Italy’s Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium is investing €1.2 million to increase sales in the US market by 10% in 2017. Last year, the US was the top foreign market for the Consortium.
Actions will also be taken against imitation and 'Italian sounding' products, which deceive 67% of American consumers by using the Italian flag or other Italian symbols on its packaging.
Future Prospects
According to the president of the Consortium, Nicola Bertinelli, there are good prospects for expansion in the US and Canadian markets, especially due to the increased attention for the value of the products and their distinctive characteristics.
He warned that in the US market, which absorbs 7.2% of Parmigiano Reggiano's entire production, counterfeits are widespread due to a lack of legislation for DOP products.
However, Bertinelli expressed confidence that a new ally has been found in the form of retail chains, “who have every interest in promoting those controlled products with designated origin to which consumers are increasingly turning".
© 2017 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
