From the launch of Balocco's new MaxiCiok brand to the rebranding of Pasta di Camerino, by way of Leone's new identity for Christmas 2026, Lago, Snext, Coppini, Colfiorito and Cascina Biraga: for RBA Design, TUTTOFOOD 2026 was an opportunity to meet clients and prospects, and a privileged vantage point for understanding how food branding is evolving.
From 11 to 14 May, in the halls of Fiera Milano Rho, the RBA Design team experienced the show through meetings, new business activities, live content creation and presentations of projects developed for brands in very different categories.
IDENTITY, RELATIONSHIPS AND THE NEW CODES OF FOOD
Moving across different worlds, from confectionery to oil, dairy, pulses, snacks and new wellness lines, one of the most evident changes in the sector emerges: food brands are investing more and more in building identities that can express values and create credible, lasting relationships with consumers.
As Fabrizio Bernasconi, Founding Partner & Managing Director of RBA Design, recounts:
“Trade fairs are a moment for exchange. Especially today, when between calls and an overload of commitments we risk not paying enough attention to a crucial phase of our work: analysis, observation and understanding. These are fundamental for finding inspiration, and only trade fairs can still guarantee them.”
PACKAGING AS A BRANDING TOOL
The packaging continues to evolve in this direction as well: more essential designs, typography taking center stage, natural palettes and a strong focus on the immediate impact on the shelf are some of the most evident elements that emerged during TUTTOFOOD.
Luisa Montanari, Graphic Designer at RBA Design, emphasizes:
“One thing that struck me was seeing how many brands are simplifying their visual language. Fewer graphic elements, less decoration and more attention to what really makes the brand recognisable. On an increasingly crowded shelf, simplicity is no longer just an aesthetic choice, but a recognisability strategy.”
At the same time, the growth of functional and so-called “better for you” products stood out strongly: high-protein, sugar-free and lactose-free lines, and products designed for specific wellness and lifestyle needs.
As Luca Franco, Creative Director of RBA Design, points out:
“Food is going through what fashion went through a few years ago: the product alone is no longer enough. People choose brands that represent a lifestyle, a value system and a way of being in the world.”
STANDS BECOME BRAND EXPERIENCES
If packaging is increasingly a branding tool, trade fair spaces are evolving in the same direction. For years RBA Design has supported brands in designing exhibition spaces that enhance their identity and strengthen their presence at moments of direct contact with the public. The stand thus becomes an experience able to convey values and positioning. This is the case with Coppini, the Umbrian olive oil brand for which we created a new identity and managed the entire stand project.
“The stand is taking on a role more and more like that of packaging: both have to tell the brand's story in a few seconds. The projects that work best are not necessarily the ones that show the most, but those that manage to sum up an identity in a clear, consistent and memorable way.” So says Elisabetta Gardino, Graphic Designer at RBA Design.
STAY TUNED
In our upcoming newsletters we will take a closer look at some of the projects presented at the fair, including Balocco's new MaxiCiok, the Pasta di Camerino packs and the new identities developed for several food brands.
Don't miss them!
