PUNTOITALY N°2 - July - December 2012

erence for all companies in southern Italy operating in these particular sectors and aiming to extend their busi- ness to include developing countries such as those in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. There is already considerable anticipation for the next ex- hibition, which by a resolution of the Puglia Regional Au- thority of last 10 May has obtained the title of “International Expo”. The next Levante Prof exhibition will take place in the new buildings of the Fiera del Levante from 16 to 20 February 2013, with an extended scope and range of ob- jectives to meet the new challenges stemming from the heightened profile resulting from this new accolade. The second edition of the biennial Levante Prof trade fair specialising in the agro-alimentary sector was held in Bari (Italy) in March 2011, and registered a marked growth over the first exhibition. There were more than 25,000 professional visitors, who viewed a wide range of prod- ucts for bread making and for all wheat-based opera- tions such as the making of pizzas, pastries, gelato and fresh pasta. Particular attention was paid to the needs of caterers, retailers and hotels, with ample space devoted to the display of beers, wines and related articles. Levante Prof also included numerous demonstrations in real time. Skilled master chefs set up gourmet kitchens, allowing the professional visitors to gain first-hand ac- quaintance of new products, the most recent prepara- tion techniques, and the most important aspects of the production of bread, pastries and gelato. The 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy was cel- ebrated with the collaboration of flour mills and numer- ous associations of bakers, pizza makers and pastry chefs. The celebration, which saw the participation of a sizeable force of Bersaglieri on bicycles, was the setting for the creation of a lozenge-shaped “Italian loaf” made from an expert blend of flours coming from every corner of Italy. Levante Prof confirmed its role as a point of ref- ANNOUNCED GROWTH 187 FOOD-AND-DRINK • PASTRY • GELATO LEVANTE PROF