Authenticity guaranteed: What PDO means for one of the world's most famous cheese

Why Parmigiano Reggiano's PDO status is more than a mark of origin, it's a promise of taste, trust, and tradition.

London, 17 October 2025 — In a culinary world saturated with imitations, Parmigiano Reggiano stands tall as a product known for its quality, tradition, and authenticity, due to its Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. This respected label is far more than a title; it is a legal seal that binds every wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano to its roots and ensures the extraordinary taste.

Since 1992, the European Union has safeguarded Parmigiano Reggiano as a PDO product, meaning every stage from the production of cow's milk to the packaging and the grating must occur within its designated region in northern Italy, specifically Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantua to the right of the Po River, and Bologna to the left of the Reno River. This system preserves its heritage and protects consumers from imitations, especially when other hard cheeses attempt to brand themselves as 'Parmesan'.

At the heart of PDO lies terroir, the unique aspects of land, climate, biodiversity, and craftsmanship. Cows graze mostly on locally grown forage, more than 75% of which has to come from within the production zone, developing a distinctive microbiome in the milk that contributes to the cheese's complexity. Traditional cheesemaking, the same practice carried out for over nine centuries, follows simple disciplined steps using only three ingredients: cow's milk, salt, rennet. The skill of a single master cheesemaker produces two wheels from a single batch.

Today, Parmigiano Reggiano continues to grow its global reach while remaining firmly rooted in tradition. According to economic data for 2024, the United Kingdom was the fourth largest foreign market for Parmigiano Reggiano (after the United States, France and Germany), with 7,778 tonnes exported, an increase of +17.8% on 2023. Data from the first eight months of 2025 confirm this upward trend. The UK has maintained its position as the fourth largest foreign market for PDO products and the second largest outside the European Union, with 5,608 tonnes exported and an increase of +10.4% compared to the same period in 2024.

However, this success also underscores the importance of PDO protection on a global scale. The Consortium estimates that the turnover of fake Parmesan outside the European Union amounts to €2 billion, representing around 200,000 tonnes of counterfeit products, roughly three times the volume of exported Parmigiano Reggiano. These figures highlight the vital role of the Consortium in protecting, defending, and promoting authentic Parmigiano Reggiano, safeguarding its typical characteristics and raising awareness of its true identity around the world.

This process affects many aspects of the final product.

• Taste - Authentic Parmigiano Reggiano offers a rich, nutty, granular texture and evolving depth depending on its age, from fresh and milky at 12–18 months, to crumbly and crystalline by 24 months, and spicy notes past 36 months.
• Trust - The PDO seal, the dotted inscription, the Consortium's marking offer consumers tangible assurance they are buying genuine product.
• Tradition - This cheese carries almost a millennium of artisanal craft and cultural identity, sustained by the Po Valley and nurtured by generations of cheesemakers.

Parmigiano Reggiano's PDO status means guaranteed provenance, unmatched flavour, and respect for a living tradition.

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About Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano Reggiano is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product and one of the oldest, richest cheeses in the world. Made in a small area of northern Italy – including the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and parts of Mantua and Bologna, Mantua to the right of the Po River, and Bologna to the left of the Reno River – it has undergone very little change to the production process and is essentially still produced the same way it was 1,000 years ago.

Parmigiano Reggiano is made with only three ingredients - milk, salt, and rennet – and therefore contains no additives, only natural bacteria. To create its distinctive taste, the cattle have a specific diet, and Parmigiano Reggiano has a minimum maturation period of one year, but it can mature for much longer, even up to 60 months or longer.

Parmigiano Reggiano is the only cheese that can be legally called “Parmesan”. Other Italian hard cheeses may be mistaken for Parmesan due to their shape, but as they are not produced under Parmigiano Reggiano's exact conditions and area of origin, they cannot be called Parmesan under EU and UK law.

For more information on Parmigiano Reggiano, visit https://www.parmigianoreggiano.com/ 

If you would like to receive more information about Parmigiano Reggiano, please contact Jaspreet Kulair by emailing j.kulair@brand-dialogue.com or calling +44 (0)207 389 9433.