FICO Eataly World, the largest agri-food park in the world covering more than 100,000 m2 and located just outside Bologna, was opened on 15 November in the presence of Italian premier Paolo Gentiloni. The new park will showcase 150 Italian food companies to an estimated 6 million visitors. The challenge is to unite Italy's food and wine traditions with innovation and research in the agri-food sector. The Fabbrica italiana contadina (FICO) Eataly World has two ambitious goals: to attract visitors from all over the world, and to represent Italy with all its top quality products and biodiversity.
The park, jointly managed by Eataly and Coop, includes 2 hectares of fields and open-air stalls, and 8 hectares hosting: 40 factories; 40 shops, markets and eateries; areas dedicated to sport, children, reading and services; 6 classrooms; 6 large, educational "fairgrounds", a theatre and cinema; a modular conference centre for 50 to 1000 people; a Foundation with 3 universities.
The opening was attended by FS Italiane Group MD and CEO, Renato Mazzoncini, President, Gioia Ghezzi, Trenitalia CEO and MD, Orazio Iacono, and President Tiziano Onesti.
On 20 October, the agreement between Trenitalia and FICO Eataly World was presented in Rome. The FICO and Trenitalia partnership was announced in the presence of Renato Mazzoncini, CEO of FS Italiane Group, Oscar Farinetti, Founder of Eataly, Tiziana Primori, CEO of FICO Eataly World, and Orazio Iacono, CEO of Trenitalia.
This collaboration will make it easy to reach the new agri-food park through a rail network that includes up to 228 regional routes and 180 medium and long-distance trains every day, including 152 Freccia trains. There will also be seven shuttles, inspired by FICO, running between Bologna Centrale station, the old town and the park every 15 minutes.
The Frecciarossa 1000 trackless electric train offering visitors a fast and eco-friendly way to get around the park is a model of sustainability. All the best areas of FICO will be accessible through 7 stops.