Thirty years of protection, twelve centuries of history: the Gorgonzola cheese

Besate, Milan, Italy- Gorgonzola, first created twelve centuries ago in Lombardy in 872, is celebrating 30 years as a PDO cheese following its official European Union recognition in June 1996.

According to 2025 data, dairies produced a total of 5,421,517 wheels, generating a production value exceeding €460 million. The consumer market value—encompassing all direct transactions between businesses/producers and final consumers—reached approximately €800 million. Since 2019, the sector has consistently remained above the five-million-wheel threshold. Growth shows no signs of slowing down: in the first months of the current year, production has already increased by 3.7%. The 37 legally authorized dairies across 15 provinces in Lombardy and Piedmont have already produced approximately 1.4 million wheels.

Gorgonzola Worldwide: France, Spain, and Germany Lead Imports

According to data from specialized websites and the Gorgonzola Consortium, 25,445 tonnes of cheese were exported to 91 countries in 2025, representing roughly 39% of the total annual production (65,000 tonnes).

Among the top three countries by import volume of Gorgonzola PDO in 2025, growth was recorded in France (511,494 wheels, +2.38%), which alone absorbs about a quarter of global exports, and Spain (175,580 wheels, +3.17%). Conversely, exports to Germany, the second-largest foreign market, decreased to 432,793 wheels (-6.9%).

Other notable shifts across Europe include: the Netherlands, where imports fell to 90,737 wheels (-16%) and the United Kingdom with a negative performance within the European geographical area, declining to 38,314 wheels (-6.58%). In Eastern & Northern Europe, several traditional markets experienced declines, including Poland, Romania, and Hungary, although this trend was offset by spectacular growth in Latvia (+153%) and Denmark (+25%).

In the rest of the world, exports to the United States dipped slightly to 31,440 wheels (-2.62%), heavily impacted by import tariffs imposed on EU products during the second half of 2025. In contrast, Canada delivered an exceptionally strong performance with a +113% surge. In the Far East, the Japanese and Corea market—despite a vast majority of the population being lactose intolerant—confirmed its strong appetite for Gorgonzola PDO, importing 41,758 wheels in 2025 (+2.5%). Other nations recording remarkable triple-digit growth during the year included Peru, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam.

Gelmini: an Italian family of entrepreneurs since 19th century

For Marco and Chiara Gelmini, Vice President of the Gorgonzola Consortium, who lead one of Italy's most important Gorgonzola-producing dairies, tradition is a family legacy passed down through four generations.

"Our family has been transforming milk into delicacies since the late 19th century, when our great-grandmother first established this tradition. It was our father, Carlo Gelmini, who consolidated and refined our family’s expertise and mastery in the production of Gorgonzola PDO", they say.

Today, the company’s philosophy rests on three essential pillars: tradition, innovation, and sustainability. A balance that reflects the challenges facing the dairy sector, where centuries-old know-how must coexist with changing consumer expectations and new market dynamics.

"Consumers remain at the heart of it all: a person who wants to understand and learn about the product, in addition to enjoying a healthy, authentic, and wholesome food. We cannot let these expectations down. We must engage consumers in our production process and offer them an excellent product—one of the highest quality that is healthy and authentic in every respect", they conclude.