America Buys Italian 2025

From September 28-October 3, the IACC brought a delegation of grocery category buyers to Peschiera del Garda, Italy for the fourth edition of “America Buys Italian,” a B2B summit connecting local Italian food and beverage producers with decision makers and purchasing managers from five major independent U.S. grocery chains. Italian suppliers had the opportunity to present their products to representatives from Gelson’s, Lipari Foods, Nicholas Market, Rudy’s Market and Sendik’s, making new and profitable connections while further extending the reach of Italian specialty food products on the U.S. market.

Participants, including a cohort of C-level executives from each grocery chain and members of the National Grocers Association leadership team, had the opportunity to visit a number of area highlights, including Italy’s largest gelato producer Sammontana, renowned rice company Azienda Agricola Melotti, the medieval hamlet of Borghetto sul Mincio, and a number of leading supermarket chains, such as Conad, Despar, Iper la Grande I, Tigros, Carrefour and Eataly.

With the success of its fourth edition, America Buys Italian has cemented its place as an important annual forum for connecting decision makers from top U.S. independent grocery chains with food and wine producers from all over Italy. The IACC would like to thank event partners the National Grocers Association and Export USA for their invaluable support in co-organizing America Buys Italian, as well the numerous Italian counterparts who graciously shared their knowledge, innovative spirit and generous hospitality with our group.