By Anastasia Finney
An FUA Marketing class goes inside the food retail business through a site visit at Eataly Florence.
Studying abroad at Florence University of the Arts is truly an experience like no other. Oftentimes, this is due simply to the location of this institution in the heart of Florence, allowing effective and memorable learning outside the traditional classroom walls.
An “Introduction to Marketing” class taught by Professor Andrea Adams experienced a site visit this fall to local Eataly store. Eataly is a food retailer, comprised of grocery markets and restaurants, that focuses on selling quality Italian goods to an international market. According to the website, the Eataly mission is “to demonstrate that high-quality Italian food and drink are at hand.” Eataly also highlights that they not only focus on Italian food itself, but also “living the Italian way” in terms of taking the time to enjoy this high-quality and local food.
The marketing class was able to go on a tour of the Eataly facilities, as well meet with a store manager to get an insider’s perspective. “We got to learn about an Italian business through an international marketing perspective,” said student Nicholas Tyndall. “I got a new view on how Italian businesses are vying to compete in an evolving global marketplace.”
Founded in 2007, Eataly has already grown exponentially and received international attention. The most recent addition to the company is a second New York City store in downtown Manhattan, opened in August 2016, which has received excitement and positive reviews. The students in this marketing class were able to see Eataly here in its founding country, as well as see how it has already influenced their home countries.
Besides in Italy and the United States, Eataly has locations in Brazil, Japan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Germany, and Turkey. From the presentation, Tyndall said the most interesting thing he learned was “how far Eataly has already spread across the globe and how aggressive its expansion plans are for the future.” The company plans to open additional stores across the United States, as well as expand into Canada, Mexico, France, Russia, China, Australia, and more.
The marketing class also received student cards from Eataly to experiment with the customer experience of benefits and discounts, ranging from bakery items to restaurant meals.
“I like that FUA really emphasizes this kind of experiential learning,” Tyndall concluded. “It makes the material much more interesting and helps you to explore Florence itself.”
Interested in visiting Eataly? The main store is on Via de’ Martelli, 22, right by the Duomo. There is also a smaller Eataly marketplace within the Mercato Centrale – Via dell’Ariento, 50123 Firenze.