Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is accelerating its long-term expansion strategy in the United States, its largest international market, with the aim of doubling sales over the next eight years despite continued uncertainty surrounding trade policy.
The U.S. currently accounts for 10% of PDO Parmigiano Reggiano’s total production and 22% of its exports. Following sales growth of 2.3% in 2025, the first months of 2026 recorded a further 2.4% increase, suggesting that the market has maintained positive momentum after overcoming concerns linked to tariff-related uncertainty, which had primarily affected business planning rather than demand itself.
To strengthen its position, the Protection Consortium established a U.S.-based corporation in 2024 to gain closer control over market dynamics and distribution. At the same time, its investment in marketing, communications, and sponsorships has more than doubled, rising from €3.5 million to €8 million over recent years, with the budget expected to reach €11 million next year.
A key milestone in this strategy was achieved during the 2026 edition of the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, where the Consortium signed agreements with two major U.S. distributors. The partnerships will allow the distributors to use the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO logo in accordance with the Consortium’s branding guidelines, supporting stronger product positioning in the American market.
The agreements were announced during the institutional panel, Inside Parmigiano Reggiano’s U.S. Growth, attended by more than 100 representatives from distribution, retail, the media, sport, public institutions, and the Italian-American community, including Italy’s Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, and Italian Ambassador to the USA Marco Peronaci.
“We are opening a new chapter,” said the Consortium President Nicola Bertinelli. “In the past, we focused on selling our product to distributors, but it is equally important to understand what happens afterwards. The question is not only how to increase awareness of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, but how to make it part of Americans’ everyday lives.”
Bertinelli said the Consortium aims to ensure consumers clearly distinguish Parmigiano Reggiano PDO from imitation products and understand its unique characteristics and the best ways to use and store it. “We need to continue building strong brand awareness,” he said. “We must go beyond being recognized as a high-quality cheese and become an icon, explaining why Parmigiano Reggiano is different.”
Retailers will play a central role in this effort. The Consortium is launching a training programme for store personnel responsible for cutting, portioning, presenting, and recommending the cheese, with specialist instructors expected to train 400 retail employees.
According to Bertinelli, future growth will depend on embedding Parmigiano Reggiano within American food culture while creating value across the supply chain. “Two-thirds of the wealth generated by our members in the territory—currently around €600 million—remains with American operators,” he said. “This is also a model that can later be replicated in other markets around the world.”