolio for each business opportunity including retail formats: food courts, coffee and beer shops, restaurants etc.”

In Cannes, Canal is looking to build on existing distribution in Europe whilst actively seeking to break into the Americas market. “We see a lot of potential for our offer in the US and, indeed, are looking for a distributor or agent to assist us in the region.”