Economy: Prato aims at food beyond fashion in Tokyo

Not only fabrics on yarn, that is to say: not only fashion. Prato has decided to bring to Japan a different look. In fact, in Tokyo the Chamber of Commerce has decided to present three top-quality products as oil, cantucci-biscuits Steno, and the hand-made beer Rhyton (during the mission organized by the Region and Promotion Agency from Tuscany). “Three-excellences, Carlo Longo the President of the Chamber said, representing even the reconversion skill the people from Prato are showing”. In a restaurant in the centre of the Japanese capital, almost 50 representatives of the cooking schools, importers and journalists attended the presentation of the extra-virgin olive oil from Tuscany (GPI) made by Christian Sbardella, aiming at quality and healthy products. Even Ambrogio Brenna, the assessor to productive activities, spoke about quality and he underlined how oil and wine are products representing even the life-style of the people from Tuscany. In fact these products need neat places to achieve real quality – he continued – not polluted and not ruined by men, who should have the capacity to look to future and innovations. In the afternoon Brenna and the director of Toscana Promozione, Stefano Giovannelli, were brought to the seat of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan. Here, together with the President Andrea Montanari and the secretary Davide Fantoni, they presented some opportunities for the enterprises from Tuscany and it was even decided that the Region will present a small plan of promoting initiatives in preparation for the made- in-Tuscany week, that should take place in 2010.