All retailers here in California and in the West Coast have a great passion for Italian food. The small and independent ones in particular play a key role, educating customers and communicating with them. Italian food is probably the premium category in every store. That is what Richard Armanino, General manager of ItalFoods, says in the following exclusive interview with Italianfood.net, at the Consulate of Italy in San Francisco.

Our goal – Armanino adds – is to keep the passion alive for Italian food, as it is the best in the world. Today, people don’t just buy food: they want to know about it, who made it, where it comes from, and they are more and more interested in health and food quality.