European Promotion Projects Boost Italian Cured Meat Exports

The EU-funded Trust Your Taste, Choose European Quality campaign, led by Assica, Italy’s meat and cured meats industry association, is entering its second three-year phase with strong momentum, as export figures point to sustained growth.

In the first 11 months of 2024, Italian cured meat exports to European markets rose 13.9% by volume to 151,124 tonnes and 7.5% by value to €1.45bn compared with the same period a year earlier. Total exports, including non-EU markets, increased 12.8% by volume to 211,534 tonnes and 9.2% by value to €2.17bn.

Between 2019 and 2023, Italian cured meat exports to European markets climbed 12.8% by volume and 39.1% by value. Belgium—a key target market alongside Italy—posted double-digit gains, with volumes up 20.7% to 10,525 tonnes and value rising 11.0% to €118.9mn.

ITALIAN CURED MEAT: SUSTAINABILITY AT THE FOREFRONT

Assica’s Trust Your Taste campaign promotes a more sustainable supply chain by encouraging dialogue among producers, distributors, institutions, and consumers. The initiative seeks to raise awareness of the quality of pork and cured meats while highlighting industry efforts in food safety, nutrition, animal welfare, and sustainable production.

NEW INITIATIVES FOR 2024-27

The latest phase of Trust Your Taste introduces two new consumer education initiatives, including a 10-episode podcast, Il Taglio Giusto (The Right Cut), which explores the history, tradition, and innovation behind Italian cured meats.

Each 15-minute episode, featuring industry experts, will address topics ranging from sustainability and nutrition to food preservation and taste. The series will be available on OnePodcast (Gedi Group) and major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts.

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