PASTA, STAR OF THE MENU AT “CASA ITALIA”, ITALY’S RIO 2016 HOSPITALITY HOUSE THE OFFICIAL SUPPLIER UNDER THE DIRECTION OF TOP CHEF DAVIDE OLDANI

2,700 kg of Barilla , 1,000 servings a day, from to Sedanini, from Mezze Maniche to Gnocchetti Sardi. Durum wheat semolina and egg pasta, as well as wholegrain and gluten-free... At the Rio Olympics, in a country with one of the most established cultures of Italian pasta (70% of pasta consumed here comes from Italy) the symbol of the best Mediterranean cuisine will be on the menu. The Italian Olympic Team’s Sport & Food Ambassador, Davide Oldani, will be treating our Rio 2016 athletes, trainers and staff to gourmet dining. As Official Sponsor of the Rio 2016 Italia Olympic Team, Barilla is championing the link between the energy of sport and the energy of pasta.

Whilst the most important thing about the Olympics is certainly taking part, a little support never goes amiss and to feed the dreams of our athletes in Brazil, Barilla has been chosen as the official pasta supplier for “Casa Italia” and the Italian team’s restaurant. Casa Italia will be serving up to 2,700 kg of Barilla pasta at Rio 2016. Over 1,000 pasta dishes will be emerging from the Casa Italia kitchens - from classic to wholegrain and gluten-free. Two great Italian classics are among the most popular pasta shapes - Rigatoni and Mezze Maniche Rigate - followed closely by Sedanini Rigati and Gnocchetti Sardi. But there will also be , , and Casarecce, to satisfy all tastes.

PASTA, THE IDEAL ENERGY FOR ATHLETES Pasta is, in fact, highly recommended for those who practise sport, especially at a competitive level: it is a source of complex carbohydrates (and protein), and therefore provides slow-release energy. It is perfect before a workout, either plain or with a light sauce, and afterwards it can be enjoyed with other foods and richer sauces. There are countless testimonies to the benefits of a “pasta diet”. So, since pasta is not only healthy, but also tastes good, it offers greater psychological gratification than other foods.

GOURMET PASTA FOR OUR ATHLETES: DAVIDE OLDANI TO BE HEAD CHEF AT CASA ITALIA Speaking of taste, making the most of the Mediterranean diet’s signature dish and turning mealtimes into an enjoyable, convivial experience for athletes and staff requires exceptional chef. Holding the fort in the Casa Italia kitchens will be Davide Oldani, in Rio as Sport & Food Ambassador for the Italian Olympic Team and one of the most respected and creative chefs in Italian cooking. The Milanese chef, a great sports lover, will bring his genius and expertise to Casa Italia, blending traditional Italian dishes and flavours, particularly pasta, with Brazilian cuisine. And he has already started work, developing exclusive recipes based on pasta Barilla inspired by the Olympic Games themselves.

BRAZIL: A STRATEGIC MARKET FOR BARILLA WITH A 6.3 KG PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OF PASTA PER YEAR Brazil’s love of pasta goes beyond the boundaries of the Olympic Village. Brazil is a strategic market for Barilla: in 2015 the Parma-based group achieved a market share value of 5% (+ 0.9% on last year) thanks to the continual growth of pasta distribution, supported by investment in promotional and marketing activities, especially in the area of São Paulo, where its market share rose to 19.1% (+ 3% on 2014). And now, the link between pasta and Brazil is "on air” as well, thanks to the remake of a classic Barilla advert from the '80s by Laura Pausini, a very famous name for Brazilians, rather like our pasta. In general, the Brazilian tradition of pasta is already well established. According to AIDEPI data, it is the fourth pasta producer in the world after Italy, the US and Turkey. But the favourite pasta for Brazilians comes from Italy, the biggest supplier for the country with a market share of over 70%. Brazil consumes a good 6.3 kg per person, the popular recipe being macarrão ao molho branco: a dish made with (rather than , despite its name) typical of Brazil.

BARILLA AND SPORT: UNITED BY THE VALUES OF ENERGY AND COMMITMENT In keeping with a tradition that has lasted decades - just think of the multi-year sponsorship of the A.S. Roma football team - Barilla is continuing to invest in the world of Italian sport: a passionate combination of Italian sportsmanship and the desire to show the best of Italy to the world, with a healthy and transparent approach to sport and proper nutrition. This passion is very much alive for Barilla in basketball as well: after the success of EuroBasket 2015, Barilla has confirmed its sponsorship of Italian National Basketball throughout the 2016-2017 biennial, as well as its relationship with champion Danilo Gallinari. Indeed, over the years there have been numerous examples of the Barilla Group’s collaboration with the world of sport: from Alberto Tomba in skiing to tennis player Steffi Graf; from Francesco Moser to Valentino Rossi, to more recent partnerships with Federica Pellegrini, Ricardo Kakà, Stephan El Shaarawy and Mikaela Shiffrin. There is also a special long-standing relationship between Barilla and Alex Zanardi, Olympic gold medallist at the London 2012 Paralympics. Sport is energy, enthusiasm, commitment, and so is Barilla pasta: energy that tastes good and fuels life, nourishing passions and transforming them into triumphs.

The Barilla Group

Founded in Parma in 1877 out of a shop that made bread and pasta, Barilla is today among the top Italian food groups: leader for pasta in the world, pasta sauces in continental Europe, bakery products in Italy, and the crisp bread business in Scandinavia. The Barilla Group owns 28 production sites (14 in Italy and 14 abroad) and exports to more than 100 countries. Every year, its plants turn out around 1,700,000 tons of food products that are consumed on tables all over the world, under the following brand names: Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Harrys, Pavesi, Wasa, Filiz, Yemina e Vesta, Misko, and Academia Barilla. The Barilla Group has one way of doing business: “Good for You, Good for the Planet.”

“Good for You” means constantly improving our products, motivating people to adopt healthy lifestyles and improving food access and social inclusion. “Good for the Planet” means promoting sustainable supply chains and reducing the amount of CO2 we emit and water we consume during production.

For more information, please visit:www.barillagroup.com

The Barilla Group

Founded in Parma in 1877 out of a shop that made bread and pasta, Barilla is today among the top Italian food groups: leader for pasta in the world, pasta sauces in continental Europe, bakery products in Italy, and the crisp bread business in Scandinavia. The Barilla Group owns 28 production sites (14 in Italy and 14 abroad) and exports to more than 100 countries. Every year, its plants turn out around 1,700,000 tons of food products that are consumed on tables all over the world, under the following brand names: Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Harrys, Pavesi, Wasa, Filiz, Yemina e Vesta, Misko, Voiello and Academia Barilla. The Barilla Group has one way of doing business: “Good for You, Good for the Planet.”

“Good for You” means constantly improving our products, motivating people to adopt healthy lifestyles and improving food access and social inclusion. “Good for the Planet” means promoting sustainable supply chains and reducing the amount of CO2 we emit and water we consume during production.

For more information, please visit:www.barillagroup.com

For information:

Head of Media Relations Luca Di Leo [email protected]

Media relations Caterina Grossi / Barbara Griguol [email protected] [email protected] +39 0521 262217

INC –NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNICATION Matteo de Angelis [email protected]; + 39 06 44160834; +39 3346788708 Simone Ranaldi [email protected];+39 06 44160883; +39 3355208289