Grana Padano PDO exports have soared in the first seven months of 2024, up 10.2% from the same period last year, according to Stefano Berni, Director General of the Grana Padano Consortium. Exports now represent around 52% of total sales, as international demand continues to drive growth for the world’s most consumed Italian PDO cheese.
Germany retained its position as the largest importer, with a robust 23.7% rise in imports. Spain and Austria followed with impressive gains of 26% and 25%, respectively.
“Foreign sales have delivered double-digit growth, with 1,540,891 wheels exported—a 10.2% increase year-on-year,” Berni noted. Growth was particularly strong in Japan (+39%), Canada (+38%), and the United States (+14%).
Surging demand for grated Grana Padano across EU markets and new inroads in Japan, where cheese wheels are now grated locally, have offset a cooling domestic market, contributing to an overall consumption boost of 3.5%.
