Strengthening Cultural Exchange and Strategic Partnership with the Italian Consulate JEDDAH
In a step reflecting the depth of shared cultural and commercial ties, Danube Markets—one of the leading brands in the Kingdom’s grocery retail sector—is preparing to organize major celebratory events marking “World Pasta Day” at its Red Sea Mall branch in Jeddah, in official collaboration with the Consulate General of the Italian Republic.
The event will witness high-level attendance led by the Italian Consul General in Jeddah, Mr. Marco Bocci, and Mr. Waleed Abdulrazzaq BinDawood, Deputy CEO of BinDawood Holding, alongside renowned Italian Chef Mr. Vincenzo. This distinctive event aims to highlight the richness of authentic Italian cuisine and showcase its diverse, premium products to the public in the Kingdom.
Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Waleed Abdulrazzaq BinDawood, Deputy CEO of BinDawood Holding, stated:
“We are delighted and honored to host this exceptional celebration in collaboration with the Italian Consulate at Danube, Red Sea Mall. Across all our stores, we maintain a firm commitment to enriching our customers’ experience and delivering the highest standards by bringing the authenticity of global cultures and their finest gourmet flavors to the Saudi market. This collaboration embodies our continuous dedication to creating interactive and extraordinary shopping experiences that bridge culinary arts and cross-cultural connection.”
On his part, Mr. Marco Bocci, Italian Consul General in Jeddah, emphasized:
“We are proud to participate in the World Pasta Day celebrations here in Jeddah, the bride of the Red Sea, in cooperation with a prominent brand like Danube. Italian cuisine transcends the concept of food to form a rich cultural heritage that we are proud to share with our friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We have witnessed remarkable passion and growing interest in authentic Italian products, and through this partnership, we look forward to bridging cultural distances through the gateway of gastronomy.”
Adding to this, Italian Chef Mr. Vincenzo expressed:
“I am extremely happy to be in Jeddah today and to meet lovers of Italian cuisine at Danube markets. Pasta-making is an authentic art form in itself, and during this event, we look forward to sharing traditional preparation secrets and the finest Italian flavors with the public, offering them a live tasting experience that transports them straight to the heart of Italian heritage.”
A Cultural and Economic Bridge Connecting Riyadh-Jeddah, and Rome
This initiative falls within the framework of ongoing efforts to deepen close ties between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Italy, extending far beyond pure consumerism to form a vibrant platform that reinforces strategic partnership and cultural communication between the two friendly nations. Given the robust and growing bilateral economic relations—with total trade volume reaching approximately 45.3 billion Saudi Riyals (approx. $11.6 billion USD), and Italian import flows into the Kingdom exceeding $7.1 billion USD across diverse vital sectors—such cultural and commercial events play a pivotal role in establishing sustainable channels of communication between the business and cultural communities in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Rome, while unlocking promising prospects for joint economic and tourism cooperation.
The event’s agenda features a guided field tour of Danube’s aisles to explore an extensive selection of imported Italian products, followed by an exclusive interactive tasting experience where Chef Vincenzo will present live, simplified demonstrations of classic pasta dishes and the secrets of preparing them using authentic Italian methods
