FICO, Italy’s biodiversity citadel with Tiziana Primori, CEO of FICO

2018-02-12 The project is so “yeah” that its acronym FICO couldn’t be more perfect. In fact the brand pay-off is “Vuoi essere FICO?” (literally, “Want to be cool?”).
The new Fabbrica Italiana Contadina, located on the site of Bologna’s former fruit and vegetable market, is a 100,000 square metre hub which offers a myriad of visiting opportunities. It’s a chance to learn about Italian farming and animal rearing with two hectares of fields and stables, and about how food is made with forty different manufacturers; to taste delicious food at one of the forty-plus eateries; to enjoy one of six educational rides; to learn and have fun at the many daily events and courses; and to take part in important meetings at the conference centre.
We met with Tiziana Primori, CEO of Eataly World, the company which runs the first ever theme park dedicated to Italian excellence in food and drink.
How and when did the idea for FICO Eataly World come about?
“It all started four years ago, when the Municipality of Bologna, Eataly, the fine Italian food and drink retail chain founded in Alba by Oscar Farinetti back in 2003, and Coop supermarkets got together to create a unique place which would represent Italy’s biodiversity. Since then we’ve raised funds to completely refurbish the building which once housed Bologna’s fruit and vegetable market, and we’ve brought on board more than 150 business people to help us make FICO a reality.”
What are the goals for what will be the world’s biggest agro-food park?
“We want to raise awareness of Italian products and Italian manufacturing: its beauty, know-how, experience and quality lie at the heart of everything we do.”
How important is education compared to culture in the food and farming sector?
“Food is becoming the increasing focus of sustainability. We’re lucky to live in a country which has always had great respect for the land and the quality of its food. Being able to explain to Italians and non-Italians what makes us so different means placing our diversity at the centre of a world which is seeking a sustainable future. We decided not to charge for entry to FICO, because education is the most important aspect of the whole experience for us.”
How will FICO be involved in scientific research into food, health and sustainability?
“We will be hosting four higher education institutions, the University of Bologna, the Suor Orsola Benincasa University, Naples, the University of Trento, the University of Gastronomic Sciences, Pollenzo, and also the Future Food Institute, which will all be studying every aspect of biodiversity.”

We conclude our conversation with Tiziana Primori, CEO of the company behind the first ever theme park dedicated to excellence in Italian food and farming. She explains how they will be passing on lessons to the younger generations

Built on the site of Bologna’s former fruit and vegetable market, the new Fabbrica Italiana Contadina (FICO) which launches on Wednesday 15th November has just what it takes - from cultural objectives and defending biodiversity and sustainability – to become Italy’s leading centre for know-how and experimentation in food and farming excellence.
We conclude our conversation with Tiziana Primori, the CEO of the first ever theme park dedicated to Italian excellence in food and drink. It took shape when three different organisations came together: the Municipality of Bologna, Eataly (the fine Italian food and drink retail chain founded in Alba by Oscar Farinetti in 2003) and Coop, Italy’s largest supermarket group.
Dr Primori, what idea of farming and animal rearing does FICO want to put across?
“As far as farming is concerned, we ask questions and provide alternatives: not just traditional agriculture, but biodynamic farming and an area where we can research lost species of trees. The future for farming lies in using selective treatments, with the emphasis on organic and biodynamic methods. When it comes to animal rearing, we’ve been working on production chains alongside the University of Bologna’s Veterinary Medicine Faculty to ensure that animals are given the utmost respect and their welfare becomes the focus of all types of production.”
What’s your approach to food?
“We want to promote Italy’s biodiversity, and all of our country’s outstanding regional products, because they are all equally as good.”
What do you think visitors will most enjoy about the agro-food park?
“Visiting FICO will be a unique experience, because it will bring people into contact with real things: animals, fields, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs… And we’ll be running more than fifty courses every day on specific aspects of Italy’s food and farming sector.”
What does FICO want to teach the younger generations?
“The food and farming sector has a very important history, and Italy is at the cutting edge: it’s a history we need to review and update with pride and passion. FICO places young people at its centre, not only as users of our project but as protagonists. It’s a concrete way to build a future for the younger generations...”
What view does FICO have of tradition and innovation in production?
“Excellence in Italian food and farming depends on tradition and innovation alike: we must build our future on both.”
What does “ethical food” mean to you?
“It’s food which respects people above all and gives them information about what they’re eating; it also respects the environment and is oriented towards sustainability.”
 
Mariagrazia Villa
 
Photos: © FICO Eataly World