Giovanni Cafiero is the new director of the Consortium for the Protection of Pasta di Gragnano Igp

The Consortium for the Protection of Pasta di Gragnano Igp has appointed Giovanni Cafiero as its new director, making him, at 33 years of age, one of the youngest professionals at the helm of a protection consortium in Italy.

Over these years, Cafiero has contributed to the growth of one of the most representative designations in Italy’s agri-food sector, through work that has made the Consortium for the Protection of Pasta di Gragnano Igp increasingly present in dialogue with institutions, the media and stakeholders.

A solid educational background

Born in 1993, Giovanni Cafiero developed his career between Naples, Turin, Pollenzo and Rome, combining economics, marketing, gastronomic culture and food law. After graduating in Business Administration, he pursued further studies in marketing in Turin. He then chose to specialise in the agri-food sector at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo and subsequently to attend a second-level Master’s degree in Food Law.

An interest in the world of pasta that already emerged during his studies. Indeed, Cafiero devoted his master’s thesis to the production of durum wheat semolina pasta, exploring the relationship between the origin of durum wheat, quality and consumer choices.

In 2023-2024, he also attended the Executive Master Direttore Consorzio di Tutela dell’Accademia Qualivita – Origin Italia, completing specialised training in the system of geographical indications. Today he is also scientific coordinator at 24Ore Business School.

From promotion to management

Having joined the Consortium in 2020, Cafiero now moves from responsibility for promotion to management, after six years during which he closely followed the organisation’s development and helped build projects and relationships that progressively strengthened its ability to represent the designation and the businesses that are part of it.

Among the projects that best illustrate this growth is “Gragnano Città della Pasta”, the event that, over the years, has established itself as one of the most recognisable events devoted to pasta culture, attracting journalists, institutions, industry professionals and thousands of visitors. This event helped bring the city and pasta back to the centre of national attention, making the connection between product, territory and community one of the central elements in the story of Pasta di Gragnano Igp.

The comment

"I left Gragnano to study, discover other realities and build my skills. Then I chose to return," says Giovanni Cafiero. "For me, professional growth also means being able to bring experience and skills back to where it all began, putting them at the service of a place whose profound value I recognise. Taking on the management of the Consortium today is a great responsibility and, at the same time, the privilege of being able to contribute to a story of excellence built over time by the businesses and people who have made Pasta di Gragnano IGP a heritage recognised around the world.”

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.