Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – Over thirty thousand workers employed, a growing market, and ever-expanding demand. This is the picture emerging from the analyses presented today at Aigrim Day 2026, the Chain Catering Forum promoted by Aigrim-Fipe, which brought together institutions, businesses, and experts in Milan to discuss the sector's prospects and one of its main challenges: the availability of people and skills needed to sustain growth.
Despite positive market indicators, the difficulty in recruiting staff continues to pose a critical issue for organized foodservice businesses, increasingly faced with a mismatch between labor supply and demand. "Staff shortages are no longer a temporary phenomenon but a structural issue. Today, the risk is not only finding fewer workers, but also limiting the growth capacity of a sector that continues to invest, hire, and create jobs.
In addition to making the sector increasingly attractive to new generations, including with the upcoming renewal of the National Collective Bargaining Agreement, alongside the tax relief measures for some contractual provisions introduced to support workers' incomes, equally important measures are needed to reduce labor costs. On this strategic point, we hope for close dialogue with political forces and institutions," stated Riccardo Orlandi, President of Aigrim-Fipe.
The day opened with greetings from Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry, and featured speakers including Lino Enrico Stoppani, President of Fipe-Confcommercio and Deputy Vice President of Confcommercio; Mauro Lusetti, Vice President of Confcommercio; Gabriele Fava, President of INPS; and Lorenzo Malagola, Secretary of the Labor Commission of the Chamber of Deputies. The first roundtable, "Human Resources in the Restaurant Industry: Present and Future," brought together Corrado Cagnola, CEO of KFC Italy and the Spoon Group and Vice President of Aigrim-Fipe; Giorgia Favaro, CEO of McDonald's Italy; and Stefania Criveller, General Manager of Cigierre, for a discussion on the transformations in the labor market and the strategies adopted by companies in the sector. During the morning, data from Tommaso Nastasi, Head of Value Creation Services at Deloitte, and an analysis of human resources in the restaurant industry presented by Luciano Sbraga, Director of the Fipe-Confcommercio Research Office, were also presented. Deloitte depicts an €84 billion Italian foodservice market that has entered a phase of stabilization (+1% in 2025), with chains proving to be the driving force. Despite representing only 3-4% of the 260 active outlets, organized catering generates 11% of the total value, growing ten times faster than independent restaurants (+7,2% versus +0,6% in the 2019-2025 period), driven primarily by the quick service segment. The figures presented by Luciano Sbraga, Director of the Fipe-Confcommercio Research Office, show a sector at an all-time high in terms of employment, with 1,5 million workers (+6,4% compared to 2024) and approximately 1,2 million employees (+7,6%).
This growth, however, clashes with the country's demographic decline: while Italy is losing a young workforce (-28% since 2005), the restaurant industry remains the primary destination for younger generations, with those under 30 accounting for 40% of the workforce and a significant presence of foreign workers (29,2%). Despite high flexibility (part-time employment reaches 58,5%), the sector, however, suffers from a lack of hourly productivity (€19,10 versus the national average of €37,90), highlighting the urgent need for action on attractiveness, training, and the value of work. The Forum then continued with the panel "The Right Job," dedicated to the sector's attractiveness, welfare, and the evolution of the labor market, with the participation of Davide Sanzi, Chief People Officer of McDonald's Italy; Enrico Postacchini, President of Fondo Est; Maurizio Del Conte, Professor at Bocconi University; Emmanuele Massagli, Expert Advisor to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the National Council of National Employers' Conference (CNEL). "The value of work is the theme of this edition because it represents the necessary condition for the future of the restaurant industry. Companies are investing in training, inclusion, and skills development, but the challenge requires a concerted effort. Today, more than ever, we need policies that help the sector attract new professionals and transform restaurant work into an increasingly skilled and sustainable choice," concluded Riccardo Orlandi.
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