AGP Executive Report

Food Promotions: National Cheese Pizza Day is here (Sat, Sept. 5), with Labor Day weekend deals pushing cheesy slices and “Italian-style” pizza nostalgia into the spotlight. Wine & Culture: A wine column argues Asti (Asti Spumante) is back in fashion, calling the once-maligned sweet Italian fizz “actually delicious” as tastes shift toward drier styles. Hospitality & Dining: A chef profile spotlights New Orleans restaurateur Brian Landry and QED Hospitality’s push to reshape hotel food-and-beverage offerings, including a recent acquisition of Broussard’s. Wine Pairing Picks: A roundup of wines for the autumn transition highlights new bottles and pairing ideas as cooler-weather sipping approaches. Food Writing & Recipes: A digital cookbook launch, ModernAncientRoman.com, brings ancient Roman cuisine to modern kitchens with sourced recipes and technique guides. Italian Food Inspiration: A “50 delicious Italian recipes” list leans into cucina povera-style home cooking, from lasagna to cacio e pepe.

M&A Watch: Barilla Group is buying better-for-you mac and cheese brand Goodles, keeping it as an independent brand led by co-founder Jen Zeszut and aiming to expand internationally—another push into functional, higher-protein pasta snacks. Foodservice & Retail: Serafina is now the Official Pizza of the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park, rolling out a curated menu of Margherita, Pepperoni, Mortadella and Truffle. Italian Wine in Travel Retail: Bottega is refreshing its sparkling range and expanding 20cl formats, spotlighting no/low-alcohol options and its “Amazonik” concept for travel retail. Recipes & Home Cooking: A new “lasagna soup” format leans on slow-cooker convenience to deliver classic layered flavors without the assembly. Community Food Culture: A Piedmont wine tasting dinner in Dubai spotlights Batasiolo and Castello di Gabiano with a seven-wine journey. Industry Pulse: Food tourism research says more travelers are choosing trips based on hands-on food experiences, not just landmarks.

Barilla Deal: Barilla is buying Gooder Foods (Goodles), the Santa Cruz mac-and-cheese brand co-founded by Gal Gadot, aiming to expand the “healthier” pasta-and-cheese lineup and grow internationally. Kitchen Tech at IFA: Electrolux/AEG unveiled its “Art of Hosting” concept and a world premiere OnePot Pasta hob, demonstrated by Italian chef Davide Oldan, promising faster weekday pasta cooking. Wine & Culture: The Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival returns Oct. 29–Nov. 1 with a major drinks focus that includes an Italy spotlight and a Bordeaux program tied to a tourism partnership. Italian Hospitality Spotlight: Locanda Cipriani on Venice’s Torcello island reopens after renovations, with the group positioning the revival around preserving its “soul” while adding understated luxury. Food Safety Watch: Pennsylvania restaurant inspections flagged handwashing and temperature-control issues at Sisu Coffee and other local food sites, underscoring ongoing compliance pressure. Food & Drink Travel: A roundup highlights “Italy with the volume turned down” travel in Ferrara, plus a South Tyrol hotel redesign in Merano that swaps mountain tropes for a more metropolitan look.

Italian Food & Beverage Dealmaking: Barilla has agreed to acquire Goodles, the US mac-and-cheese brand co-founded by Gal Gadot, in a deal that keeps Goodles operating as a standalone brand from Santa Cruz pending regulatory approval. Hospitality & Italian Flavors: Segafredo launched Segafredo Cold Espresso (Sept. 1) aimed at speeding up espresso-based drinks for restaurants and bars during peak autumn/holiday demand. Italian Culture on the Ground: The 45th Port Washington Italian Festival (Sept. 10–13) returns with pasta, meatballs, zeppole, cannoli, and a beer-and-wine tent. Foodservice Innovation: Ford Field’s Lions home opener menu adds a “Food Passport” and “Drink of the Game Passport” programs, with new interactive items and local vendor offerings. Business Performance: Mama’s Creations reported Q2 fiscal 2027 revenue up 55% to $54.6m, with net income up 101% to $2.6m, as it expanded placements with major retailers.

Italian Trade & Culture: “Italy in Town – Taste. Explore. Celebrate” lands in Pretoria on Sept. 5-6 with 30+ booths spanning food and wine plus fashion and automotive, and a live Monza F1 broadcast on a giant screen. Italian Food Industry Deal: Barilla has agreed to buy U.S. macaroni-and-cheese brand Goodles, with co-founder/CEO Jen Zeszut staying on, signaling continued expansion beyond Italy’s core pasta market. Italian Hospitality & Design: Venice’s ultra-luxury hotel arms race keeps heating up as new openings and restorations raise the stakes for high-end stays on the Giudecca and beyond. Foodservice Trends: Tampa Bay restaurants are adjusting menus for diners using GLP-1 weight-loss meds and “sober curious” habits, with more non-alcoholic options and smaller portions. Food & Beverage Ops: Pennsylvania restaurant inspections flagged issues like expired or improperly labeled ready-to-eat items and sanitation problems, underscoring tighter compliance expectations. Italian Lifestyle Travel: Puglia is being pitched as an autumn “hidden gem” for quieter beaches, baroque Lecce, and authentic food-and-wine tourism.

Italian Food Culture & Media: RTÉ’s “Donal’s Italian Kitchen” spotlights Italian comfort classics with a “Marry Me Chicken” pasta bake and a butternut squash prosciutto risotto, leaning on olive oil, herbs and slow-simmered flavor. Foodservice & Consumer Experience: Detroit Lions’ Ford Field debuts a 2026 food-and-drink lineup plus a “Mobile Food Passport” stamp program tied to local Detroit partners and prizes. Italian Heritage & Community: “Smiles for Sweetser II” returns Oct. 23 at Portland’s Italian Heritage Center, pairing comedy with mental-health fundraising. Wine & Trade Signals: Armenia cut 2025 wine exports by 3% by volume but lifted export value 12%, while imports surged 60%—with Italy the biggest supplier (42.3%). Sustainability & Seafood Economy: Italian fishermen in the Po Delta are pivoting from invasive blue crabs toward exporting them, aiming to protect lagoon livelihoods as demand shifts.

Italian Food & Beverage Business Moves: Henkell Freixenet is buying a 60% stake in Ireland’s Cassidy Wines, aiming to build a leading Irish distribution platform by merging operations under the Cassidy Wines name. Foodservice & Concepts: Knightsbridge Italian restaurant ALBA is launching an omakase concept, blending Italian roots with a Japanese-style format. Italian Flavors, Everywhere: A new “tomato and corn panzanella” recipe spotlights a summery Italian bread-and-tomato salad approach, using grilled croutons, basil vinaigrette, and quick-pickled onions. Wine & Culture: Decanter’s September issue spotlights Argentina and Chile wine scenes, pushing back against Eurocentric taste benchmarks. On the Ground (Food Safety): Pennsylvania restaurant inspections reported multiple “pass” outcomes, with minor storage and sanitation corrections noted. Community & Fundraising: “Pizza for Good” launches with independent pizzerias to support childhood cancer efforts, donating from select orders.

Italian Waste Policy Spotlight: Capannori’s long fight against incineration helped it build a zero-waste system based on separation, reduction, reuse and prevention—an approach that pushed recycling above 80% and is now seen as a model for Italy. Health & Food Industry Research: An Italian multi-center study on Crohn’s patients in remission found procurement-driven switching from reference ustekinumab to approved biosimilars maintained clinical success rates at 6 months. Foodservice & Brand Moves: Papa John’s is rolling out its “Ultimate Pepperoni Pizza” nationwide, touting 30% more pepperoni and no artificial colors or MSG. Wine Culture & Events: Candoni Wines partners with an organic farmers association to fund farmer advocacy, while rosé-focused patio tastings and major food-and-wine experiences keep the late-summer calendar busy. On-the-ground Italy Angle: U.S. Army Garrison Italy’s Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program won Program of the Year for the third straight year, highlighting quality-of-life initiatives at Camp Darby.

Italian Wine Trade: Red Bordeaux exports slid in early 2026, with export value down 19% and volume down 8%, suggesting price pressure and weaker returns per unit shipped. Importer Moves: Hallgarten & Novum Wines is expanding its Italian portfolio by adding family-run Soave producer Inama and Abruzzo’s Terre di Civita, aiming to strengthen its range for both independents and fine wine merchants. Design Meets Food Packaging: A’ Design Awards named Gca Design Studio Gold for “Perfectly Imperfect,” a flint glass sauce bottle that turns natural manufacturing variation into a feature to cut waste. Food & Drink Events: Summerville’s inaugural Wine & Food Festival (Oct. 17) will spotlight wineries including Tuscany (Italy) with wine tastings and chef bites, targeting about 1,000 attendees. Aperitivo Culture: Negroni Month extends across Melbourne in September, with participating venues rolling out classic and local twists on the Campari-gin-vermouth staple. Non-Alcoholic Wine: A guide highlights how dealcoholized wine is made and spotlights Riunite Zero and Maschio Zero sparkling options.

Pizza & Toppings Push: Papa John’s rolls out the “Ultimate Pepperoni Pizza,” built around 30% more pepperoni and positioned as a value-heavy, pepperoni-first option nationwide. Italian Spirits Spotlight: A feature revisits how amaro moved from monastery roots to modern digestivo culture, explaining why bitter herbal liqueurs became a post-meal staple. Cocktail Trend Watch: The spritz stays in focus as a flexible “aperitivo” drink that’s spreading beyond summer, with bars leaning into lighter, social, lower-ABV formats. Restaurant Openings (Italy-adjacent): LPM Restaurant & Bar (French Riviera vibes) is set to open Sept. 24 in Boston with classic escargot service. Italian Food Culture, On the Move: A travel piece follows a Mont Blanc trek into Italy, pairing the scenery with a “coffee break” stop at the top. Wine Trade Angle: Tariff pressure is squeezing margins for Walla Walla wineries, with costs and pricing impacts rippling through wine sales. Italian Design Meets China: “The Italian Lounge” returns to CIFF Shanghai 2026 with an expanded lineup of Italian brands and a stronger Italy-China business program.

Italian Coffee Design Buzz: Lavazza’s Elogy Barista (multi-beverage system) won Gold at the A’ Design Award, spotlighting Italian coffee culture in the home and emphasizing energy use and repairability. Sicilian Agri-Tech Showcase: Frutech 2026 (25–27 Nov, SiciliaFiera) is gearing up its third edition with a trail of recent milestones, including MASAF presentation in Rome and ongoing promotion of protected cultivation tech. Fruit & Veg Innovation: Frutech’s campaign also ties into initiatives like Tomato Excellent, with awards planned during the November event. Wine Market Pressure: European wine producers are seeking new markets as China demand cools, with import volumes down and inventories weighing on orders. Trade Dispute Watch: The US is pushing back in US-Mexico talks over a cheese naming dispute, arguing terms like “parmesan” and “feta” are generic while the EU wants tighter regional protections. Food Culture in Motion: Brussels ETO promoted Hong Kong wine and spirits plus academic exchange and music in Sicily, pairing industry meetings with a Palermo festival performance. On-Shelf Snack Update: Walkers is launching two finalists from its Do Us A Flavour campaign—Salt & Pepper Chicken and Grilled Cheese & Chilli Jam—testing which becomes permanent.

Trade & Labels: The US is pressing Mexico over a cheese-name dispute tied to EU protections for regional products, arguing terms like “parmesan” and “feta” are generic while the EU says they must be tied to specific origins. Wine & Diplomacy: Brussels ETO backed a Sicily programme promoting Hong Kong’s wine and spirits, plus academic exchanges with Palermo’s university, and supported a Palermo Classica festival concert by pianist Rachel Cheung. Foodservice & Innovation: Papa John’s Qatar marks 20 years with an all-new Pan Pizza featuring crispy caramelised edges, a six-cheese blend and edge-to-edge toppings, rolling out from 28 August 2026. Local Dining Spotlight: A new Italian-focused pizzeria opened in Nutley, led by an ex-corporate chef aiming for an upscale, homemade menu including pinsa and rotating specials. Italian Cooking Culture: A September risotto with mushrooms recipe highlights the seasonal shift in Italian home cooking as summer produce fades and autumn ingredients arrive.

Pizza Innovation in Retail: Papa Johns Qatar is marking its 20th anniversary with the launch of an all-new Pan Pizza, rolling out across Qatar from 28 August 2026. The new recipe leans into crispy, caramelised edges, a fluffy centre, a six-cheese blend and toppings “edge to edge,” positioning the product as a milestone moment for the brand’s next chapter. Food Tourism & Regional Italy: A travel piece spotlights Le Marche as a “Tuscany alternative” for foodies, pitching central Adriatic landscapes, farm-to-table dining and easier access from Rome and Venice. Italian Cooking Culture: Chef Walter Potenza shares a September shift in the kitchen, with a risotto with porcini mushrooms recipe framed around the month’s blend of late-summer produce and early autumn flavours. Wine Market Watch: A report on Costco’s Kirkland Signature Barolo highlights how bargain pricing is drawing attention to Piedmont Nebbiolo DOCG, with shoppers comparing value versus typical Barolo costs. Hospitality & Lifestyle: Sensoria Dolomites is featured as an adults-only wellness destination in Italy’s Dolomites, tying the region’s rising popularity to spa-led travel and local food culture.

Italian Food Festivals: Butler Italian Days wrapped up its second year with a packed Main Street lineup of cannoli, lasagna, meatballs, sausage sandwiches, gnocchi and more, drawing both Italian families and first-timers out for food, wine and community. Italian Cuisine Ideas: A chef’s take on pesto suggests seaweed can add natural salts and umami, with tweaks like cutting olive oil to let the briny flavor show through. Italian Food Culture & Travel: A Piedmont-focused travel piece highlights truffle hunting in Alba, Langhe wine tastings, and Michelin-level dining as a “foodie” autumn itinerary. Food & Beverage Openings: In Atlanta, NoriFish and Okiboru opened at Ponce City Market, replacing older stalls and bringing hand rolls, ramen and tsukemen to the food hall. Food Safety/Health (Not Italy-focused): A new international imaging roadmap for pediatric portal hypertension calls for a full diagnostic chain and image-guided interventions to avoid unnecessary transplant routes.

Cheese Trade Clash: US-Mexico talks hit a snag over cheese names, with Washington pushing back on EU-style protections that could limit “Parmesan” and “Feta” use in Mexico. Coffee & Digestion: A new Italy-based report reviews research suggesting coffee may help digestion and could lower risks tied to gallstones and pancreatitis, while also noting it’s not a major GERD trigger. Italian Wine & Hospitality: High-end wine lovers packed Highcliffe Castle for a three-day festival featuring 300+ varieties, with strong Italy representation and producer-led tastings plus education. Italian Food Culture: A new one-pot orecchiette recipe spotlights Italian sausage with broccolini/broccoli and tomatoes—an easy fall weeknight pasta built around simple ingredients. On the Ground in Italy: A travel piece revisits Santorini’s 1971 guide to show how tourism and local products evolved from a small, limited-bed destination into a global brand.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks Shift: A new wave of nonalcoholic beverages is moving from niche to mainstream, changing how people socialize and choose what to drink. Seasonal Work & Food Tourism: A Remitly report ranks Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy) among top seasonal-work bases, highlighting how travel and local jobs can overlap with regional food culture. Italian Wine & Hospitality: Oceania Cruises says its new ship, the Oceania Sonata, was floated out at Fincantieri in Marghera, Italy, as the line gears up for a 2027 debut—another reminder of Italy’s role in global hospitality supply chains. Italian Food Culture on the Move: A Madrid event will bring top Spanish and Italian pastry figures together to debate the evolution of artisan panettone, including a live Massari bake using a new flour blend. Local Fundraisers with Italian Flavors: Grow Local Greenwood Lake’s farm-to-table dinner (Sept. 10) will feature ricotta gnocchi and an Italian panzanella salad, pairing local produce with wine.