Italian cheese exports have grown by a record 7% during 2017 (compared to last year), leading to a total of 84% growth over the past decade.
The findings emerge from a Coldiretti analysis based on Istat data for the first seven months of the year, which says that, for the first time, 400 million kilograms of Italian cheese will be consumed abroad this year.
French Appeal
The French have become the biggest consumers of Italian cheese, with exports growing by 94% over the past decade, at the expense of Camembert, Brie and Roquefort. In fact, Italian cheese exports to France are now double those of French cheese exports to Italy, which have remained almost stable over the decade.
After France, where 23% of Italian cheese is exported, the second-biggest market is Germany, with 14%, followed by the UK (10%), the US (9%) and Spain (5%). Still small but growing are Asian countries like Japan (2%) and China (1%).
Italian Pecorino cheese exports to the Netherlands have increased by 77%, compared to last year, and quadrupled in the past decade. In Switzerland, growth has been 8% higher than in 2016 and 22% higher for the decade. Similarly, in Greece, imports of fresh Italian mozzarella have gone up by 41% this year.
At the top of the list, the most sought-after Italian cheeses abroad are Grana Padano and Parmigiano-Reggiano, which represent 21% of the total exported.
© 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.
