Torino, September 11, 2025 – On September 10-11, the city of Vercelli became an international hub for agri-food business with Risò – B2B Meetings, a professional event dedicated to connecting local companies with foreign buyers. The initiative, a prelude to the Risò – International Rice Festival taking place September 12-14, offered a strategic platform to promote rice and Piemonte’s gastronomic excellence worldwide, creating new business opportunities for the sector.
Risò – B2B Meetings was organized by Piemonte Agency as part of the Integrated Supply Chain Project “Agrifood,” promoted by Regione Piemonte (Regional Government) and funded by the ERDF 2021-2027, in collaboration with the Monte Rosa Laghi Alto Piemonte Chamber of Commerce and ITA - Italian Trade Agency.

The two-day event hosted over 500 pre-arranged B2B meetings between 28 leading international buyers – from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Japan, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Türkiye – and 50 agrifood companies from Piemonte, with a strong focus on rice, a hallmark of the region and a symbol of Italian production. Piemonte accounts for over 50% of Italy’s rice production, with the province of Vercelli recognized as the heart of the European rice district. Thanks to its distinctive agri-food offer, the food and beverage sector is a strategic pillar of the regional economy. In 2024, Piemonte’s agri-food exports reached €8.6 billion, marking a 4.7% increase over the previous year and ranking third among regional export sectors. Nationally, Piemonte is the fourth Italian region in terms of food export value. The sector has shown remarkable growth: 1.5 times over the past five years and a doubling of value in the last decade.

Risò – B2B Meetings offered a unique opportunity for agrifood companies to connect with highly qualified international operators – including importers, distributors, and wholesalers – in a high-level professional environment to present their products, highlight the uniqueness of their offer, and expand their global reach. Buyers represented a broad spectrum of distribution channels, including supermarkets, large-scale retail, specialty and gourmet stores, Ho.Re.Ca., shopping centers, and online platforms. Particular interest was shown in pasta and rice, premium Italian specialties, and health-oriented products – organic, gluten-free, ketogenic, ready-to-eat items, snacks, and desserts – combining tradition with innovation and a focus on well-being.

To better match supply and demand, the event featured two themed days designed to generate new business opportunities and trade agreements:

• Tuesday, September 10: spotlight on Piemonte’s gastronomic excellence with meetings featuring regional companies.
• Wednesday, September 11: dedicated to rice, showcasing Piemonte-based rice producers and processors (including rice-based products and rice flour).

“Piemonte is Europe’s leading rice-producing region, and around this excellence a dynamic network of businesses has grown, spanning industrial processing, packaging, logistics, international trade, and marketing,” said Andrea Tronzano, Regional Councillor for Economic Development and Internationalization. “With Risò, we demonstrate our territory’s ability to work as a system, creating tangible opportunities for the entire agri-food sector and all production activities connected to it.”

“With 84 PDO and PGI certifications, Piemonte ranks third among Italian regions for the number of registered products,” added Angelo Santarella, Deputy Vice President of the Monte Rosa Laghi Alto Piemonte Chamber of Commerce. “Among them is Italy and Europe’s only PDO-certified rice: Riso di Baraggia Biellese e Vercellese. In a time of economic uncertainty, high-quality productions have continued to generate a positive impact, sustaining Piemonte’s reputation for excellence in agri-food and attracting gastronomic tourism. This initiative is a key step in supporting the sector’s international growth, a true flagship of our economy and territory.”

“This is a strategic investment by local institutions in Risò. We are proud that they entrusted Piemonte Agency with organizing the B2B Meetings, a concrete opportunity to connect foreign demand with Piemonte’s outstanding offer,” stated Dario Peirone, Chairman of Piemonte Agency. “We arranged over 500 meetings with 28 buyers from 12 countries, underscoring the effectiveness of our efforts to promote regional companies. As seen at recent Made in Piemonte events in Stockholm and Copenhagen, our strategy successfully attracts buyers and major industry players, positioning Piemonte’s supply chain as a globally competitive reference in agri-food and gastronomy.”

“With exports reaching €873 million in 2024, accounting for 53% of national production, Italy reaffirms its leadership in the rice sector,” stated Matteo Zoppas, Chairman of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA). “The 6.3% decline recorded in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period last year is due to a competitive landscape marked by rising imports (+15%) and non-EU competitors offering lower prices but significantly lower quality standards. In this context, ITA renews its commitment to supporting Made in Italy by promoting the agri-food sector for its quality and for its cultural and territorial identity. Safeguarding geographical indications and typical rice varieties is a key priority. Through Risò, in collaboration with Piemonte Agency and the Monte Rosa Laghi Alto Piemonte Chamber of Commerce, we have facilitated meetings between over 20 international buyers and 50 exhibitors from both European and non-European countries, with the goal of diversifying and expanding Italy’s market presence by entering new markets.”