The United States remains a growing and promising market for Italian food and beverage, whose exports continued to grow in the first quarter of 2019, confirming the positive trend seen in recent years. From 2009 to 2019, Italy’s F&B exports to the US market have doubled, according to estimates provided by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), the government-backed body that promotes trade of authentic Italian products around the world.

In the first quarter, Italy remained in command of the 6th place among the largest international food suppliers to the world’s largest economy, behind Mexico, Canada, China, France and Chile. Exports of Italian food and beverage to the US totaled 1.25 billion dollars in January-March 2019, a 4.1% increase over the same period of 2018, according to data from the US Department of Commerce elaborated by ICE New York. Last year, exports rose 7.9% to 5.2 billion dollars compared with 2017. The positive result followed a 5.4% increase in 2017 and a 3.4% rise in 2016.