On Wednesday October 7, Expo Milano 2015 celebrated Panettone Day, dedicated to the traditional Milanese cake eaten during the Christmas period, with over 5000 panettoni sliced and shared with visitors to the Universal Exposition. The event was promoted by the Milan Chamber of Commerce and the Committee of Master Confectioners, in collaboration with the sponsor company Tre Marie, and was part of the Chamber of Commerce Fortnight from October 1 to 15. Among the protagonists were Alfredo Zini, councilor of the Milan Chamber of Commerce, Stefano Fugazza, President of the Artisans’ Union, Pietro Restelli, President of the Breadmakers Association - Confcommercio Milano,Sergio Monfrini, President Assofood - Confcommercio Milano, Carlo Freni, Epam – Confcommercio Milano, Paolo Ferrario, secretary general APA Confartigianato Imprese Milano, Monza and Brianza, Liberata Dell’Arciprete, councilor of the Milan Chamber of Commerce customers’ area, and Ilaria Cappellani, marketing manager Tre Marie.
Together with the panettone, printed paper napkins were distributed, with descriptions of the two hundred confectioners and bakeries in the province of Milan who produce the traditional cake in the traditional way. “Typical Milanese traditional artisan panettone” is actually a brand denomination registered in the Patents Office of the Milan Chamber of Commerce. Zini described how the Milanese cake “is appreciated by Italians and non-Italians alike, thanks to its taste and its quality”. Dell’Arciprete explained that the typical panettone logo guaranteed consumers that the product was fresh and natural, while Fugazza underlined that “we are highlighting and promoting the qualities of a product created during the Renaissance which has become a symbol of our city.” Mamoli emphasized that “creating a cake with one’s hands and one’s mind is like creating a sculpture. This is why the Milanese panettone is unique.” An interesting statistic also emerged: every year the citizens of Milan spend 20 million Euros on panettone.
