Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium Celebrates 90 Years

The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, the governing body for Parmigiano Reggiano Protected Destination of Origin (PDO), marks its 90th birthday this year.

Founded in 1934, the Consortium’s efforts throughout the last century include quadrupling Parmigiano Reggiano production and working to promote the Made in Italy designation globally, according to the business. Most recently, the cheese’s export quota has reached 47 percent.

In 2023, 292 dairies hailing from the DOP production zones of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantova, the right of the Po’ River, and the left of the Reno River, yielded 160,000 tons of cheese, said the Consortium. The cheeses come in varieties including Kosher and Halal.

“We may be 90 years old, but we feel more energetic and excited for the future than ever,” said Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Consortium, in a statement.  “We are currently in a moment of change that the inevitable revolutions of the future are bringing: sustainability, the management of production costs in an unpredictable world, and more. These elements, central in the future of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, will unfold in spheres that will be governed by the Consortium, which was founded on the principle of the power of collective action.”