Opening of the “Tigre-Annona” Supermarket
Renewed, modern, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly
With a total area of 1,321 square meters—875 of which are dedicated to sales—the new store features six checkout counters, 30 reserved parking spaces, and employs 34 staff members. It offers an assortment of around 11,000 products, selected with particular selection for local products, especially in the delicatessen, bakery and fruit and vegetable departments.
These are just some of the details of the new “Tigre-Annona” supermarket, located within Vatican City, which opened its doors to the employees of the Governorate and the Holy See on the morning of Wednesday, October 15.
The official inauguration and blessing ceremony took place on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 14. Among those present were Sister Raffaella Petrini, Archbishop Emilio Nappa, and Atty. Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi—respectively President and Secretaries General of the Governorate—Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Archbishop Luciano Russo, Secretary of the Section for the Diplomatic Personnel of the Holy See, and Laura Gabrielli, President of Magazzini Gabrielli S.p.A., the company managing the store under the new “Tigre-Annona” brand, along with family members and partners of the Group. Also in attendance were the directors and deputy directors of various Governorate departments, including Enrico Bartelucci and Nicola Francescucci, respectively Director of Economy and Deputy Director of the Economic Activities Sector within the Directorate of the Economy, and Engineer Salvatore Farina, Director of Infrastructure and Services.
Archbishop Nappa presided over the blessing of the premises, assisted by Father Franco Fontana, Coordinator of the Chaplains of the Directorates and Central Offices of the Governorate.
Sister Raffaella Petrini and Laura Gabrielli officially cut the ribbon, marking the reopening of the completely renovated store following major refurbishment works.
In her remarks, the President of the Governorate explained that this was “a project born of the collaboration between the Governorate and the Gabrielli Group. From the very beginning, it was conceived to meet the daily needs of the employees of the Governorate and the Holy See, as well as of residents within Vatican City State, and today’s reopening confirms that original purpose.”
The President noted that the “Tigre-Annona” store now presents itself “in a completely renewed form—modernized, more efficient and more environmentally conscious—fully in line with the path undertaken by the Governorate to put into practice the principles of the encyclical Laudato Si’ and to ensure respect for our common home.”
This reopening, she added, is “the result of a process of innovation and virtuous cooperation involving, in fact, all our departments—especially the Directorate for the Economy and the Directorate for Infrastructure and Services—but also the Security and Civil Protection Services, the Customs Services, and the Inspection and Control Unit of the Governorate.”
Sister Petrini emphasized that the space was redesigned “with a twofold goal: to offer employees and their families convenience, quality, and savings, while also actively contributing to our commitment to sustainability.”
“But,” she concluded, “the true strength of this store remains the people: those who work here and those who will come as customers. This space is dedicated to all of them—to all of you—and we want it to reflect, even indirectly, the values we share: care for the vulnerable and large families, teamwork, trust, and responsibility.”
For her part, Laura Gabrielli thanked everyone who took part in the store’s opening and explained that it features all the departments typical of a modern supermarket. In addition to the fresh produce section, she added, there are full-service counters for meat, bread, delicatessen, and ready-made meals. At the entrance, a small dining area is also available for customers wishing to enjoy their ready-to-eat dishes on site.
