MARCA

Press Release

MARCA BY BOLOGNAFIERE 2025: RECORD ATTENDANCE, GROWING INTERNATIONALISATION

23.000 visiors (+15%) 1.300 companies (+23% over 2024), 35.000 square metres of exhibition area (+26%), 9 halls (+2) and 24 Retailers for the 21st edition of Italy’s only event dedicated to Private Label. Over 300 international buyers from 60 countries, resulting in more than 9.000 B2B meetings.

Bologna, January 17 – The 21st edition of Marca by BolognaFiere concludes with unprecedented success, featuring 1.300 exhibitors, 9 halls, and 35.000 square metres of exhibition area. The number, representativeness, and authority of the attendees – over 23.000, including many international professionals – highlight the strong interest in an event that increasingly stands as a key reference point for Private Label.

24 major Retailers were present with their own booths: Alta Sfera, Ard/Ergon, C3, Carrefour, Conad, Coop, Coralis, Cortilia, Crai, D.it-Distribuzione Italiana, Decò Italia, Despar, Italy Discount, Fratelli Arena, Lekkerland, Marr, MD Italia, Migross, Pam Panorama, PiùMe, Risparmio Casa, S&C Consorzio Distribuzione Italia, Selex, VéGé.

Marca by BolognaFiere is growing and expanding, extending its influence well beyond national borders. Over 300 international buyers (twice as many as last year) – for a total of 60 represented countries, including the United States, China, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Australia, France, Germany, South Africa and India – contributed to increasing the global dimension of the event. More than 9.000 B2B meetings were held between private label companies and international retail chains, many of which took place during the new and highly appreciated International Buyers Preview on January 14, organised on the eve of the official opening of the fair.

Significant numbers mark the beginning of a new era for the event, which, starting next year, will become Marca by BolognaFiere and ADM. The longstanding collaboration between the two entities is being strengthened through the renewal of their partnership until 2031 and the joint ownership of the event’s brand. The growth of Marca by BolognaFiere, which, in addition to its collaboration with ADM, enjoys the support of the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Bologna Chamber of Commerce, reflects the performance of Private Label.

As of December 2024, Private Label have reached total revenues of €29.5 billion and a market share of 29.9%. The data from Circana, presented in the 21st Marca Report, confirm a 2.2% increase in value, supported by a significant rise in sales volumes (+3%). “The trade fair year couldn’t have started better,” quoted Gianpiero Calzolari, President of BolognaFiere. “The 21st edition of Marca allowed us to achieve extraordinary milestones, both in the quality and quantity of the exhibition offerings. BolognaFiere thanks ADM, which will be Marca’s partner until 2031, and the ICEITA Agency for contributing to the event’s international growth. A special thanks also to the buyers, Retailers, and companies that chose to join us for this event, unique in Italy and Europe.”

“ADM is extremely satisfied with the success of this edition of Marca, both in terms of the number of exhibitors and the dynamism shown by all the participants,” commented Mauro Lusetti, President of ADM. “Success brings responsibility, which compels us to work even harder to ensure the continued growth of the event for the 2026 edition.”

The spin-offs of Marca by BolognaFiere

BolognaFiere’s two decades of expertise in managing Private Label are translated into a strategic action focused on internationalisation, with the expansion of new exhibition formats globally. After the success in China, the Marca model will be exported to Poland in 2025, opening the door to new business opportunities for Italian companies. The fourth edition of Marca China International Private Label Fair (Guangzhou, September 25-26, 2025) will be preceded by the debut of Marca Poland in Poznań on April 2-3, 2025, an event co-organized with MTP Grupa that will revolutionize the private label market in Poland and Eastern Europe, featuring over 200 exhibitors from various countries and 250 European retail buyers, with a focus on the eastern region.

At Marca China and Marca Poland, there will also be space for the winners of the International Private Label Selection (IPLS), another initiative that is growing rapidly. Promoted by Marca by BolognaFiere in collaboration with Expertise On Field – IPLC, the IPLS 2025 area showcased over 450 new products presented by the 180 participating exhibitors, and the 8 selected products will continue their journey on other international stages organised by Marca by BolognaFiere.

Marca online and offline

The 2025 edition of Marca also set record numbers in communication: over 400 journalists were accredited for the event, with Rai – Radiotelevisione Italiana (Italian Broadcasting) as Media Partner. In the last six months, the official website recorded 320.000 visits, marking a 120% increase compared to the 2024 edition, with 76.000 unique active users on the platform. In the first fifteen days of January, online content interest was particularly high, with 700.000 pages visited, 350.000 of which were related to the Exhibitor Directory. In the last quarter, 200.000 impressions were reached on LinkedIn and X platforms, accompanied by a steady growth in the digital community, now consisting of 7.500 followers.

The next edition of Marca by BolognaFiere will take place on January 14 and 15, 2026.

Press Release

PRIVATE LABEL GROWTH: THE KEY ROLE OF MARCA BY BOLOGNAFIERE

Bolognha, December 2024 – Marca by BolognaFiere, the leading event in Italy dedicated to food and non-food private label products, is set to launch its 21st edition, which is experiencing significant growth and becoming increasingly business-oriented. Organised in collaboration with ADM – Associazione Distribuzione Moderna, whose partnership has been extended until 2031, Marca continues to be a market indicator and an unmissable event for the entire sector, scheduled as always at BolognaFiere on January 15th and 16th, 2025.

PRIVATE LABEL: PERFORMANCE AND EVOLUTION IN THE FIRST 9 MONTHS OF THE YEAR
The expansion of Marca by BolognaFiere – with 9 halls confirmed, + 2 compared to 2024 – is reflected in the excellent sales figures for private label products. As certified by Circana – which will also partner with BolognaFiere in 2025 – in the first 9 months of 2024, private label stands out as the most dynamic segment: with a value growth of +2.7% across the Omnichannel total, private label generated €22 billion in revenue, reaching a market share of 30 points (+0.1 points compared to the first 9 months of 2023). This increase is also confirmed in volumes, which show a significant rise of +3.9%.

Analysing the product categories, private label strengthens its position, gaining market share across all segments. Significant growth was recorded in the Meat department (+0.7 points), Home Care (+0.6 points), and both Grocery and Pet Care (+0.5 points each). The only exceptions are the Frozen Foods and Beverages sectors, where private label share remains stable.

Thanks to its positive trend and an assortment that combines quality and convenience, private label remains the preferred choice of millions of consumers. This further consolidates its role in driving the sector’s development, contributing to the growth of the agri-food industry.

MARCA IDENTITY 2025
The 21st edition of the event will host major industry players and SMEs, reflecting the enthusiasm for a trade show that anticipates market trends and creates business opportunities in the private label sector. In addition to the traditional two days of the exhibition, Marca by BolognaFiere will introduce a significant new feature to its format: the International Buyers Preview, an extra afternoon dedicated exclusively to B2B meetings between exhibitors and international buyers, scheduled for Tuesday, January 14, 2025. The International Buyers Preview aims to foster relationships and dialogue among professionals, paving the way for new synergies and unprecedented business opportunities.

Marca by BolognaFiere will feature both Food and Non-Food exhibition areas, showcasing a wide range of Made in Italy products. Highly valued by industry professionals, the thematic formats Marca Fresh and Marca Tech will also return. The former, organised in collaboration with SG Marketing, will focus on sustainable innovation in the fresh produce sector, while the latter will spotlight the latest trends in the private label supply chain, further promoting innovation and sustainability across the industry.

Press Release

MARCA BY BOLOGNAFIERE, 21ST EDITION IN THE PIPELINE

The Private Label business community will meet on January 15th and 16th, 2025.

Over 20.000 trade visitors, 1.100 exhibiting companies, 22 Retailer chains, 7 halls and more than 250 hosted buyers from 30 countries: the numbers of the last edition project the event towards further satisfaction in 2025.

Bologna, April 2024 – Marca by BolognaFiere builds on the unprecedented success of last January and lays the foundations for renewed development in 2025. Organised in cooperation with ADM – Associazione Distribuzione Moderna, the exhibition closed its last edition with growth beyond all expectations, in terms of quantity and quality: crowded stands and aisles with the best of Made in Italy, both food and non food; high-profile conferences and observatories, authoritative institutional presences and a clear drive towards internationalisation, an essential element for an effective and strategic forward projection.

Based on these premises and in a sector that is constantly growing – private label sales reached a record turnover of 25.8 billion euros in 2023 (exceeding 30% of the turnover of packaged consumer goods in modern distribution), with a significant increase in value (+15.4%) and volume (+4.7%) – the 2025 edition of Marca by BolognaFiere is set to begin.

Among the innovations already defined is the introduction of an extra day, Tuesday January 14th, in addition to the two already scheduled for Wednesday January 15th and Thursday January 16th: a day exclusively dedicated to B2B meetings between exhibiting companies and international buyers.

Also confirmed is the general layout of the event with its two main exhibition areas, Food and Non Food. The Food segment will, as always, feature companies specialising in different merchandise categories: from leavened and bakery products to dairy, meat, cold cuts, poultry and fish products, as well as oil, vinegar and condiments; ready-made sauces and gravies, confectionery products, jams and snacks; frozen food; coffee, beverages, etc. On the other hand, the Non Food segment will focus on home and personal care and DIY / brico products, with particular attention to efficiency and sustainability issues.

The thematic formats, Marca Fresh and Marca Tech, will also return. Building on the excellent results achieved, the 5th edition of Marca Fresh will once again highlight the fresh produce sector – fruit and vegetables first and foremost – engaging in dialogue with the large-scale distribution under the banner of an increasingly felt and widespread economic, social, and environmental responsibility. Packaging, logistics, raw materials, ingredients, technology and services: at its 11th edition Marca Tech will showcase intermediate goods for the Private Label supply chain, offering an opportunity for manufacturers and retailers to discover the latest trends for innovation and sustainable operations.

The concrete evidence of Marca by BolognaFiere’s increasingly distinctive position within the international exhibition schedule is primarily reflected in the numbers of 2024: 22 Retailer chains that are members of the Technical-Scientific Committee and exhibiting at the event; 7 halls for over 26.000 square metres of net area (+26% compared to 2023); over 1.100 exhibiting companies and more than 20.000 visitors (+18% compared to 2023). Every year the conference program is confirmed to be of great appeal for operators and professionals, with conferences and focuses on the most current market data, workshops and in-depth studies covering every aspect related to the Private Label.

The meetings dedicated respectively to the presentation of the Position Paper by The European House-Ambrosetti, promoted by ADM and Marca, and the XXI Marca by BolognaFiere Report, the annual snapshot of the Private Label’s role by Circana, were joined in 2024 by the first edition of the conference held by GS1 Italy for an all-round exploration of the Non Food sector’s performance.

NEXT STOP, MARCA CHINA
In addition to the preview on January 14th, BolognaFiere has implemented several actions aimed at further boosting the internationalisation of the event, thereby ensuring the presence of an increasing number of international chains – with 250 hosted buyers arriving from 30 countries in 2024 – while facilitating the entry of Italian companies into foreign markets, initiating collaborations between manufacturers, brand owners, and retailers, and fostering the broader development of the private label industry.

The 3rd edition of Marca China will kick off at the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center (Futian) from June 26th to 28th, 2024. With an exhibition area of 20.000 square metres, the event will bring together 400 exhibiting companies and is set to host about 20 forums and events, welcoming over 10.000 buyers and trade visitors. Focusing on key sectors for Private Label, the exhibition will give wide space to the latest consumer trends such as health, organic and packaging design. A significant innovation of this edition will be the presence of a dedicated area for the pet sector, aimed at providing new stimuli to the market.

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