Adnkronos Rome, November 14 (Adnkronos/Labitalia) – The Consortium for the Protection of Valtellina Casera and Bitto Cheeses celebrates its thirtieth anniversary (1995-2025). This milestone marks a key step in assessing the development of two niche products that have become symbols of Valtellina's dairy tradition and an economic driver for the region. Since the Consortium and the PDOs were established, production has more than quadrupled, from the first 58.457 branded wheels in 1996 (5.709 for Bitto and 52.748 for Valtellina Casera) to 236.741 in 2024.
Today, Bitto and Valtellina Casera are among the most distinctive products of Valtellina and the second largest PDO agri-food sector in the area after Bresaola: they account for €15,9 million in the agri-food sector of the Province of Sondrio (98% more than 10 years ago), with a consumer value of €29,3 million. These two solid PDOs have successfully maintained the high quality and tradition of the Valley over time, employing 133 farms, 13 dairies (including 6 primary buyers/cooperatives), and 16 cheese aging workers for Valtellina Casera, and 50 mountain pasture producers and 10 cheese aging workers for Bitto, demonstrating the positive impact of the two PDOs on the area in terms of employment and related industries. The Consortium made the announcement during its thirtieth anniversary celebrations in Sondrio, during the roundtable discussion "DOP economy, between tradition and innovation, a pillar of the Italian agri-food sector and tourism flows." Participants included Massimo Sertori, Lombardy Region Councilor for Mountains; Ettore Prandini, President of Coldiretti; Giovanni Guarneri, Vice President of Afidop; Cesare Baldrighi, President of Origin; anthropologist Marino Niola; and Maurizio Folini, a pioneer of helicopter rescue on the Himalayan eight-thousanders.
"The progress made by the Consortium over the past thirty years," comments President Marco Deghi, who has witnessed the entire journey that has led the organization, the only one in Italy to protect two such closely related denominations, to its current achievements, "makes us proud. Today, our two PDOs are increasingly well-known and are garnering significant market recognition: Bitto has doubled in value over the last ten years, while Valtellina Casera now commands an average price of about two euros per kilo more than dairy cheese (+33%). These are clear signs of growth that rewards quality, tradition, and dedication to a heroic profession, as well as the teamwork achieved over the years. Building on this foundation, we want to look forward. In view of Milano Cortina 2026, of which the Valtellina Quality Agri-Food District is a partner, we want to build strong synergies with other PDO products in the area," he emphasized.
"Among the challenges," he continued, "is expanding our offerings in large-scale retail outlets: in the trays, where cured meats and cheeses compete for space, we must be ready, united, and recognizable under the Valtellina brand. We want to grow, and to do so, we need to strengthen and expand Valtellina Casera production, laying the foundations for a new production specification that extends the production area (to Pian di Spagna and Colico) and meets the needs of modern times. This is our primary commitment: to ensure that Valtellina Casera meets modern regulations that are consistent with current market and consumer needs," he emphasized.
"Finally, another equally stimulating challenge awaits us: exporting our products abroad. We're focusing primarily on European exports, which are expected to grow by 15% in 2024: because that's where our future lies. Very positive signals are coming from Germany and France, thanks to intense promotional efforts already underway this year at major trade fairs. We're only at the beginning, but all the right conditions are in place to gradually build a market that represents the future of this Valley," he concluded.
The thirtieth anniversary was also an opportunity to take stock of the positive 2025 Bitto season, with 45 mountain pastures involved in 2025 and production essentially in line with that of 2024. Valtellina Casera also performed well: after an excellent 2024 that saw an 8,9% increase in volume (over 221,000 wheels produced) and a 10,3% increase in production value (€13,2 million), in the first nine months we reached 174.320 wheels, a 2,89% increase compared to the same period the previous year. New commemorative thirtieth anniversary wraps are also debuting, on sale with the new logo where the number 30 visually merges with the territory and the Valtellina Casera and Bitto brands, representing a deep and enduring bond between the product and its origin.
"The thirty-year work of the Valtellina Casera and Bitto Consortium is concrete proof of how a partnership born from the union of producers serving the territory can generate value, quality, and recognition well beyond the valley's borders," declared Alessandro Beduschi, Councilor for Agriculture for the Lombardy Region, in a message to the Consortium.
"The growing numbers tell a success story, but above all, they demonstrate the strength of the PDO economy: a system that values local roots while also opening up to international markets, protecting farmers' incomes and the identity of local areas. As regional councilor for agriculture, but also as president of Arepo, the European association of regions with Designations of Origin, I see in examples like this the essence of a model we increasingly want to promote: a network capable of combining tradition, sustainability, and competitiveness. Lombardy is proud of businesses that are able to look ahead without losing their authenticity. Bitto and Valtellina Casera are much more than two cheeses: they are the symbol of an economy that grows from the mountains, from the work and know-how of our communities," he concluded.
Massimo Sertori, Councilor for Local Authorities, Mountains, Energy Resources, and Water Use, said: "Today we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of the Valtellina Casera e Bitto Consortium, which played a key role in drafting the specifications and obtaining the PDO designation. We can say, based on the results, and confirmed by the numbers, that this project has preserved and enhanced high-quality products born from the history and tradition of the Valtellina people, who have made a virtue of necessity."
"These products," he explained, "are not only delicious, recognized, and sought-after throughout Italy, but they immediately transport you to an experience that is inexorably intertwined with a territory, an extraordinary, yet also demanding, landscape. I think of the work in the mountain pastures, I think of the sacrifices, the effort, and the dedication that everyone involved in the activity has made and continues to exert. Bitto and Casera, in fact, are only excellent food and wine products, and the entire supply chain that produces them, generates economic activity and contributes to the preservation of an extraordinary territory like that of our Valleys. Combining history, culture, identity, quality, and work, always keeping up with the needs of the times, while preserving tradition, is a very difficult challenge, but this story has proven to be possible," he concluded.
According to Afidop Vice President Giovanni Guarneri, "Celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of Valtellina Casera and Bitto PDO means paying homage to an Italian heritage rooted in the tradition of mountain pastures and part of the important Lombard and national designation of origin dairy heritage, a cornerstone of Lombardy's agri-food economy. The event 'PDO Economy, Between Tradition and Innovation' captures the point perfectly: protecting our unique territorial identity is our global advantage."
According to Coldiretti President Ettore Prandini, "Designated Origin products represent the country's heritage and the cutting edge of a broader agri-food supply chain that has reached a value of €707 billion, with specialties that have conquered all major global markets. However, we must not forget that PDO and PGI products could provide an even stronger boost to exports and the country's growth if international agreements were finally able to stop the food counterfeiting that is damaging Made in Italy products."
According to Origin Italia President Cesare Baldrighi, "The over €20 billion value of Italian PDO Economy production, involving nearly 200.000 businesses, not only represents the real strength of the true and authentic Made in Italy economy, but also demonstrates the extraordinary ability of the Protection Consortia. Over the years, they have successfully organized supply chains across the regions, maintaining constant dialogue with local communities, as demonstrated by the 30 years of activity of the Valtellina Casera and Bitto Protection Consortium."
According to anthropologist Marino Niola, "Bitto and Valtellina Casera are two extraordinary emblems of Made in Italy food, which, even before being a simple productive economy, is a synthesis of a territory's history and geography. The PDO designation enshrines social and economic processes that originate in mountain communities and their production methods: this adds a touch of humanity and identity to gastronomic excellence. Today, the market seeks above all those specialties that evoke a particular way of life, a sentiment, a poetic way of inhabiting the land. It is no coincidence that the best way to get to know a territory is to eat it, especially if the territory generates, as in the case of Bitto and Valtellina Casera, a model of sustainability, revealing the dual bond between local traditions, productive vocations, and forms of communal life. Tradition is therefore not seen as an inert repository of past forms, but as a research engine that continually reworks the materials of the past to transform them into hypotheses for the future. This, in short, is the human face of the consortium." and its connection with the dreams and needs of the community and together its role in building community", he concluded.
The thirtieth anniversary was also an opportunity to reaffirm the central role of PDOs in tourism and the mountain economy. According to the Italian Mountain Tourism Observatory (JFC), Italian mountain tourism will generate a turnover of €24 billion in 2024, with further growth expected thanks to the 2026 Olympics, with a forecast of a 7,5% increase in international visitors. Against this backdrop, Valtellina tops the rankings, with Livigno and Bormio hosting the 2026 Milan-Cortina Alpine Skiing competitions for the first time. This unique context promotes local products, aided by Italians' passion for local food and wine and the mountains. While the wide range of sports and activities available (52,73%) is among the reasons for the growing passion for the mountains, 64,3% cite the mountains as ideal places to sample traditional local dishes at mountain huts, refuges, and lodges. Following almost equally are the opportunity to go hiking (63,7%) and the pursuit of wellness and relaxation (63%). The central role of food and wine is also confirmed by the recent survey conducted by SWG, "Valtellina Taste of Emotion. Market Survey on Brand Perception and Positioning," on behalf of the Sondrio Chamber of Commerce. It highlights how one in three Italians is a fan of the mountains, and how nature excursions (71%, particularly Baby Boomers 81%) and food and wine tastings (51%) are among the most popular activities. This trend is even stronger in Valtellina: the region ranks mid-range among the most popular mountain resorts, thanks to Livigno and Bormio, which are visited by half of Italy's mountain enthusiasts.