New York – “It’s a success for our exports, but it is also a success in the fight against counterfeit products,” explains the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano after it reached an agreement with Whole Foods for the US market, the country with the largest number of imitations of PDO products. The US distribution giant, Whole Foods, chose Parmiggiano Reggiano as one of its top product to qualify the entire range of cheeses of the chain: it’s a selected product of at least 24 months which will be portioned in the sales point. “It’s a big step forward – said the director of the Consortium, Riccardo Deserti – not only to reinforce a rapid growth trend for exports in the first quarter of 2015 (ISTAT data speak of a + 74%, but the Consortium already spoke of exceptional circumstances, such as the euro-dollar exchange rate and the depletion of stocks, which will fade in the coming months), but above all to strengthen the fight against counterfeit products, on which much influence will also have the outcomes of the TTIP negotiations.” (9Colonne)
