Parmigiano Reggiano remains one of the most appreciated and best managed jewels of made-in-Italy food, even in the Covid-19 era. The balance of the first half of 2020 is positive in Italy and outstanding abroad. The analysis by Consorzio Parmigiano Reggiano and Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali (CRPA).
Parmigiano reggiano DOP. Sales up, exports skyrocketing
The performance of the king of Italian cheeses in the first half of 2020 marks an appreciable increase in sales in Italy (+6.1%). Up to 34,200 tons, 2,200,000 tons more than the previous six months.
Exports skyrocket, +11.9%, with a total volume of over 27 thousand tons of product. Consumers on the planet seem to have finally understood the difference between real Parmigiano Reggiano DOP and its obscene imitations. Thanks in part to the Consortium’s battles to protect the reputation of the authentic product against imitations and evocations. In the face of industrial giants but also of small businesses.
Skyrocketing exports
Sales in Europe increased 12.5 percent overall, with notable increases in the Netherlands (+31.6 percent), Belgium (+31.3 percent), Germany (+16 percent), the United Kingdom (+15.1 percent) and France (+7.2 percent). There is a reversal in the distribution in the EU, which now sees Germany as the leading market (with a 19.6 percent share of total exports), followed by France (19.5 percent), hitherto the leading market after Italy, the US (18.2 percent), the UK (13.5 percent) and Canada (5 percent).
In non-EU markets (+11.9%), Canada (+153.9%), Gulf countries (+50.5%), China (+37.2%) and Norway (+35.8%) stand out. Conversely, orders from Greece (-14.6 percent) and Austria (-13.3 percent), and outside the EU, Australia (-25.8 percent), Japan (-3.2 percent) and the U.S. (-1.6 percent), were down. Foreign requests for Parmigiano reggiano prefer portioned and grated formats (+14.7 percent and +14.2 percent respectively) over whole wheels (+5.9 percent).
Supply management
The Consortium has taken appropriate rebalancing measures to manage the risk of overproduction in the first half of 2020. Reduced production quotas for the next three years, surplus purchase continues at 335 dairies. Up to 320 thousand cheeses (for half of the last four months of 2019 and other half of the first four months of 2020) will be seasoned longer, with a view to their valorization in the market.
‘Even in this time of crisis and uncertainty, the market has rewarded us. The data show how strong branding and well-positioned toward the consumer has been the best vaccine to stem the commercial impacts of Covid.
Now we need everyone ‘scooperation to protect the product and avoid the risks associated with a very uncertain autumn both in Italy and abroad’ (Nicola Bertinelli,president of Consorzio Parmigiano Reggiano DOP).
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
