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OCT. NOV. 2021 II that Food and Hospitality remain key sectors of the Italian production fabric in which to invest for the well-being of the country. All of this translates, for us distributors and, above all, for our Cooperative, into a volume of work that must not be underestimated. That said, CIC has always been a streamlined, cutting-edge company, with a reputation that has never been questioned, indeed, especially during this difficult period generated by the pandemic, it has been able to grow by building even more exclusive relationships. However, as already mentioned a few months ago in the pages of Qualitaly, our mission is to become even more competitive than in the past, to be more efficient and guarantee a better and more efficient service. Let us remember that while we need to be able to ride the recovery, we also have to deal with several problems that are on the horizon. These include the increase in the cost of ingredients, the transport problems generated by the green pass obligation, the increase in energy costs, sugar and plastic tax which, although postponed to 2023, are still looming over our supply chain. At this point, we need to understand if and how the national system has the will to defend a sector of fundamental importance for our food industry and our economy; the alternative is the default of the sector and the bankruptcy of thousands of companies. The measure is full and now we need immediate action. And we of CIC are ready to fight for the welfare of the whole supply chain. Antonio Bocchi, Board Member of Cooperativa Italiana Catering AT PAGE 6 CLOSE UP The restaurant industry of the future? More “political” and social Since the start of discussions with the government to the declarations of the top chefs, the Pandemic seems to have brought a greater awareness towards a healthier and more sustainable working environment, both humanly and economically. by Anna Muzio There’s no going back, thankfully. Because it’s not as if pre-Covid catering was all sunshine and roses. There were problems, from labour costs to the treatment of employees, from an often- improvised business management to daily practices that were not sustainable for the environment or the balance sheet. Now things are moving. The summer recovery was characterised by a general difficulty - which has affected the starred restaurant as well as the bar - in finding the staff that, either for the uncertainty on openings, or for the stressful work, or for poorly paid salaries, has led many qualified personnel to move away from the sector. The reappraisal of attended events, however, has led to a timely series of reflections on the future of the sector, but also to concrete initiatives, which have given a shake-up to a world that has been still and divided for too long. Dialogue with institutions A certainly positive novelty is the dialogue started with the institutions by the sector associations ADG - Associazione Italiana Ambasciatori del Gusto, APCI – Associazione Professionale Cuochi Italiani, Chic – Charming Italian Chef and JRE Italia, with the technical round table dedicated to Italian Gastronomy convened by the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies Stefano Patuanelli and by the Vice Minister for Economic Development Alessandra Todde. The associations jointly (and this is also a good sign) presented a working document with a series of proposals for reforms in the sector. Objective: to develop a plan for the restart, after the suffering created by the pandemic. “It is necessary to find a structural measure for the protection of Italian excellence,” said Patuanelli. MAGAZINE