Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, the original since 1159

Over 900 years of history

The two great DOPs among hard cheese, Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano, compete for chronological priority. The tradition of Grana Padano is traced back to the Cistercian monks of the Abbey of Chiaravalle in the 12th century. Around 1135-1150, on one hand, the construction of the religious building began, but on the other, above all, an extensive reclamation of the area that favored the spread of cattle breeding from which a milk production would develop. It is assumed that, due to the years required for theconstruction and reclamation, only towards the beginning of the 13th century did the Cistercian monks manage to produce the ancestor of Grana Padano.

The documents relating to Parmigiano Reggiano attest to an older and more defined presence. Already in 1159 the term appears  formadio in a parchment drafted at the ‘villa’ of Corniano di Bibbiano, property of the Cluniacian abbey of Marola. This is the first attestation of a hard cheese made from cow's milk, considered the direct ancestor of Parmigiano Reggiano. In 1254, a notarized deed drawn up in Genoa explicitly cites the  caseus Parmensis, confirming that Parmigiano was already then a recognizable, marketed, and appreciated product in one of the main markets of the Mediterranean. In the 14th century, finally, the literary consecration takes place with Boccaccio, who in the Decameron uses the term ‘parmigiano’, a sign of fame now consolidated at European level.

In conclusion, documentary, environmental, and historical evidence indicate Corniano di Bibbiano as the ideal and original context for the birth of Parmigiano Reggiano. The numerous parchments of the abbey of Marola, combined with the characteristics of the territory and the tradition of the Cluniacian monks, confirm that the ‘King of Cheeses’ was born more than a century before Grana Padano, right in the Middle Val d’Enza.

Forage for cows

The cows from which the milk used to produce Parmigiano Reggiano comes are fed at least 50% with forages, meaning hay and grass, neither fermented nor ensiled. The forages are obtained both from alfalfa – whose cultivation in Emilia-Romagna resumed in the 19th century, after being abandoned by the Romans around 100 BC – and from permanent and stable meadows, the result of natural and spontaneous grassing.

I stable polyphyte meadows, often centuries old and sometimes multi-century, not plowed for very long periods, host an extraordinary biodiversity with over a hundred plant species per hectare. They confer to the milk, and thus to the cheese, an aromatic complexity and a nutritional profile superior: greater richness of aromas and flavors, lower content of saturated fats, higher presence of unsaturated fats, Omega 3 and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA).

In 2024, out of 4,079,248 forms of Parmigiano Reggiano produced, about 66% came from milk of cows mainly fed with alfalfa; 22% came from mountain areas, with a mixed diet of alfalfa and permanent meadow-pasture; 12% of the forms were obtained from milk of cows fed with forage from permanent polyphyte meadows (65%) and alfalfa (35%), particularly in the Middle Val d’Enza and the territory of Bibbiano.

The Parmigiano Reggiano supply chain

The main protagonists of the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO supply chain are the breeders, who must comply with specific rules for feeding cows in order to guarantee the organoleptic characteristics of the milk and thus of Parmigiano Reggiano.

In the cheese dairies, the milk is processed in copper boilers with the addition of starter whey, a natural culture of lactic bacteria that promotes lactic fermentations. The milk is heated to a temperature of 36° C, with the addition of veal rennet to form the curd. The curd is then broken into small granules and cooked at about 55° C to allow the formation of the cheese mass. This is then placed into the cheese mold, thus obtaining the typical round shape of Parmigiano Reggiano.casein plaque with an alphanumeric code that identifies it and a branding matrix – which engraves the marks 'Parmigiano Reggiano', the dairy identification number, the month and year of production – is applied to each form. This is followed by salting by osmosis, by immersion in a saturated salt solution for about 20 days.

The forms are then placed on the scales, large shelves made of beech wood, for the aging which must respect a minimum period of 12 months.

Each form must then be subjected to a expert examination, by the Protection Consortium, to obtain the suitability mark. The beaters, highly specialized professionals, tap the form with a small hammer, capturing its sound and vibrations to identify any internal defects that may impair its quality.

The marked forms are then portioned and processed, partly grated as well, for packaging and sale.

Parmigiano Reggiano PDO and Grana Padano PDO, the differences

Although both belong to the family of 'hard cheese', Parmigiano Reggiano PDO and Grana Padano PDO have substantial differences:

• production area

The production of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is located in the territory of 174 municipalities, in 5 provinces (Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna west of the Reno River and Mantua east of the Po River) in 2 regions (Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy), on about 455,000 hectares of utilized agricultural area. 75% of the forage (grass and hay) is produced in the production area and 50% of this is farm-produced. Breeders and dairies must be based in the area. The production area of Grana Padano PDO, on the other hand, covers the territory of 3,544 municipalities, in 32provinces of 5 regions (Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige and Emilia-Romagna). Breeders and dairies, in the supply chains of both cheeses, must be based in the same area;

• production volumes

The production of Grana Padano is much greater than that of Parmigiano Reggiano, +38% in 2024. For Parmigiano Reggiano, 239,000 are the lactating cows of the 2,167 contributing farmers in 291 dairies and 4,079,248 wheels produced in 2024 (38-40 kg is the average weight of a wheel with 24 months of aging), 51% sales in Italy and 49% export. For Grana Padano, 390,000 are the lactating cows of about 4,000 contributing farmers in 135 dairies and 5,635,153 wheels produced in 2024 (35/38 kg is the average weight ofa wheel with 9 months of aging), 50% sales in Italy and 50% export. 70% of the wheels are produced in the three Lombard provinces of Mantova (30%), Brescia (24%), and Cremona (16%);

• cow feeding

The Parmigiano Reggiano disciplinary forbids the use of silage for feeding dairy cows, while Grana Padano – excluding Trentingrana, produced in Trentino – allows the use of corn silage and therefore requires the addition of the preservative lysozyme E1105 (derived from egg) during the cooking of the milk in the vat, to prevent abnormal fermentation of the forms. This factor affects the milk microflora and consequently the cheese's aromatic profile;

• marking of the wheels

In Parmigiano Reggiano the selection carried out by the Consortium during expert evaluation (assessment of suitability) and the marking at 12 months takes place on all forms, while in Grana Padano the selection at 9 months is done by sampling;

• aging

In the Parmigiano Reggiano the product can reach long aging periods (24, 36, 50, 70 months) and is usually consumed after 24 months. Grana Padano, on the other hand, is marked at 9 months and the average consumption is at 15 months. The Grana Padano disciplinary provides for two specific types: 'Over 16 months' and 'Reserve – over 20 months';

• mountain product

Parmigiano Reggiano can boast an additional mention and classification, 'Mountain Product', when produced and aged for at least 12 months in mountain areas and subjected to quality selection at 20 months with 'hammer' evaluation by Consortium experts and compositional and sensory analysis. The 84 dairies in the mountain areas of Parmigiano Reggiano produced 883,749 forms in 2024, a full 22% of the total. The mountain production of Grana Padano covers only 113,000 forms, 2% of the total.

Flavor and graininess

The  Parmigiano Reggiano is composed of a part whole milk and a part skimmed milk. In 12-month Parmigiano Reggiano the softness of the milk is still clearly perceived, which over the months tends to transform into a citrus note, up to recalling, in longer aging periods, the more pungent one of dried and/or toasted fruit.

The  Grana Padano is instead made only from skimmed milk, therefore it is slightly less fatty and more delicate compared to Parmigiano Reggiano, as well as reaching maturation earlier. Its flavor is more buttery and melting, reminiscent of broth and boiled vegetables, and it is less subject to variations because it is aged for shorter periods.

The aging duration inevitably also modifies the level of granularity, which in Parmigiano Reggiano tends to be higher compared to Grana Padano, resulting in an easier tear of the characteristic flakes, often served at the end of a meal or during tastings.

Market strategy and trends

The  Parmigiano Reggiano has more dairies but less total production, while the  Grana Padano concentrates production in fewer establishments but with larger volumes. Therefore, two different models are observed: PR is more linked to small local realities, GP is more industrialized and widespread on a large scale.

The data actually shows:

• production trend. In the last 10 years, Parmigiano Reggiano production has grown from about 3.3 million wheels (2015) to over 4 million (2024). Grana Padano has seen a steadier growth, from about 4.8 million wheels (2015) to over 5.6 million (2024);

• price trend (2015-2025). Parmigiano Reggiano has followed a ‘premium’ trajectory, with an increasingly higher positioning in the international market. Its average prices have recorded a strong increase, from about 9–10 €/kg (12-month wholesale) to over 13–14 €/kg (December 2025). Grana Padano has maintained a more stable industrial model with larger volumes but lower average prices and volatility. Its average prices (9-month wholesale) went from 6–7 €/kg to about 8–10 €/kg (December 2025);

In perspective it is expected that Parmigiano Reggiano will continue to strengthen its image as a luxury product, with higher margins and relatively stable production. Grana Padano will maintain an industrial model with large volumes and competitive prices, thereby consolidating its quantitative leadership.

Dario Dongo

Credit cover: Great Italian Food Trade

Bibliography

• Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese – Production regulations and historical materials, 2024 Activity Report, 2024 Sustainability Report.

• Mario Zannoni. Parmigiano-Reggiano in history. Silva publisher, 1999

• Gabriele Arlotti BIBBIANO In the Cradle of Parmigiano Reggiano. Comune di Bibbiano Publisher 2008

• Giuseppe Giovanelli, Umberto Beltrami, and Gabriele Arlotti. BIBBIANO the ideal cradle of the 'King of cheeses'. MUP Publisher 2019

• Ermanio Isarco Beretti, Franco Parmiggiani, Giuseppe Giovanelli, Umberto Beltrami. Valley of herbs and milk. Proceedings of the Reggiolo Conferences - Years 2023-2024 edited by Rodolfo Signorini – Franco Parmeggiani E. Lui Publisher 2025

• CRPA – Animal Production Research Center of Reggio Emilia