Bologna, February 24 – The second edition of the Slow Wine Fair and SANA Food jointly concluded with a successful shared journey: 16,000 visitors and 350 international buyers from 30 countries attended the double event organized by BolognaFiere, while more than 2,000 B2B meetings took place between the over 1,100 wineries present at the Slow Wine Fair (more than 60% of which are organic or biodynamic) and the 300 companies at SANA Food.

 

The success of these two events is confirmed not only by the numbers but also by the quality and depth of the content presented. The central theme of the 2026 edition, social justice, was explored through meetings and discussions featuring young winemakers, both male and female, and guests engaged in projects promoting social inclusion and gender equality. Their experiences are increasingly crucial in affirming the idea of ​​fair and high-quality wine.

The discussion strongly underscored the need for greater institutional support to protect workers’ conditions—not only in the vineyards but more broadly across the entire agricultural sector—and to support the transition toward a food system capable of combining quality, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility.

 

While the central theme of SANA Food 2026 was the role of organic farming, the cornerstone of a healthy and sustainable food culture, capable of protecting human health and the environment, preserving biodiversity, and helping to mitigate climate change. At the heart of the story are small and medium-sized organic and biodynamic farms: leading producers that carry on a tradition respectful of the land and local traditions, demonstrating how quality and respect for ecosystems are inseparable values.

 

The event also provided an opportunity to take stock of the present and future of the Italian organic sector during the seventh edition of Rivoluzione Bio - The General Assembly of Organic Farming, organized by BolognaFiere in collaboration with FederBio and AssoBio, with scientific oversight by Nomisma and support of ITA - Italian Trade Agency. Nomisma’s survey highlighted how the foodservice sector (commercial and collective catering) represents a strategic channel for organic products, not only due to its significant market share and broad consumer base, but also because, for operators, it often reflects an ethical and sustainable choice, and an offering consistent with consumers’ health and well-being needs. It also offers consumers the opportunity to discover and try innovative ingredients or organic products they would otherwise be unlikely to choose for home cooking.

 

«The outcome of this second joint edition of SANA Food and Slow Wine Fair is extremely positive,» commented Rossano Bozzi, Business Unit Director at BolognaFiere, «especially given the caliber of the professional audience involved. For three days, BolognaFiere showcased the finest expressions of organic, biodiversity-friendly, and conscious food, creating a highly select program—currently unique in Italy—dedicated to sustainable, high-quality food and wine. Attendance increased significantly, reaching 16,000 visitors (+6% compared to the 2025 edition), confirming the genuine interest of a highly qualified audience: high-quality and collective catering, restaurateurs and wine shop owners, restaurant-retailers, specialized distribution, importers, and distributors, with an increasingly significant international presence. Thanks to the contribution of our organizational partners and institutions, we have structured the connection between food and wine, production and markets, Italy and the international scene, generating economic value, culture, and the protection of local territories. With SANA Food and Slow Wine Fair, BolognaFiere consolidates an integrated platform for discussion, training, networking, and business, designed for a sector that doesn't always receive the attention it deserves. Bologna is thus reinforcing its role as the capital of healthy eating and good, clean, and fair wine, and as a European incubator for a development model that combines economic growth, food culture, and responsibility toward the future».

 

«The Slow Wine Fair and SANA Food,» emphasized Barbara Nappini, president of Slow Food Italy, «have featured the Slow Food network of producers and winemakers. A huge thank you goes to them because they embody the kind of agriculture our association seeks to promote and raise awareness of: high-quality, sustainable, soil-regenerating, and attentive to people’s well-being. The wineries present at the Slow Wine Fair and the producers from the Presidia and Slow Food networks who livened up the SANA Food spaces are bearers of social, environmental, cultural, and identity-defining values. It is through these women and men that the sector can spark a new wave of social and environmental regeneration. Viticulture, which has always been the driving force for the entire sector, must continue to foster the human, cultural, social, and economic growth of all those involved in grape cultivation, whether they are foreigners (most often), women, or young people. In this transformation, we citizens too can make a difference by making informed purchasing choices and becoming co-producers. We can be protagonists of a revolution that starts from the bottom up because food is not just about price, but above all about value, and cannot be treated like any other commodity. Every player in the agri-food supply chain is called upon to play their part with respect for all living things and to contribute to a good, clean, and fair future for everyone».

 

Giancarlo Gariglio, coordinator of the Slow Wine Coalition, echoes this sentiment: «Organoleptic quality alone will no longer be enough to give a wine its value. The game will be played not only on sustainability—which discerning enthusiasts consider a prerequisite—but also on a virtuous vision of the winery’s participation in the growth of the community in which it operates. This message will be effective if a strong alliance is forged between those who make wine in a certain way—we are grateful to these courageous women and men—those who consume it, but above all those who know how to properly tell its story and sell it. Which is, after all, the essence of the Slow Wine Coalition».

 

«This edition of SANA Food, in synergy with the Slow Wine Fair, delivers a clear message: organic food, an expression of territorial diversity, along with good, clean, and fair wine, today represents a strategic pillar for the future of the Italian agri-food sector—an excellent reason to strengthen the partnership between BolognaFiere, FederBio, and Slow Food. Investing in the agroecological transition is not only an ethical choice, but a fundamental lever for ensuring economic, social, and environmental sustainability. This year's particularly high turnout confirmed the success of the new format, which focuses on local systems and small and medium-sized organic and biodynamic farms, which are increasingly present in the out-of-home consumption channel as well. These businesses are a key driver for the regeneration of rural and inland areas, where they help build robust economies and vibrant social networks. The data presented confirm that the organic farming is in good health, poised to make a further leap in quality and to increasingly establish itself as a development model for the entire agri-food sector. We must now address critical issues with far-sighted policies and strategic investments in research, innovation, and training, seizing the opportunity presented by the imminent introduction of the Italian Organic Label to further strengthen the sector, thanks also to the support of dedicated communication campaigns,» states Maria Grazia Mammuccini, President of FederBio.

 

The numbers of Slow Wine Fair 2026 

 

The Slow Wine Fair and SANA Food 2026 closed their edition with 16,000 visitors, confirming a broad and qualified participation, that continues to grow despite the challenges currently facing the wine industry. There was a large turnout of enthusiasts—with a dedicated entrance on Sunday—alongside industry professionals who were able to discover and taste a unique selection of wines embodying the Manifesto of Good, Clean, and Fair Wine, fully grasping the synergy between the two events and visiting both.

On the B2B front, over 2,000 professional meetings between wineries and organic sector professionals took place, and numerous informal contacts were made with 350 international buyers, selected thanks in part to the collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency and the business matching platform provided by BolognaFiere, which allowed professionals to profile in detail the companies and labels that matched their interests. Also significant was the participation of restaurateurs and wine shop owners, key players in promoting a wine culture focused on quality and sustainability.

The Terroir and Slow Spirit Wine List Award was dedicated to them, celebrating the strategic alliance between the restaurant industry—and beyond—and the work of winemakers committed to responsible production. 14 categories were awarded, with the addition, this year, of an award for the best selection of coffee.

 

Discover all the winners of the Terroir and Slow Spirit Wine List Award

 

The Slow Wine Fair featured more than 1,100 exhibitors—over 60% of whom are certified organic and/or biodynamic wineries, or those in the process of conversion—from all Italian regions and 28 countries.

More than 100 events were scheduled, including 14 masterclasses, conferences, and presentations in the Arena Reale Mutua, the event’s main partner. Among the highlights was the dialogue between Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi and Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini with the young winemakers attending the event. At Casa Slow Food, the association’s projects took center stage, starting with the new Presidia and upcoming events on the calendar. There were also numerous well-attended tastings held in the spaces of regional institutions to discover products and producers, including the Sardinia Region - LAORE, the Calabria Region - Department of Agriculture, the Lazio Region - Arsial, the Lombardy Region, and the Campania Region.

Among the most popular new features of this edition were the area dedicated to the Wine Bank - Historic Vintages and the Temporary Tastings, which offered visitors targeted and themed tasting experiences.

Also confirmed and increasingly popular were the spaces dedicated to the Slow Food Coffee Coalition’s roasters, the sixth edition of the Fiera dell’Amaro d’Italia, the Mixology Lab area dedicated to the world of spirits, and the presence of cider producers, demonstrating an offering capable of engaging with the entire world of quality beverages.

 

Visit the Slow Wine Fair media section: news, press releases, photos

 

The numbers of SANA Food 2026

 

In a context where Italian cuisine has been recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, SANA Food 2026 consolidates its role as the leading platform for healthy and sustainable foodservice, focusing on local communities, culture, and development.

The event wraps up an intense and well-attended edition, which fostered commercial synergies and the sector’s development under the banner of quality, sustainability, biodiversity, and innovation.

Among the key players at SANA Food is the Italian organic sector, which generates nearly 7 billion euros in sales and represents an economic and cultural asset capable of guiding the entire production system—from field to fork—with a direct impact on local communities.

The 300 exhibitors attending SANA Food showcased specialty products from high-quality supply chains, including PDO, PGI, plant-based, and organic items, as well as social food and offerings from sustainable businesses. The support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry took the form of a booth and a program of institutional meetings, confirming the event’s strategic role in promoting high-quality Italian agri-food products.

 

The long-standing collaborations with FederBio and V-Label Italia were fundamental, as was the new partnership with Slow Food, which brought producers from the Slow Food networks to the fair, featuring tastings, roundtable discussions, and training sessions.

 

Among the key players in the sector, CIA - Agricoltori Italiani and Coldiretti have helped strengthen the dialogue between institutions and businesses. With 18 organic farms, CIA has provided a concrete example of sustainable agriculture and territorial diversity.

 

The Emilia-Romagna Region, the Sardinia Region—together with the Laore Sardegna Regional Agency and the Fondazione Distretto Sardegna BIO—the Calabria Region, and the Bologna Chamber of Commerce organized group exhibitions featuring over 40 companies, showcasing outstanding local products and stories of tradition and innovation.

 

Training and food culture were prominently featured at SANA Food, thanks in part to a new partnership with the Italian Chefs Association: in the OoH Lab! area, nine masterclasses gave industry professionals the opportunity to explore Italian techniques, ingredients, and regional specialties in depth. Special attention was given to the culture of taste and quality through three masterclasses on extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey aimed at international buyers.

 

With over 100 products and more than 50 companies, SANA Novità has established itself as the place where innovation takes shape, turning into tangible opportunities. It is a space that not only anticipates food service trends but also guides them, connecting companies and professionals seeking quality, authenticity, and new market prospects.

 

Visit the SANA Food press area: news, press releases, photos

 

See you at the 2027 edition of SANA Food and Slow Wine Fair, February 21–23!

 

The Slow Wine Fair is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry, the Municipality of Bologna, the Bologna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts, and Agriculture, and Confcommercio Ascom Bologna. It is supported by ICE - Italian Trade Agency, the Emilia-Romagna Region, and FIPE. In collaboration with Amaroteca and ANADI - National Association of Italian Amaro, Demeter, and Drink Factory. Main partners: Guala Closures, Reale Mutua, and WinterHalter. In-kind partners: Acqua S. Bernardo, Bormioli Luigi, Gruppo Saida, IP Industrie del Freddo Professionale, PEFC Italia, Pulltex, and Wolf System. Media partners: Affaritalian.it, Bar.it, Green Retail, Horecanews.it, I Grandi Vini, Il Gusto Gruppo Gedi, Italy Export, Luxury Food & Beverage Magazine, Premiata Salumeria Italiana, QN Quotidiano Nazionale, il Resto del Carlino, La Nazione, Il Giorno, and TecnAlimentaria Beverage Industry.

 

SANA Food is organized by BolognaFiere in collaboration with FederBio and Slow Food, in partnership with V Label Italia, the Italian Chefs Association, and World IAC, and with the support of ICE - Italian Trade Agency. The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry, the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Municipality of Bologna, and the Bologna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts, and Agriculture. Technical sponsor: Ecostoviglie by Minimo Impatto.

 

BolognaFiere Press Office

Daniela Modonesi | +39 366 6659090 | daniela.modonesi@bolognafiere.it

 

SANA Food Press Office

Absolut eventi & comunicazione | +39 051 272523 | sanapress@absolutgroup.it

Sveva Scazzina | +39 347 2363941 

Cristina di Mauro | +39 389 1531284

 

Slow Wine Fair Press Office

Slow Food | stampa@slowfood.it

Elisa Virgillito | +39 345 2598615

Elena Coccia | +39 348 0120860

Valter Musso | +39 335 7422962