T. Ozbun
Research expert covering food retail and all food topics for Italy and Brazil
Certified food products in Italy - Statistics and facts
No other country in the European Union had as many certified food and wine products as Italy, which counted 326 food products and 527 wines of high quality as of 2023. Validated by EU legislation, the labels for Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), and Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) indicate a recognized quality seal in a variety of foodstuff categories.
Certified food products are a coveted asset both nationally and internationally making them a viable growing market.
Regional differences in certification
The industry of certified geographical indications differentiates a lot within the country. Among the twenty Italian regions, Tuscany ranked first with the highest number of certified products, followed closely by Veneto and Piedmont. Emilia-Romagna was the region with the highest number of food products while Piedmont was the one with the highest number of wines. When it came to the overall production value of PDO, PGI, and TSG quality labels in the country, Veneto was the leading region, achieving more than 4.8 billion euros. Emilia-Romagna followed with close to four billion euros while Molise was the last in the list with just 7.7 million euros in production value from its certified products.Production and export
The bond between a food product and its production location is a key aspect of product identity and quality, as in the case of PGI balsamic vinegar produced in Modena which almost completely covers the whole market of certified balsamic vinegar. Despite the abundance of certified cheeses, the most popular labeled types are Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano. The two cheeses undergo distinct production processes, involving varying cow feed, milk production methods, and production locations - a larger territory for the former and a preference for mountainous terrain for the latter. Both have achieved success not only in Italy but also internationally; they are recognized as some of the most renowned cheeses globally. In 2023, a total of 114,000 tons of Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano exported worldwide. Over 21,000 tons were directed to Germany, the main importer, followed by the United States and France.Certified wine
Regarding the wine market, Italy had a total of 409 PDO and 118 PGI wines, with the northern region of Piedmont producing 60 of them. In terms of output volumes, Prosecco led the way among PDO certified wines with more than double the amount produced compared to the second in the list, Delle Venezie. Both PDO and PGI wines were not only popular at home but also abroad. Despite the dominance of Prosecco, red wines overall had a much higher export value, reaching 853 million euros for PDO and 467 million euros for PGI in the first half of 2023.Certified food products are a coveted asset both nationally and internationally making them a viable growing market.
