In the square that symbolizes the city of Milan, Autogrill is to open a new cathedral of taste, Il Mercato del Duomo. Company chairman Gilberto Benetton and CEO Gianmario Tondato Da Ruos presented the project in a press conference held today at Palazzo Marino (Sala Alessi) attended by the mayor of Milan, Giuliano Pisapia, the president of UNISG, Carlo Petrini, the architect Michele De Lucchi and chef Niko Romito.

The Group’s new flagship store, scheduled to open to the public on 30 April, was created in collaboration with the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) in Pollenzo and entailed an overall investment of €13.5m.

"Milan is proving itself increasingly capable of attracting invetsments in high quality projects. Il Mercato del Duomo is a good example, said Giuliano Pisapia". Innovation and tradition join forces in an offering that will promote a taste for the beautiful and a taste for goodness and healthiness. In the heart of Milan it will now be possible to discover the excellence of our territory’s products in a sequenced offering that represents the entire food production process. This project has the ambitious goal of transforming a space whilst maintaining its historical characteristics and of aligning it with the themes of the Expo and the needs of a clientele increasingly careful about what they eat, the food industry, preparation techniques, and the quality of products and raw materials. It will help raise Milan’s profile as a food capital.

“We decided to turn Milan into the Group’s main innovation and experimentation workshop,” said Gilberto Benetton, “because we believe in the potential of this city and its territory and of our Company. With Il Mercato del Duomo we are going back to our historical roots to look to the future, a future that promises innovation and excellence”.

"The University of Gastronomic Sciences,” commented Carlo Petrini, “and in particular its Pollenzo Innovation department, provides support in terms of knowledge, products and case histories of excellence for a project like Autogrill’s Duomo Store where the focus is on quality food, environmental sustainability and a closer relationship between producer and consumer".

Il Mercato del Duomo is on four floors covering around 5,000 square metres (of which 3,000 square metres open to the public) and reflecting various stages in the processing of raw materials and a range of eating experiences, from food in its most simple and natural form to products worked and transformed into recipes, some to be enjoyed quickly, others in a slower experience.