Fontina PDO, a brand of excellence in Italy and the world

Fontina PDO, a brand of excellence in Italy and the world

Fontina PDO, a brand of excellence in Italy and the world

Fontina DOP, in Valle d'Aosta, is a true institution. Much more than a cheese, much more than a typical local production, Fontina has over the centuries rightfully entered the tradition of the region Italian mountains. And in recent decades, accompanied by the white truffle of Alba and the wine of the Langhe, it has helped to spread the Made in Italy food and wine mainly from the Northwest. Today, Fontina can be found in restaurants and some shops in New York, but above all, it can be combined with different gourmet dishes prepared by international chefs.

The history of this cheese is very old and for the Aosta Valley it is a real source of pride, as well as being the main ingredient of recipes that have now rightfully entered the history of Italian cuisine. In 2016, Fontina PDO was included among the 26 best cheeses in the worldThis recognition has contributed greatly to exporting to the world what was already one of the most appreciated Italian brands of excellence.

From the Aosta Valley to tables all over the world: a tip with an international flavour

Recognition should come as no surprise. And if in the advise on the composition of a cheese plate which contemplates a certain variety of taste, and consequently production from different types of milk, a different consistency and different flavours, Fontina PDO is also included there is more than one reason. It is a truly exceptional achievement, if one looks at the number of competitors against which Fontina had to compete to obtain this recognition. But also an understandable achievement if you think that in the last Ismea-Quality Report December 2020 exports of PDO and PGI products increased by 162% thanks to the protection and promotion activities carried out by the 285 recognised Consortia, including the Consorzio Produttori e Tutela della D.O.P. Fontina.

The composition of a cheese plate must be made by carefully weighing up the many qualities and peculiarities, ranging from the “old” to “new”, “delicate” to “blue”. And Fontina falls among these options. It is an approach that produces a range of sensory and research experiences that culminate, for Fontina, in the tale of a buttery cheese, with a soft and semi-soft texture, and grass and flowery tones. And so, Fontina is rightfully placed in a list of cheeses not to be missed, in which one finds such excellences as the Spanish Idiazábal, the French Époisses, the Bavarian Adelegger, but also the delicate Portuguese Zimbro and the ever-present Parmigiano Reggiano.

Italian “taste” exports driven by the cheese sector

In the first quarter of 2019, the export value of the Italian dairy sector exceeded EUR 800 million, with a growth of 14% compared to the previous period (2019 is the last pre-Covid year and therefore the comparison with the previous period is more meaningful net of any external factors that may have affected it).

With these strongly growing numbers, the national cheese segment, which also includes Fontina AOC, continues with a positive growth trend that makes it one of the most representative segments of Italian agri-food products.

Driving exports is the cheese segment, approaching the 700 million euro threshold, and growing in value and quantity. But in general, again according to Ismea data, in 2019 Italian food exports reached 9.5 billion euro with an increase of 5.1% per year.

Italian cheese, in this context, is increasingly recognised as a product of excellence not only by consumers in the Bel Paese, but also abroad. The main destinations of local cheeses? We have seen that Fontina PDO has opened an important window on the US market, even at a time when the stars and stripes country's protectionist policies potentially make market penetration less easy, but France and Germany remain the main destination countries, followed by the UK, the US and Spain.

The desire for Italian cheese is growing in the world, highlighted by the demand for quality, wholesomeness and the Italian dairy tradition: a series of characteristics attributable to Fontina PDO, which thus crosses the borders of Valle d'Aosta and Italy to be appreciated worldwide.