QUALITALY 139

May 2024 II MAGAZINE of three young professionals who are supporters of the Qualitaly project. “It is also thanks to the Cooperative that our company has grown over the years, and the time has come for me to give back,” was the thread running through the nominations. Recognition, but also resourcefulness, vision and export are the concepts that will define the next three years of CIC. The new Board of Directors has the support of a large majority of members who, never before in such large numbers, participated in its nomination. This is a good starting point, since the objectives to be pursued over the coming years are ambitious, starting with the strengthening of the Qualitaly brand and product range, and the growth of the membership so as to guarantee a uniform assortment and capillary service in Italy and abroad. To become a quality alternative for eating out businesses and to respond to the needs of organised catering. To export Qualitaly products, synonymous with Italian cuisine, to foreign markets. To strengthen partnerships with suppliers by increasing the quality, reliability and sustainability already offered to customers. Representing the specialised and functional alternative recognised in the Ho.Re.Ca. channel means focusing on a selection of products based on territoriality and value content, and conveying this choice with a marketing campaign that highlights the uniqueness of the offer. CIC also has among its objectives the voluntary sustainability report. To communicate in a transparent manner the ethical and solid commitment of the supply chain, to guarantee Qualitaly products, and the good environmental and social practices that regulate the work environment and the Cooperative’s external relations. Measuring the commitment and engaging with stakeholders will be a further stimulus to continuous improvement. There are still many challenges ahead of us, but with everyone’s commitment we will achieve our goals. Well done everyone! By Roberto Zanobi AT PAGE 6 #CICMEUP How to communicate food ethics INTEGRATED SUPPLY CHAINS, TRACEABILITY, ENHANCING THE VALUE OF INGREDIENTS IN THE KITCHEN, AND TELLING CCONSUMERS ABOUT THE ADDED VALUE OF PRODUCTS. MANY STEPS INVOLVING ALL THE PLAYERS IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN FOR SHARED GROWTH On 16 March, our Convention was held at the Piacenza Campus of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. It is right to call it a conference because the exhibition and tasting of our products were just one of the many activities that took place. An idea that was born out of discussions with Giorgia Spigno, Professor of Food Science and Technology at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and Gianluca Donadini, biologist and expert in sensory analysis, to whom we are truly grateful. We encouraged a supply chain dialogue, starting with the university itself. In order for reason not to be sterile and practice not to be blind, to paraphrase Kant, even more so in a global context of great tension and change, it is essential to work as a system. It was nice to return to the university for a day and breathe in the crisp air of culture. The theme of the event, ‘Communicating the ethical value of food’, was the topic running through the day and was addressed from many different perspectives during the lectures. A unique topic with many nuances. Food is well- being, health, sustainability, community, sense of belonging, democracy and much more. The very talented Angela Frenda, editor of Cook Corriere della Sera, journalist and writer, masterfully guided the many guests, university professors, politicians, farmers, industrialists, chefs and distributors, making the lectures the focus of the day. Everyone, absolutely everyone, members, staff, lecturers, students, suppliers and guests contributed to enrich the day’s theme. No less important were the in-depth workshops on some iconic Italian products, Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, which sold out in 20 minutes. It was a cultural and educational event. We had the honour of having well-prepared and professional guests participating in the lectures. The students amazed us with their projects, ideas and slogans. Deep thinking for ethical catering. And our partners contributed their expertise to promoting the Qualitaly project and surprising us with their innovative proposals. President Roberto Zanobi, welcoming members and staff in the Auditorium, and Board Member Massimo Sassi, presenting the new CIC logo, were moved. Seen from the stage, there were so many of us... We are a great team and working together for a common goal is what makes us unique! __________________________________ BOX A new logo for us! Times change and realities shift. The new logo recounts our 30-year journey, from our origins to the international entity we have become, CIC. An initial “C” marked like the strength and solidity of our network and COOPERATION, followed by open characters like our corporate nature, INCLUSIVE. But it is also the yearning for knowledge that drives us and the journey we will still take together. We are ‘THE OTHER DISTRIBUTION’ that believes that food is the business itself, that the way we choose and preserve food can really change the world. This idea is rooted in our mission and stated in our QUALITALY campaign, ‘More quality, less waste’. __________________________________