Florence, 14 December 2025 – CASTANEA EXPO 2025, the first trade fair in Italy dedicated to chestnut cultivation, comes to a close this afternoon at the Fortezza da Basso, having recorded outstanding success in terms of public attendance, institutional participation and exhibitor satisfaction, including representatives from European countries such as Greece and France.

For three days, the chestnut supply chain was at the heart of national attention through conferences, workshops, thematic exhibitions, tastings, show cooking and moments of scientific and technical discussion and professional exchange.

“We strongly believed in this new trade fair, and the results confirm that the time was right to give a voice to the chestnut sector—a field rich in history, expertise and potential—which for the first time showcased itself in a unique and exclusive international venue such as the Fortezza da Basso,” said Lorenzo Becattini, President of Firenze Fiera. “The success of this first edition encourages us to look ahead with confidence and to continue along the path of enhancing chestnut cultivation as a heritage of identity and a strategic resource for territorial development.”

“We are very satisfied with this first edition,” stated Bertrand Guérin, President of EUROCASTANEA. “Florence, with its magnificent Fortress, is the ideal city for events of this kind, also thanks to its geographical position in the heart of Italy and its easy accessibility from both Eastern and Western Europe.”

Positive feedback also came from the collective of chestnut growers from Thessaly who exhibited at the fair. “Castanea Expo was an excellent testing ground for constructive dialogue with many other international players. I believe it can become an important recurring event and a permanent observatory on the state of health and future prospects of this important agricultural, tourism and cultural sector,” commented coordinator Teodoro Sdroulias.

Satisfaction was also expressed by the delegation from the Calabria Region, which participated with eleven selected chestnut-growing companies from ARSAC (the Regional Agency for the Development of Calabrian Agriculture), as well as by the Tuscan companies present in the spaces of the Tuscany Region and PromoFirenze. Among them was Azienda Agricola La Castagna Leopoldina di Sorano, led by Francesca Gioacchini, which recently received the prestigious recognition of Traditional Typical Product for its marron glacé. “We chose the name Leopoldina to integrate the history and culture of the territory, in honor of Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo, known for his agrarian reforms, whose work contributed to the founding of the prestigious Accademia dei Georgofili,” she explained.

“It was an honor for us to take part in Castanea Expo and to bring our products to this magnificent venue for the first time, starting with our DOP Marrone,” said Mariateresa Baroni, representative of CASTAGNA LAB, the collective bringing together selected producers from the territory who are custodians of the Marrone di Caprese Michelangelo.