What is it?

Vetrina Toscana is a project by the Tuscany Region and Unioncamere that promotes restaurants and food stores that use local products, as well as authentic producers. To date, members are divided into 1000 restaurateurs, 300 food stores and 150 producers. The regional departments involved are those relating to production activities, finance, tourism, trade and agriculture.

The manifesto of values

To join the project, it’s necessary to sign a manifesto based on the sharing of the following identity values ​​that guide its structure, practices and objectives: to love Tuscany and its culinary culture; to be a guardian of tradition, but also attentive to the contemporary; contribute to supporting the local economy; believe in the quality of food and regional products; offer consumers a taste experience, a memory and an emotion.

Vetrina Toscana intends to promote responsible tourism, combining a short supply chain of food and wine, quality production, and unique territories. The blend is capable of creating new economies, conscious consumption models and innovative ways of promoting Tuscan traditions.

Who can join

1 – Local entities that carry out catering activities, on a fixed and mobile basis, as well as catering companies.

2 – Activities that carry out tastings, agritourism companies that carry out the provision of meals, food and drinks and/or tastings, and/or the organization of promotional events and/or wine/oil tourism, agri-food companies with sales and/or tasting points.

3 – Local entities that carry out the retail trade of food and beverage products on a fixed and mobile basis, neighbourhood businesses and virtual e-commerce showcases.

4 – Tuscan farms, agricultural, forestry and agro-food cooperatives; companies and consortia made up of Tuscan farms; Tuscan companies for the processing and marketing of agricultural and agri-food products.

5 – Organizations of agricultural producers can join; the representative organizations of Tuscan farms; consortia for the protection of Tuscan agri-food production (DOP and IGP); consortia for the protection of Tuscan wines (DOP and IGP); the wine and flavour routes of Tuscany; communities of food and biodiversity of agricultural and food interest; the Tuscan rural and agri-food districts; the network of protective cultivators, the short chain/producers’ markets, community cooperatives; the operating community, and competence centres.

What commitment is required

Members are required to guarantee that they are faithful representations of some of the principles, such as preferring the use of fresh and seasonal products, guaranteeing the prevalent use of Tuscan products, and offering local and traditional dishes. This document lists all the criterion to be adhered to.

The mission

Some of the project’s objectives include strengthening the positioning and competitiveness of micro and small commercial and catering enterprises, and promoting the identity of tourist destinations and agri-food productions.

The initiatives of Vetrina Toscana act with a view to promoting all forms of slow tourism, integrating environmental, food and wine, and cultural offerings.

Events and initiatives

The project is divided into initiatives within the areas that involve restaurateurs and traders that promote the agricultural products of the region (from DOPs to supply chain agreements), cultural structures (museums, music festivals, archaeological heritage, and tastings) and artisanal products . If an activity actively participates in the realization of at least one event a year, it will obtain Bronze status; at least two events a year: Silver; more than two events in the year: Gold.

In addition to events aimed at tourists (Tuscan and non-Tuscan), there are also learning opportunities dedicated to operators, including masterclasses, workshops and seminars that provide key tools that deepen knowledge and expand professional contacts.

Communication

To strengthen the identity of Vetrina Toscana, various communication strategies are implemented. The official channel of the project is the website www.vetrina.toscana.it (in Italian and English), edited – together with the social platforms – by Fondazione Sistema Toscana. Every event, initiative or manifestation has dedicated space here: it’s included in the online calendar and communicated through social media, apps, newsletters and invitations.

All the materials that are produced for events linked to the territory are also extremely valuable content for the press office, for the creation of press releases, and for building a concrete dialogue with journalists and with national and international media.

Why join?

To become part of the Vetrina Toscana network means being able to take advantage of a series of services made available by the Tuscany Region, including coordinated communication actions on social networks, national and international media (radio, publications, and TV). Furthermore, the Vetrina Toscana project is strongly integrated within the Tuscany Region tourism portal, visittuscany.com. This enables restaurants, stores and registered producers to interact with the regional digital ecosystem, helping to form a food and wine offering integrated within the tourist one.