Italian cheese group Parmigiano Reggiano has closed 2018 with a 1.5% growth in production to over 3.7 million units.
This positive performance is reflected in the group’s 2018 results, announced during the General Assembly of the Consorzio Parmigiano Reggiano, which said that the group posted record revenues of €38.4 million, compared to €33.4 million a year earlier.
Commenting on the results, consortium president Nicola Bertinelli warned of a risk of falling prices, stressing the need to place the cheese on the market at a remunerative price and achieve growth in a “rational and flexible manner”.
According to Bertinelli, a further increase in production is expected in 2019, bringing the number of units produced by the group to 3.75 million.
More than €38 million will be made available during the year to support the market and establish new demand outlets.
Grana Padano
The year 2018 has also been a milestone for Grana Padano, the most consumed PDO product in the world with an output of 4.94 million units, an increase of 32% compared to 2017.
This positive trend is also reflected in exports that, in the first 9 months of the year, showed an increase of 5.4%.
According to the Consorzio Grana Padano, there has also been a growth in household purchases (+4.6%), as well as in the catering (+7%) and retail sectors (+6.9%). Grated cheese also saw a 10% increase compared to the previous year.
Commenting on the results, consortium director Stefano Berni, stressed that “never before has Grana Padano been consumed so much, both in Italy and abroad, as in 2018”.
Joint Venture
Meanwhile, Parmigiano Reggiano producer Parmareggio and deli meat company Grandi Salumifici Italiani (which boasts 7 DOP and IGP products) have set up a cooperative joint venture with a goal of achieving further growth, especially in foreign markets.
Bonterre, which is operative from 1 January 2019, will have a consolidated turnover of over €1 billion, of which €200 million is derived from exports, operates 16 plants in Italy, and will have an output of 140,000 tonnes per year.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
