ITA0039 | 100% ITALIAN TASTE CERTIFICATION

The “ITA0039 | 100% Italian Taste Certification” was born from ASACERT’s desire to make its contribution to defend, promote and enhance 100% Italian traditions and productions, through Italian restaurants abroad. In 2019 the Certification Protocol was born to which first Coldiretti adheres. With one and a half million members, represents the main Organization of agricultural entrepreneurs at national and European level. The agreement was renewed and expanded in 2023. Subsequently, numerous other partners supported the initiative: EuroToques, PromoItalia, ISFE, ANRA, Filiera Agricola Italiana S.p.A.

PURPOSE | Through the certification of Italian restaurants abroad, the initiative aim of:

• Promote and enhance Made in Italy products, coming from traced Italian productions;
• Disseminate the culture behind exclusively Italian supply chain products to the audience of Italian restaurateurs abroad and, therefore, to their customers-consumers;
• Support and promote the country’s economy, through certification, respect, valorisation, dissemination of knowledge and awareness on these issues;
• Promotion of Italian food excellence (production, services, food and wine tourism), with implications for employment, reputation and, last but not least, public health and respect for the environment.
• To counter the phenomenon of “Italian Sounding” in the world, by which products are identified with the help of trademarks, images and symbols related to Italian traditions, but which are definitely far from Italian culture.

The minimum rating is required to achieve certification. Restaurants are subjected to a strict checklist, and all criteria are thoroughly checked during the inspection. Certification will not be achieved if “Italian Sounding” products are present.

TOOLS, RATINGS, AREAS | The scientific nature of the criteria developed by Asacert, together with the professionalism of the auditors, represent indispensable prerequirements for the effectiveness of the certification. Criteria will be applied without geographical boundaries, which make the protocol a unique tool of its kind.

An organized check list to develop an in-depth audit on macro-areas of factors, to which scores are attributed directly proportional to the “weight” and importance of the criterion evaluated with respect to the purposes that the system sets itself which, in turn, converge in a final rating organized by levels depending on the quality score achieved: BRONZE, SILVER, GOLD, PLATINUM.

CERTIFICATION PROCESS | All restaurateurs abroad can request to be certified. The certification process is divided into six steps:

1. Spontaneous request to be certified;
2. Collection and preparation of audit documentation. Based on the evidence collected, a first part of the documentary audit will be carried out;
3. Carrying out the audit, which will take place on the pre-established day, and includes an in-depth analysis of what was detected during the documentary pre-audit, in addition to the inspection of the premises as a whole, including warehouse and kitchen;
4. Evaluation by the Technical Committee of the evidence and data collected;
5. If the checks are successful, the Technical Office prepares and sends the certificate to the restaurateur, together with ITA0039 logos that can be used on every social and official communicatios;
6. Becoming part of the community of certified restaurants abroad, be included in the mobile app and websitesite. 

ITA0039 Mobile APP | Free for iOS and Android systems, it provides consumers all over the world with a database of Italian and certified restaurants abroad, so they can check their menus, position on the map and make reservations.

Moreover, consumers can also becomes a ‘sentinel of the true Made in Italy abroad’: thanks to the mobile app, evryone will be able to scan the barcode of any food products that purchase abroad and  unmasking potentially fake products. The digital information is then examined by the Technical Committee, which carries out the appropriate checks. These products, if confirmed in their non-authenticity, will be collected in a database, which will be a useful source for the creation of an Observatory on Italian Sounding. The app provides inform and educate citizens of the world who are admirers of Italian agri-food products and, last but not least, carries out an effective service to protect Italian producers, directing the consumer’s purchase towards 100% Made in Italy products .