AGROGEPACIOK

**International Exhibition of Ice Cream, Pastry, Chocolate, and Agro-food Industry**

**19th Edition**

**Artisanal Intelligence**

From November 9 to 13, 2024, at the "Centro Fiere" in Lecce (Piazza Palio), the largest annual professional fair in Southern Italy dedicated to food & beverage returns. Ten thousand square meters of exhibition space featuring over 400 prestigious brands on display and a rich program of events with more than 200 hours of advanced training.

Five days for industry professionals and beyond, with workshops, showcooking, laboratories, and professional competitions scheduled in the 4 forums dedicated to Kitchen, Pastry, Baking, and Pizzeria.

Three distinguished guests:

The starred chef from Campania, Davide Guidara, a new entry in the Olympus of high gastronomy and the future of great Italian cuisine, along with the multi-award-winning Giuseppe Amato, among the best pastry chefs internationally, and Luciano Sorbillo, a master of Neapolitan pizza recognized worldwide.

**Opening of AGROGEPACIOK**

Saturday, November 9

from 10 AM to 7 PM

*****

From Saturday, November 9 to Wednesday, November 13, 2024, Agrogepaciok, the largest annual professional fair in Southern Italy dedicated to food & beverage, recognized as an International Fair by the Puglia Region and certified by ISFCERT, returns to the Centro Fiere in Lecce (Piazza Palio). The event, conceived and organized by the Eventi Marketing & Communication agency of Carmine Notaro, in its 19th edition, chooses artisanal intelligence as the slogan concept of this year, aiming to highlight the potential that artificial intelligence can bring to the service of the craft, creativity, and skills of our unparalleled artisans.

The 2024 program stands out for the presence of three major guests: the starred chef from Campania, Davide Guidara, a new entry in the Olympus of high gastronomy and the future of great Italian cuisine, together with the multi-award-winning Giuseppe Amato, among the best international pastry chefs, and Luciano Sorbillo, a master of Neapolitan pizza recognized worldwide.

As always, Agrogepaciok offers five days for industry professionals to discover the latest trends, from raw materials to equipment and accessories, to test new products and engage with the most renowned masters and experts in the fields of artisanal confectionery, ice cream, coffee, pizzeria, baking, and catering.

This year again, more than 400 brands are present, consistently attracting operators, buyers, and industry professionals from all over Italy and beyond.

Unmissable, then, are the competitions that have characterized the International Exhibition of Ice Cream, Pastry, Chocolate, and Agro-food Industry in the Salento capital from the beginning:

- "Sweet Talents" (12th edition), aimed at students enrolled in the last two years of professional institutes and pastry chefs under 25.

- "Mediterranean Gelato Olympics" (9th edition), this year on the theme "Sweet and Savory Gelato."

- "PizzAgrogepaciok" (4th edition), a challenge in the preparation of contemporary round pizza.

- "Sweet Traditions - Andrea Ascalone" (9th edition), to reward the pastry chef who demonstrates the best ability to carry forward the Salento confectionery tradition, preparing the best pasticciotto of Agrogepaciok 2024.

Alongside the 10,000 square meter exhibition area, Agrogepaciok always offers a rich program of live laboratories, showcooking, contests, professional training moments, meetings, and activities, a seal of the blend between exhibition and training, which has always been the main feature of the event. These take place in the four FORUMs into which the fair is divided: the Kitchen Forum (organized by the Salento Chefs Association of Confcommercio Imprese Lecce), the Pastry Forum (organized by the Salento Pastry Chefs Association of Confartigianato Imprese Lecce), the Pizzeria Forum (organized by MPGS – Gourmet Salento Pizza Masters of Confcommercio Imprese Lecce), and the Baking Forum (coordinated by master Matteo Toma).

Additionally, this year, Agrogepaciok hosts the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), a non-profit trade organization representing thousands of coffee professionals, from producers to baristas, worldwide. Between November 9 and 12, for the first time, the fair will host competitions for five official disciplines of the SCA Italy circuit. The winners of these competitions will earn a spot for the national finals to be held at SIGEP in January 2025.

Agrogepaciok is organized by the Eventi Marketing & Communication agency of Carmine Notaro and presented by the Chamber of Commerce of Lecce, Confartigianato Imprese Lecce, Confcommercio Imprese for Italy Lecce, Confesercenti Lecce, CNA Lecce, UnionAlimentari - Confapi, Coldiretti Lecce headquarters, Confagricoltura Lecce, Federaziende, Claai Lecce, ConfimpreseSalento, Cia Puglia Salento Area, with the patronage of the Ministry of Agriculture, food sovereignty, and forests - MASAF, Province of Lecce, and Municipality of Lecce, with the support of the Puglia Region.

The event is co-financed by the European Union, Italian Republic, Puglia Region, Tourism Department with Puglia Promotion. POC Puglia 2014-2020 Axis VI, Action 6.8.

It is realized with the active collaboration of the Salento Pastry Chefs Association of Confartigianato Imprese Lecce, the Salento Chefs Association, and the gourmet Salento pizza masters (Mpgs) of Confcommercio Imprese Lecce.

Media partner, also this year, is the Pastry International magazine, the meeting point for industry professionals since 1978, and TuttoGelato, the special magazine dedicated to the world of ice cream, signed by the editorial staff of "Pastry International."

The valuable collaboration of Agrogepaciok with local hotel institutes is renewed, allowing students the opportunity to engage in formative internships within the Salon. This year, students from the IISS "Presta-Columella" of Lecce and Cnipa Puglia will be present.

Charity Partner of Agrogepaciok 2024 is the Umberto Veronesi Foundation. It will be present with a stand managed by the Delegation of Lecce of the Foundation. All proceeds from the sale of products offered at the stand, generously donated by the "Mille Voglie" Pastry Shop and Maglio Chocolate, will contribute to funding a local researcher engaged in finding new treatments for oncological diseases.

It kicks off on Saturday, November 9, at 10 AM. Then, at 5 PM, ribbon-cutting with institutional representatives.

Agrogepaciok opening hours: from 10 AM to 7 PM (Wednesday, November 13, closing at 6 PM).

Saturday, November 9, ribbon-cutting with institutional representatives at 5:00 PM.

Details and updates, with the specific program of each day, on www.agrogepaciok.it and Agrogepaciok's social pages.

Info at 0832 457864 and info@agenziaeventi.com.
Web: www.agrogepaciok.it