Prosciutto di Parma marks 60th anniversary

Parma, Italy – This year marks 60 years since Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma was founded and 30 years of Prosciutto di Parma exports to Canada.

On April 18, 1963, at the Parma Chamber of Commerce, 23 producers formed the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma on a private and voluntary basis believing that collaboration would enable them to better protect and enhance their unique product, which is closely tied to a small region in the province of Parma, Italy.

“Sixty years later, an initiative championed by that group of 23 Prosciutto di Parma producers still resonates today,” says Alessandro Utini, president of the Consorzio. “Joining together to defend and promote the unique attributes of our product is not only one hundred per cent relevant, but it also helps us to protect the future generations who will benefit from our legacy.”

Prosciutto di Parma has reached significant milestones over 60 years, including:

• 1970 – The enactment of the law containing the “Norms Concerning the Protection of the Denomination of Origin of Prosciutto di Parma,” giving producers the tools to fight fraud and unfair competition (amended in 1990 with an updated version).
• 1992-93 – The Canadian market opened officially to Prosciutto di Parma; at that time, it authorized 14 producers to export to Canada.
• 2003 – Within five years, the number of exports to Canada grew to 18,000 prosciutti.
• 2017 – Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union and Canada approved; allowing Prosciutto di Parma to take full hold of its name in Canada under the protection of Geographical Indications.
• 2023 – There are currently 134 Prosciutto di Parma producers, each of which expresses its uniqueness in the product, in full compliance with the production rules.

The Consorzio produces almost nine million hams annually and Canada currently imports an average of 70,000 hams per year.

The Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma was established in 1963 by 23 producers producing 53,000 branded hams who wanted to protect and promote their product throughout the world. Since then, the Consorzio has grown into a family of 134 Prosciutto di Parma producers supplying nine million hams annually to markets all over the world.

To learn more and discover Prosciutto di Parma recipes, visit prosciuttodiparma.com.