After ending 2023 with a record consumer revenue of €3.05 billion, the Consortium for the Protection and Promotion of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO saw total sales climb further in the first half of 2024, up by 15.1% (70,742 tons compared to 61,458 tons in the same period of 2023).
Sales rose in Italy (+12.9% by volume) and abroad, with exports up 17.5%, driven by gains in EU markets (+13%) and an impressive +23.7% surge in non-EU countries. All product formats saw growth—wheels, grated, and specialty formats—with portioned cheese sales notably up by 21.9%.
The U.S. remained the top export market, with a 21.7% increase in volume. To support this growth, the Consortium opened an operational office in the U.S. on July 27, marking its 90th anniversary, alongside substantial marketing investments.
Parmigiano Reggiano PDO also performed well in France (+9.6%), its second-largest global market and the top within the EU, in Germany (+15.1%), which rebounded strongly after a challenging 2023, and in the UK (+18.8%), signaling a significant recovery in a market hit hard by Brexit.
Exceptional results were also recorded in Canada (+73.7%) and Japan (+11.3%), the leading Asian market for Italy’s “king of cheeses.” Emerging markets also showed promise, particularly China (+43.8%), where volumes remain modest but grow steadily, and the Persian Gulf countries (+84.5%), rapidly becoming a key export destination.
