The Consortium for the protection of Prosciutto Toscano PDO is back to promoting in North America, starting with Miami and Las Vegas. Consolidating and expanding the network of relationships with buyers, importers, and professional operators in the Horeca sector is the goal of the American trip, which is part of the Cut&Share promotion project. It is in fact a three-year information and promotion campaign focused on the United States and Canada.
The first stop of the Consortium’s US expedition was in Florida, at the Miami Culinary Institute. In the place where a new generation of haute cuisine professionals is being trained, the typical ham from Tuscany was the protagonist of a masterclass dedicated to PDO and PGI made-in-Tuscany excellence. The event was attended by buyers, journalists from the trade press, and food influencers.
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Guests had the opportunity to discover the centuries-old history of Prosciutto Toscano PDO, to learn more about its link with Tuscany and the naturalness of the product. This kind of ham is made using only meat from Italian heavy pigs, salt, pepper, and aromatic plants, without additives and preservatives. The masterclass was also an opportunity to taste Prosciutto Toscano PDO and appreciate its versatility in cooking.
THE WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW IN LAS VEGAS
The US mission of the Prosciutto Toscano PDO is now in Las Vegas. From February 6 to 8, for the first time ever, the city will host the Winter Fancy Food Show, formerly held in San Francisco. The show, which in its 2020 edition featured 1,400 exhibitors and drew more than 10,000 b2b visitors, is a prime gateway to the West Coast market.
“This is our third participation in the Winter Fancy Food Show,” says Emore Magni, Director of the Prosciutto Toscano PDO Consortium. “This international event is strategic for the business of our sector in the United States, as it gives us the opportunity to meet buyers and importers from the West Coast. In Las Vegas, we are presenting ourselves alongside another Tuscan excellence: Pecorino Toscano PDO cheese. Our stand will host workshops and guided tastings”.
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PROSCIUTTO TOSCANO PDO IN THE USA
The United States is a very important market for Prosciutto Toscano PDO. Together with the UK, the USA is the main destination country for non-EU exports, also thanks to the suspension of duties. The turnover of Prosciutto Toscano PDO in the USA is equal to 15% of the total export turnover of the sector. Exports to EU countries account for 70% of total export sales. Germany is the first commercial partner. The USA is also one of the most dynamic markets: in 2021 exports to the USA grew by +30%.
“We are satisfied with the results Prosciutto Toscano PDO is achieving in North America. We now have a long tradition with the United States. In 2012 the Consortium started the process to have all the authorizations to market the product. In 2013 we obtained the registration of the figurative and denomination trademark, then the green light to distribution,” Magni says. “Now we go back to preside over a market where, at a promotional level, we had been absent for two years due to the Covid-19 health emergency. The US market offers enormous growth potential. The specialty food business there is estimated at 150 billion dollars/year. In the medium-long term, our goal is to have a more constant presence in the American market, so as to give continuity to our promotional activities”.