MILAN – In July 1979, 40 years ago, the Italian Vending Association (CONFIDA) was founded with representatives of the three main components of the market – operators, manufacturers and suppliers signing its constitution in Milan.
Today CONFIDA represents a sector with a turnover of 3.5 billion euros, over 11 billion consumptions per year and 29 million consumers.
The first approaches between the three market segments had already taken place the year before, in 1978, when they had the idea to create an event dedicated to vending (MIDA – the first Italian Vending Exhibition) which was the occasion to debate of the crucial issues for the development of the Italian vending industry. Then in May 1979 at meeting at the Union of Merchants of Milan, the decision was made to create a unitary association bringing all the companies operating in vending together.
“In forty years – explains CONFIDA President Massimo Trapletti – Italian vending has grown and has developed so much to make Italy a leading country at international level with a turnover of 3.5 billion in turnover with over 11 billion consumption per year and 29 million consumers. Vending machines, more and more technological and with a wide range of quality food products, are now everywhere: at offices and factories, hospitals, schools and universities, stations and airports for a total of 822 thousand vending machines installed throughout Italy that make vending Italian largest European automatic food distribution chain.
CONFIDA has also grown and today represents over 500 companies in the sector and promotes the most important international trade fair in the sector: Venditalia. For this reason, today, in celebrating CONFIDA’s birthday, we want to say thank you to all the men and women who, in these forty years, with sacrifice and commitment, have made this sector great.”
The EVA congratulates CONFIDA on reaching this momentous occasion, in what is the largest European vending market by total machines. 2019 is a significant year of vending association anniversaries, with the UK Vending Association (AVA) celebrating 90 years, CONFIDA 40 years and the EVA 25 Years (NB: EVA celebrations to be held 16/17 October in Baveno, Italy).
