Marco Pedroni is the Chairman of Coop Italia, Italy's largest retail chain, and the President of Ipack-Ima for 2015. As Chairman, his main concerns regarding fresh food are ensuring quality, safety, and accessibility at fair prices for all consumers. As Ipack-Ima President, he hopes to contribute through Coop's closeness to consumers and focus on sustainability, efficiency in production and distribution, and enabling small and medium enterprises to compete globally. Sustainability will be a key theme at Ipack-Ima through innovations that use less energy and resources while prolonging product shelf life and reducing waste.

1. Marco Pedroni, President
of Coop Italia and Ipack-Ima
As chairman of Coop Italia, the largest retail chain in
Italy, what do you believe to be the main consumer
concerns regarding fresh food?
Food production and distribution are a great opportunity for
Italy’s economic system. Italy boasts an incredible variety of
wine and food products and an unparalleled culinary tradition
famous around the world. However, Italian companies are not
equally able to organise an efficient supply chain and export this
remarkable heritage; the Milan Expo is a crucial chance to make
that quality leap in our agro-food system. As Italy’s leading
distributor we are committed to this goal and have been putting in
place partnerships centered on Italian food with other European
and international retailers. Our main concern is to make good,
safe food accessible to everyone. Quality and safety must be
accessible to all population ranges at a fair price, including to the
less wealthy in developed countries and to the poor everywhere
in the world. Packaging is a fundamental part of this concept of
food accessibility, safety and quality.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background
in the food industry and what you believe your
contribution to Ipack-Ima as this year's president will
be?
Coop Italia is not just a distributor of consumer goods; it’s also
a leading producer. Our private label with its two product lines
represents 30 percent of Coop’s total sales, and is one of the key
Designing a
resilient future:
Food, technology, and
sustainable development
IPACK-IMA 2015
I
pack-Ima is among the most attractive international
exhibitions for suppliers of technology and materials
for processing and packaging. It will be held May
19-23 2015 at Fieramilano, Milan, Italy. Ipack-Ima
is a large system exhibition showcasing the very top
solutions in food and non-food sectors for industry
professionals; in particular it is world renowned for its
display of dry pasta technology.
A rich programme of meetings, conventions and
seminars will flank the global event for the duration of the five
exhibition days: these events will have a common keyword,
sustainability. More than 40 events have been already scheduled
focusing on the main issues and trends of each business community.
“Designing a Resilient Future: Food, Technology, and Sustainable
Development” is the central theme of Ipack-Ima and will be
developed – in concordance with “Feed the planet. Energy for life”
– (the theme of the Expo 2015) - through an international convention
scheduled on May 20th 2015 and organised in partnership with
UNIDO and the UN Food Agencies. The main issue under discussion
is sustainability, the leitmotiv of all side events to the 2015 shows,
and the conference aims to enhance the possible evolution of food
technologies in the future.
Following a tradition of prominent chairmen who are key figures
in the industries represented at the show, Ipack-Ima’s Chairmen for
2015 is Marco Pedroni, Chairman of Coop Italia (the largest retail
chain in Italy, with a turnover of 13.1 billion Euros, and a 19 percent
market share). In the lead up to this much anticipated event, Milling
and Grain magazine spoke with both Mr Pedroni in his official
capacity as Chairman and Guido Corbella, CEO of Ipack-Ima about
what this must attend event has to offer.
48 | Milling and Grain
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Milling and Grain talks to the
President and CEO of IPACK IMA to
find out why this event will be critical
for the future of the milling industry
by Olivia Holden, Milling and Grain

2. private labels in Italy. We gather over 200 medium and small-
size food-producing companies and we enabled many of them to
grow larger, reaching markets that would not otherwise have been
accessible to them. As a food distributor our contribution to the
packaging industry is relevant, both to bring consumers’ needs
to manufacturers of packaging materials and machinery and to
promote packaging-driven product and service innovation.
Good distribution must first know today’s consumers and
understand tomorrow’s trends; this is essential to guide the
choices of all players in the production chain. The demand
for safety, shelf-life-related needs, fair prices, environmental
protection, transparency and product information accessibility
are the basic principles that must be observed by everyone -
manufacturers of goods, packaging producers and distribution
companies. In addition, this must be done with a strong ability to
integrate things and cooperate. It is in this spirit that I accepted
this responsibility in Ipack-Ima, and I hope to contribute through
Coop’s closeness to consumers and to all families.
Sustainability is obviously
a very pressing issue, how
will this be addressed at
the event?
Sustainability is a central
issue. Counter-posing it to cost
effectiveness is not the right
way to look at it. In fact the
opposite is true: it is possible
to produce and distribute in a
more effective as well as more
sustainable way. I’m thinking
of innovative packaging
materials making it possible
to produce using less energy,
prolong products’ shelf life and
reduce waste. Of course this
requires investing in applied
research and not settling for
easy ways to increase profits.
Long-lasting enterprises are
the ones that take no shortcuts
and invest in honest, long-term
relationships with their clients.
Products and packaging will
exemplify all of these aspects
of sustainability. At the Milan
Expo, Coop will present a
selection of products, and more
specifically the lines Vivi Verde,
Fior Fiore, Senza Glutine, Bene
Sì, which represent the practical
application of these principles.
What do you believe are
the major issues facing the
global supply chain?
I believe many things will have
to be done to ensure efficiency
and sustainability on a national
and global scale. There is a
crucial pre-competitive area
requiring the cooperation
of all players - producers,
distributors, transporters, public
institutions: better transportation systems, product identification
standards, traceability. And each company has its own specific
area of competence. In food, the key idea is to shorten all
production and distribution passages and make them more
efficient, especially in Italy where the situation is very far from
optimal. The packaging industry plays a crucial role in meeting
these objectives. It can contribute to optimising products, make
them safer and longer lasting, encourage volume aggregation,
improve product recognition and information for consumers. In a
well-organised system, even small and medium-size enterprises
can overcome the obstacles of an increasingly globalised trade
and be competitive.
Sustainability is a central issue. Counter-
posing it to cost effectiveness is not
the right way to look at it. In fact the
opposite is true
May 2015 | 49
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3. Guido Corbella, CEO Ipack-Ima
(Centrexpo Group)
What makes Ipack-Ima a unique and must attend
event for our industry?
The 2015 edition will be unique as Ipack-Ima for the first time
will be held in conjunction with other 5 exhibitions: Dairytech,
Fruit Innovation, Meat-Tech, Converflex, Intralogistica, all in one
place and date. It is a truly a one-of-a-kind global event that will
offer a special opportunity for visitors, who can access all of the
six shows with a single entrance ticket.
This concentration of exhibitions creates a unique ensemble that
is unparalleled in the world for its all-comprehensive display of
interconnected sectors spanning across the entire supply chain.
Milan will be home to the world’s largest and most wide-ranging
showcase in the fields of processing, packaging, converting,
package printing and logistics. Last but not least, our big event
will be held in conjunction with the Expo Milano: just a short
distance between the two exhibition sites!
Furthermore Ipack-Ima is the only event officially recognised
by the Expo Milano (the Universal Exposition running at
Fieramilano from May 1 to October 31, 2015) as Italy’s leader
in processing and packaging technology. The show is among
the most attractive international exhibitions for suppliers of
technology and materials for processing and packaging. It is a
large system exhibition showcasing the very top solutions in food
and non-food sectors for industry professionals; in particular it is
world renowned for its display of dry pasta technology and for its
suppliers to the milling industry.
IPACK-IMA is now a joint staging of six shows. What
sectors of the food industry will be covered?
The 2015 edition is set to be a major one for Ipack-Ima: it
will showcase technology for the fresh food industry. The
exhibition halls will give extensive room to one of the liveliest
sectors of the food and distribution industry, faced with new
consumption habits. Fresh food requires new, specific packaging
and packaging technology, which finds its perfect showcase at
Ipack-Ima, flanked by vertical exhibitions dedicated to the fresh
food technologies: Meat-Tech (processing and packaging for the
meat industry), Dairytech (processing and packaging for the dairy
industry), Fruit Innovation (dedicated to product innovation,
technologies and Services for the fruit and vegetables industry).
Ipack-Ima is now acknowledged by MISE as a ‘top
15’ show for its dedication to promoting Made in Italy
products. What does this recognition represent?
Ipack-Ima now belongs to the top shows for made-in-Italy
products enjoying the support of the “extraordinary plan for
Italy’s international relaunch”, part of the government’s decree
for the country’s recovery. The recognition by the Ministry for
Economic Development qualifies Ipack-Ima as one of the top-
notch events for the promotion of Italian technology. MISE’s
initiative has the goal of strengthening (on a global scale) top
exhibitions where Italy is already recognised as the leader but
which are often under attack by international competitors, also
by capitalising on the unique promotional springboard provided
by the Expo. Thanks to this recognition and benefitting from
the government’s special decree for Italy’s recovery, Ipack-
Ima has organised a plan to support incoming foreign buyers
visiting the exhibition, with the cooperation of the MISE and the
operational support of ICE – the Italian agency for foreign trade.
Ipack-Ima 2015 will welcome 270 international buyers from 50
countries selected also according to the preferences expressed by
exhibitors.
What will there be of specific interest to millers at the
Expo?
As I said before, Ipack-Ima is world renowned for its display of
dry pasta technology.
It focuses a particular attention to the technologies for the grain
based food business community (pasta, bread, biscuits, flours,
rice, grain, cereal, couscous, feeds, pet food). With one month
to go, Ipack-Ima 2015 will host 278 companies active in the
GBF industry, 20 percent from outside of Italy (China, Poland,
Germany, Malta, Turkey, Switzerland, France, Taiwan, UK,
The Netherlands). Moreover, there will be important scheduled
side events dedicated to this sector, such as the press conference
of AIDEPI (Italian Association of Confectionary and Pasta
Industries) on May 20.
On May 21st, Bühler will present “One step ahead in processing
grains to food”, the annual plenary meeting of SEMOULIERS
(Union des Associations des Semouliers des Pays de l’Ue),
UNAFPA (Union of Organisations of Manufacturers of Pasta
Products of EU), and IPO (International Pasta Organisation).
On May 22nd, there will be the Annual Plenary Meeting
of ITALMOPA (Italian Millling Association) and the “4th
Italian Fresh Pasta and Gnocchi Seminar” organised by APPF
(Association of Fresh Pasta Producers). All the attention given
to these events testifies that Ipack-Ima is becoming a crucial
reference point for the grain based food business community.
Milling and Grain Magazine will be exhibiting.
Find us at Pavilion 1, Stand A-15
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4. IPACK-IMA: International
Conference: May 20th
Designing a resilient future:
food, technology, and sustainable
development
The question of how to feed our planet with a population of
9-10 billion people by 2050, in a way that promotes health
and sustainability, economic strength, and cultural diversity
suggests that the business landscape of the agrofood sector
is headed for substantial disruption. Some of this disruption,
whether caused by climate change or diminishing resources,
is likely unavoidable. And yet with the magnitude of the
challenges ahead of us, too often our increasingly global
conversation about the future of food splits into disconnected
silos of perspectives, undermining opportunities for
integrated approaches to innovation.
In this one-day conference ‘Designing a Resilient Future:
Food, Technology, and Sustainable Development’, leading
experts will look at how we might better weave together
these sometimes unconnected voices and expertise into a
powerful model for change, linking technology and culture,
science and art, business and consumer interests.
We’ll examine risk and opportunity in current agrofood
chain models within the context of both developed and
developing economies, and forecast possible trajectories
of change in the years leading up to 2050. We’ll consider
the impacts of the future food choices of nine plus billion
people, and opportunities for leadership to better align
those preferences with available resources and a host of
sustainable, social and other imperatives.
Conference programme
Stella Polare Conference Centre
Martini Room
Fieramilano, Milan – Italy
2.00 pm Registration
2.30 pm Welcome and Introduction
3.00 pm Keynote Presentations
The Future of Food, 2050: Framework for Dialogue,
Tradition and Innovation
Greg Drescher, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives &
IndustryLeadership, The Culinary Institute of America
Google Food looks ahead: driving change, one global
workforce at a time
Michiel Bakker, Director of Global Food Services, Google
4.30 pm Break
4.45 pm Keynote Presentations
Good for You Good for the Planet: our way of doing
business
Paolo Barilla, Vice Chairman, Barilla G. e R. F.lli S.p.A
Inclusive and sustainable food chains: connecting mall
holder farmers in developing countries to agribusiness
multinationals
Philippe Scholtès, Managing Director, Programme
Development and Technical Cooperation Division - Director
a.i., Agribusiness Development Branch, UNIDO
6.15 pm Conclusions of the Chairman
Claudio Peri, Scientific Advisor of Ipack-Ima, Professor
Emeritus,University of Milan
More information: Mrs Clio Zanon (czanon@ipackima.it)
The participation in the conference is free of charge, but only
a limited number of seats are available.
May 2015 | 51
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