Last year was a record year for sales of pre-sliced Prosciutto di Parma PDO in trays, which grew by about +6%. For the first time, more than 2 million sliced hams were sold, for a volume of over 100 million packs.
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Starting in 2019, sales of Prosciutto di Parma PDO in trays began to grow again, with a real surge over the last two years. “Pre-sliced ham is demonstrating its full strength year after year. Sales in 2021 were favored by the confinement imposed by the Covid pandemic, prices, and the longer shelf-life of ham in trays. But this trend is destined to last and become more and more consolidated,” says Alessandro Utini, President of the Consortium for the protection of Prosciutto di Parma PDO.
EXPORT SALES
About 72 million trays were exported in 2021, growing by +3% compared to 2020. Europe is by far the most important market for pre-sliced Prosciutto di Parma PDO. In fact, 86% of the total, equal to 1,760,000 sliced hams, was sold on this continent. Non-European markets, on the other hand, account for 14% of total sales, equal to 390,000 sliced hams.
After a three-year period of strong growth, the USA has become the top foreign market also in this segment for Prosciutto di Parma PDO with 275,000 hams imported in 2021 (+10.4%). It has overtaken the UK where the medium-term sales trend is negative mainly due to Brexit.
Markets with a particularly positive purchasing trend include Germany (255,000 sliced hams purchased, with a +5% growth), Poland, Japan, and Ireland.
As for the consumption seasonality, in 2021 all quarters recorded all-time high sales compared to the past. In the third quarter of the year – i.e. the summer period – an exceptional sales peak was reached both in Italy and abroad.