CIBUS RESCHEDULED FOR EARLY SEPTEMBER

 (Parma, 9 March 2020) – Cibus has been rescheduled for early September, from Tuesday 1st to Friday 4th September. The unpredictable development of the COVID-19 outbreak and specifically the intensification of flight restrictions from and to Italy have made the postponement necessary. Therefore, after talks with the delegates of exhibitors and the Italian agri-food supply chains, as well as with the international buyers, Fiere di Parma and Federalimentare have mutually agreed today to reschedule Cibus 2020 (initially planned in May) for 1-4 September 2020. 

This resolution is consistent with Vinitaly’s choice to postpone the fair, as well as with the evolution of the international trade events calendar and has been brought to the attention of the crisis talks set up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Made in Italy industry. Fiere di Parma has been faced with the need to secure the investments of exhibiting companies and the change of date is to ensure the flow of foreign visitors and buyers that Cibus has always provided to Made in Italy food companies. 

“The situation has worsened over the last days – said Antonio Cellie, CEO of Fiere di Parma – with the rise of restrictions to travel to and from Italy from several countries. The context has become too precarious and these circumstances are likely to damage Cibus, the investments of our exhibitors, as well as the reputation of Parma which this year is also the Italian Capital of Culture. The postponement to September is a responsible and strategic choice: Cibus will become the key appointment of next fall for the international market and for Made in Italy food. Hence the decision to postpone. In the interest of everyone. “ 

The arrival of trade operators has suddenly become problematic not only from Asia, which was somewhat predictable but also from the United States and Northern Europe where, over the last few days, strong concerns regarding travel to Italy have arisen. 

“We have done everything possible to avoid the decision to reschedule – said Ivano Vacondio, President of Federalimentare – however, the uncertainty and concerns regarding the persistence of COVID-19, which risk having a severe impact on the number of visitors and exhibitors, have led us to the decision to push back Cibus to September”. 

In the meantime, the Cibus catalog has been uploaded onto www.mybusiness.cibus.it, a sophisticated matching tool for national and international visitors, and more in general professional players who nowadays spend much more time online. The online tool already contains all the information from the Cibus catalog, and, shortly, will also display all the products that the Made in Italy food companies publish on their websites, indexed and grouped. This will allow registered users to carry out thorough searches and then send supply or contact requests directly. All contents, even those that companies have not translated, will be transcribed thanks to a multi-language tool. 

My Business Cibus represents a digital evolution of the trade fair services, exclusively designed for Cibus exhibitors and therefore, for the best of Made in Italy food that given the rescheduling of the trade fair for early September, will contribute even more to the success of the event.