Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is increasingly becoming a global product, as evidenced by the positive export sales figures for 2024 (source: NIQ), which saw a 13.7% increase compared to 2023. The first day of Sirha Lyon (23-27 January), a premier event for the catering and hospitality sector, provided the perfect occasion to take stock. The Protection Consortium is participating with stand 6E81 in Hall 6, where chefs from the Institut Lyfe international cooking school will celebrate the Italian “king of cheeses” with tastings paired with Prosciutto di Parma PDO.
This event is particularly significant as France has confirmed its position as the second-largest foreign market for Parmigiano Reggiano, with a 9% increase in sales in 2024. The United States, where the Consortium recently met with operators and importers at the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas, remains in first place with an 11.5% increase. In Spain, another country of great interest, the Italian dairy staple grew by 11.5% last year. To support the growth of the Iberian market, the Consortium will be present at Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España 2025 (27-29 January), the Spanish gastronomy event par excellence, at stand 0C015 – Hall 14, with guided tastings, cheese wheel openings, and the presentation of six finger-foods with Parmigiano Reggiano PDO prepared by chef Gianni Pinto of Ristorante Noi.
The Consortium reaffirms its strategic approach of consolidating and fostering awareness in foreign markets, which are key for the future of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO. With a positive outlook for 2025, the pillars of the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO strategy will continue to be training and education on the product, enabling foreign consumers to recognize its uniqueness in vast markets filled with imitation products and considerable confusion at the point of purchase. Marketing and communication efforts will also be intensified, with investments in all three markets to increase brand recognition.