Verona, 19 February 2026 – SOL Expo returns to Veronafiere from 1 to 3 March for its second edition, entirely dedicated to the olive and olive oil supply chain Made in Italy. The three-day event was presented today to the press during an online conference featuring, among others, the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, the President of ITA–Italian Trade Agency, Matteo Zoppas, and the Executive Director of the International Olive Council (IOC), Jaime Lillo López.
More than 200 companies from Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Hungary will be present, alongside the main industry associations representing the entire Italian olive oil production sector.
Also participating in the presentation were Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere; Gianni Bruno, Deputy General Manager of Veronafiere; Elisa La Paglia, Councillor for Early Childhood Services of the Municipality of Verona; Daniele Erasmi, President of Confesercenti-FIESA; and Aldo Mario Cursano, Deputy Vice President of FIPE.
“SOS Expo demonstrates olive oil’s ability to assert itself as a unique and strategic product, also in terms of sustainability—not only environmental, but territorial and economic,” said Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida. “As a Government, we have designed a systemic strategy based on three pillars: protection, promotion and production. On protection, controls have been strengthened through risk-based analysis. On promotion, particularly within the ‘Coltiva Italia’ programme, we aim to intervene structurally to enhance a quality that only Italy can express, ensuring fair remuneration for producers. We have allocated €300 million to combat and prevent plant diseases, but we also want to invest in technology and machinery to produce more and better. After wine, we intend to launch a promotional campaign dedicated to olive oil, which must be told and communicated in order to foster awareness and quality consumption.”
“With 15 producing regions represented at the show, SOL Expo is unique among Italian events dedicated to olive oil,” explained Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere. “Our objective is to provide a collective platform for one of the most extraordinary protagonists of Made in Italy cuisine, offering opportunities and inspiration for producers and professional operators, as well as for consumers and enthusiasts. It is a hybrid format that explores business potential in a key agri-food sector while creating a direct link with consumers through education and Italian cuisine, a central focus of this edition.”
The event also features strong participation from the restaurant and distribution sectors, including FIPE Confcommercio, FIEPET and FIESA Confesercenti, AIRO – International Olive Oil Restaurants Association, and FIC – the Italian Chefs Federation, which will unveil its “UNESCO Dish” at SOL Expo, celebrating Italian Cuisine’s recognition as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This focus on the table will also be reflected in public-facing initiatives such as showcooking sessions, guided tastings and masterclasses.
On the international front, the joint incoming programme with ITA–Italian Trade Agency will bring more than 80 top buyers from 25 countries to Verona, including the United States, Japan, China, Germany, Denmark, France, Belgium, Hungary, Qatar, Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, Finland, Switzerland, Canada, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Croatia, Austria, Serbia and Estonia.
“Olive oil is a key element of our agri-food supply chain and a symbol of the quality of Made in Italy and Italian Cuisine worldwide, recently recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity,” said Matteo Zoppas, President of ITA–Italian Trade Agency. “After a strong 2024, with exports reaching €2.6 billion (+43.9% compared to 2023), 2025 has seen a slowdown, mainly in value rather than volume. ICE’s action therefore remains strategic, supporting Italian companies in their internationalisation efforts. At SOL Expo, thanks to our support, 24 foreign operators will join selected buyers, bringing around 80 top buyers from 25 countries. As with wine, olive oil represents an excellence that allows us to convey the culture, history and added value of our offering, contributing to the national target of €700 billion in exports by the end of the legislature.”
“The trade fair confirms itself as a key moment for networking, education and information,” added Gianni Bruno, Deputy General Manager of Veronafiere, “with content ranging from technical insights and market analysis to contributions from the SOL Expo Observatory, developed in collaboration with Nomisma, which will present a new survey on the evolving relationship between extra virgin olive oil and Italian consumers.”
Among the highlights of the programme are the opening conference “Market challenges for olive oil in a changing world” (Monday 2 March, 12:00, Talk Area); “From the European to the Mediterranean market and Mercosur: the winds shaping olive growing and olive oil” (Monday 2 March, 15:00); “The olive landscape: culture, economy, environment” (Monday 2 March, 16:00); and “Sustainability: from scientific reality to communication in extra virgin olive oil” (Tuesday 3 March, 11:30).
“SOS Expo celebrates not only a sector but a living heritage, and the International Olive Council is proud to stand alongside Italy at such an important moment,” said IOC Executive Director Jaime Lillo. “As the only intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the olive sector, the IOC will continue to promote international cooperation, ensuring that olive oil and table olives—deeply rooted in Italian and Mediterranean identity—continue to thrive for future generations.”
“The collaboration with SOL Expo represents an important opportunity to promote olive oil culture, particularly among younger consumers, placing food wellbeing at the centre,” stated Elisa La Paglia, Councillor for Early Childhood Services of the Municipality of Verona. “The Municipality is committed not only to encouraging children’s participation at the event but also to working with the Local Health Authority to improve school catering services, starting from what is served on our students’ tables.”