A message from Andrea Ferrari, Ambassador of Italy in Canada

I am very pleased to join this distinguished company in sending greetings to the participants, the creators and organizers of this ninth edition of the Pentola d’Oro Awards. My sincere thanks go to the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Ontario for this outstanding yearly event dedicated to highlighting Italian excellence in the Food & Beverage sector.

The quality of our products, the care we take in growing and crafting them, and our virtuosity at combining them and pairing them with the best wines, define what the world knows and appreciates as the “Italian way of life,” the Italian lifestyle – of which we are naturally very proud. We do not eat to live, nor do we live to eat. For us Italians, the table is a special place. Around it, we join family and friends, we share emotions, we do business. Clearly then, a healthy diet, one that nourishes not only the body, but the spirit as well, is one of the fundamental ingredients of a good life.

I am happy to see that more and more Italian products are becoming part of the daily life of Canadian families, just as I am happy to see the growing contribution of our fellow Italians to the steady development of the Food & Beverage industry in Ontario. Our bilateral trade numbers in the sector are encouraging. This is further testament to the deep ties between Italy and this extraordinary country, ties that go well beyond the world of commerce, ties that I will work to strengthen further during my mandate.

To the winners of this year’s Pentola d’Oro Awards, to the organizers, supporters, and sponsors I extend my very best wishes for continued success and personal well-being. I urge you to continue to aim high. The margins are there, and the nature of the relationship we have built with our Canadian friends demands it.