Zaghini (Grana Padano): “Our success is the result of teamwork”

The sales performance of Grana Padano has brilliantly overcome difficulties such as Covid, the conflict in Ukraine and inflation which is decimating the purchasing power of Italian families. With Renato Zaghini, president of the Protection Consortiumlet’s take stock of the most consumed PDO in the world and its future prospects, which are in the hands of the “Young people of the supply chain”.

How did 2022 end for the Grana Padano Consortium and how did the Italian economic situation influence this trend?

“We closed 2022 with an overall increase in sales of 2.38%, driven above all by the growth in exports, and a production of 5,212,103 wheels, thus confirming Grana Padano Dop as the most consumed protected designation of origin product in the world. We were confident, but we had not predicted that we would reach the unprecedented levels reached in the second half of 2022. This milestone has allowed for a significant impact on the territory, rewarding the efforts of operators. The boost in grated cheese, especially abroad, has grown in particular a total of 10.2%.The Grana Padano Dop supply chain was thus able to face and overcome the substantial increases in production costs and sometimes difficult relations with the large-scale distribution. And we can reiterate, once again, that no dairy sector Italian dairy has performed as well as Grana Padano.This has allowed the supply chain to bring to its territory an additional income of around 300 million euros compared to other milk destinations for the benefit of the 50,000 people involved in the system, for a total production value of 1.7 billion euros. Furthermore, the raw material destined for Grana Padano had in 2022 a plus in valorisation of about 20% higher than the other destinations of homogeneous milk, i.e. that produced by cows also fed with corn silage and which constitutes about 80% of the cow’s milk produced in Italy”.

What are the prospects for 2023?

“In the January-March 2023 quarter, 1,580,830 wheels were already processed with an increase of 4.9% compared to the first three months of the previous year. We are therefore continuing the trend of the end of 2022, but we must be careful, as we have supported in the production plan still in force, to link supply to consumer demand.Therefore, while maintaining the most important market share among typical hard cheeses in Italy with 47%, the growth is driven by exports. last year’s data demonstrate how decisive the renewed promotional campaign entrusted to Kpmg was in terms of growth, which brought the claim “An Italian emotion” to both the national media and the main foreign markets. This is the main road on which to continue”.

Are the economic difficulties changing the consumption habits of Italians?

“Even if we see a slight contraction in consumption, rather than habits in the choice of products and their quality, I believe that Italians are more attentive to avoiding excess consumption and also to favor service, as in the case of continuously grated Grana Padano growth. However, it is evident that inflation, which is particularly high in the shopping cart, needs to be brought under control”.

What is the outcome of the first edition of the Youth in the Supply Chain initiative?

“Certainly positive. We have brought young generations of entrepreneurs and professionals to the fore, who by telling their experiences have shown how Grana Padano Dop has a future worthy of its history ahead of it. Their commitment demonstrates how its success is due to a daily commitment to improve quality, controls, the choice of raw materials, the sustainability of each company in the supply chain, all important and evolving elements to guarantee an ancient heritage more effectively, but in step with the times. young people who are already present with Grana Padano Dop is a much more convincing and effective way than others”.

What do you expect from the second edition?

“To improve the success especially on social media of the first edition and communicate that in any case each protagonist is not a soloist, but works as a team. This is why the new protagonists in their stories are not alone. To accompany them in the video as in life there is from time to time a close person: a mother, a father, a brother with whom you share a passion for work and the responsibility of the role, a wife, a friend, a colleague in the daily commitment between tradition and innovation. he concludes by reiterating the concept that inspires the initiative and animates the supply chain: ‘Different generations. Same passion. Almost a thousand years of history that are renewed every day’. Thus we give the signal of continuity towards a future of growth. It is the spirit that it inspired the monks of Chiaravalle when they created the first form and today it is spreading in the digital age”.