Aperitivo time: more than 850 billion aperitifs served in Italy last year

An aperitif can be consumed to unwind, “reward” oneself after a hard day at work, or simply to share a toast with old friends just before dinner by starting with a few tasty appetizers. Whatever the reason, aperitif time is an all-Italian ritual that started in Turin in the 1980s, and then over the years has spread throughout the Country, becoming indispensable for everyone, not just the younger generations. To prove it, over 850 million aperitifs were served in Italy last year (of which 580 million in the evening and 285 million before lunch), for a total of more than 4.54 billion euros spent. It is a trend that as many as 14 million Italians follow, aged from 18 to 75 (equal to 32% of the population), and 24% are over 55.
The evening aperitif has extended to not only bars but has become an interesting consumption opportunity for an increasing number of professionals in the sector; hence, also restaurants (around 10%) and commercial catering chains. Evening aperitif time is an occasion for conviviality, which is enjoyed all over Italy (48% in the North, 52% in the Center, South and Islands). In the North East, instead, the ratio between aperitifs and outside the home consumption is greater. There were 582 million evening aperitifs served for a total of 4.5 billion euros spent, at 7.7 euros for an evening aperitif.
The daytime aperitif, instead, is concentrated much more in Southern Italy and the Islands (45%), and reached 285 million glasses for a total of 1.5 billion euros, and 5.2 euros on average for each single drink. The trend was discussed during the event “Sei già dentro l’Happy Hour?” (are you at Happy Hour), in Milan (one of the capitals of the modern aperitif, ed.). The event was organized by Cattel, a leading company in the distribution of food and wine products and by the APCI, Associazione Professionisti Cuochi Italiani, (professional association of Italian chefs), which counts thousands of professionals in the sector. The general survey of the current situation, curated by Bruna Boroni of TradeLab, proved to be an especially valuable focus on the latest trends.
One of the speakers at the event was Lorenzo Ferrari, founder and CEO of “RistorareTop”, who illustrated how to transform the aperitif into an opportunity of profit for managers of clubs, pizzerias, bars and restaurants. The opportunity for profit is a specifically designed tool for the occasion. The "Aperitif Matrix", offering four aperitifs, each suitable for a different type of venue, to make the pre-lunch or pre-dinner moment profitable and strategic. Sonia Re, General Manager of APCI, moderated the meeting, which continued with a round table discussion giving space to the successful experiences of Davide Longoni (owner of the famous bakery in Milan), Giancarlo Morelli (multi-award winning Chef of the "Bulk" in Milan and “Phi Beach” in Baja Sardinia) and Chef Elio Sironi (“Ceresio7”, Milan).
“The aperitif”, Caroline Gatti, Cattel marketing manager, stated, “has become a meal in its own right, like breakfast, lunch and dinner; therefore, it is worth making an effort to make it high quality, and move away from accompaniments that have too often characterized it, like for instance, olives and chips. The time has come to invest, research, learn new recipes and solutions to offer value and, obviously, profit”. A constructive attitude has always underlined all the activities of the Italian Chefs Association over time, which Sonia Re, the APCI director emphasized, “from generation to generation has witnessed refining and creation of new realities, technologies and methods of aggregation. Fortunately, what has never changed is the enthusiasm that drives each project and the inspiration with which each single initiative is designed specifically for chefs, together with and for the professionals in the sector, to create something extraordinary and significant, together”.