Italian cheese exports abroad increase. Exports to Germany are up by 9.5%

Demand for Italian cheeses abroad continues to grow.
In the first four months of 2023, exports to Europe were up by 6.4% in volume compared to the previous year.

First among the importing countries is Germany, where another interesting phenomenon can be observed: the demand for Halal-certified products has grown by 18% in the last three years. This is a trend that could represent a further opportunity for growth for dairy products with this certification.

Made In Italy cheeses abroad in figures

As clearly stated by the latest report published by Assolatte (with data and variations from 2021 to 2022), the Italian milk and dairy sector counts 1,500 active companies throughout Italy, employs 35,000 people, and generates a turnover of EUR 18 billion, 5 of which come from exports.

Once again, foreign markets remain a key lever for dairy companies. Despite rising prices, the demand for Italian cheeses has not slowed down. With a constant growth of 6% over the last two years, the milk and dairy sector has recorded the best results of the entire agri-food sector. This year also started with a positive trend. According to CLAL data, in the first four months of 2023, Italian cheeses scored +6.4% in volume and +17.1% in value sales in Europe.

European countries are responsible for 80% of exports:

• France firmly retains first place. Exports to this country in the last two years have grown by 11.5% in volume and by 5.8% in value sales.
• In second place is Germany. After a slight decrease between 2021 and 2022, in the first four months of 2023, exports have increased by 9.5% in volume.
• Spain, the third largest market for Italian cheeses, shows the greatest signs of growth: +17.8% from 2021 to 2022 and +14.2% in the first four months of this year.

Among Italian cheeses, the most loved abroad is cow’s milk mozzarella. “Mozzarella is among the best-performing products,” says the president of Assolatte, Paolo Zanetti, in an interview reported by the newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. “Today it is the most exported cheese, we send 137,000 tons of it abroad, more or less 35% of the annual production, and the last two years have seen exports grow by 28%.”

Growing interest in Halal products in Europe

Another interesting figure comes from a study by Euromonitor which discusses points of contact (and differences) between Halal products andplant-basedproducts.

As the Muslim population grows throughout Western Europe, so does the demand for Halal-certified food products. In Germany, for example, the variety of products with Halal labels has grown by 18% in three years, from 2019 to 2022. Despite this significant growth, in 2022 Halal products accounted for only 1.1% of packaged food products.

This gap is often filled by vegan products, which are present on the German market to a much greater extent (13.9% according to Euromonitor). This is possible simply because, since they do not contain any ingredient of animal origin, these products meet the principles of Halal food. But Halal and veganism are by no means overlapping. When it comes to dairy products, we are answering this need with Cheeshal, our cheese made with Halal-certified, vegetal rennet.

Why Italian cheese is such a favorite abroad

The popularity of Italian cheeses in foreign markets is due to several factors. First and foremost, the very concept of ‘Made in Italy’ and all that it entails is attractive: the origin of the raw materials, the quality of production, and the Italian culinary culture. Then there is the variety of dairy production in our country. The list of traditional Italian agri-food products counts more than 600 cheeses. 30 of these are Sicilian, including canestrato cheeses, provola, mozzarella, ricotta, and baked ricotta.

Made in Italy is essentially a brand of great value, which should be enhanced and promoted, communicated more effectively to consumers, and protected from imitations, which are unfortunately becoming increasingly widespread.

To us, Made in Italy is a badge we are proud to show. Our cheese is produced entirely in our factory, starting from local raw materials, and processed using artisanal methods and semi-industrial processes, guaranteeing dairy specialties that are faithful to our traditions and safe in every respect.

To learn more about our products, we recommend that you visit this page.