Rome, November 14 (Adnkronos/Labitalia) – The Valtellina Casera and Bitto cheese protection consortium celebrates thirty years of activity (1995-2025). An important stage to review the valorization process of two special products that have become a symbol of the Valtellina dairy tradition and a driving force of the economy in the region: since the birth of the Consortium and PDO, production has increased more than fourfold, from the first 58,457 branded wheels in 1996 (5,709 for Bitto and 52,748 for Valtellina Casera) to 236,741 in 2024. Currently Bitto and Valtellina Casera are one of the most identified Valtellina products and the second largest PDO agri-food product in the region after Bresaola: they have an impact of 15.9 million euros on the agri-food industry in the Province of Sondrio (+98% compared to 10 years ago), with a consumer value of 29.3 million euros. Two solid PDOs, capable of keeping the quality and traditions of the Valley high over time, provide employment to 133 farms, 13 dairies (of which 6 are main buyers/cooperatives) and 16 seasonal workers for Valtellina Casera and 50 mountain pasture producers and 10 seasonal for Bitto, proving a positive impact on the regions of both PDOs in terms of employment and related activities. This was conveyed by the Protection Consortium at the celebration of its thirtieth anniversary in Sondrio, as part of the round table ‘DOP economy, between tradition and innovation, pillars of the Italian agri-food sector and tourist flows’, attended among others by Massimo Sertori, member of the Lombardy Region council responsible for the Mountains, Ettore Prandini, president of Coldiretti, Giovanni Guarneri, vice president of Afidop, Cesare Baldrighi, president of Origin, anthropologist Marino Niola and Maurizio Folini, pioneer of helicopter rescue on eight thousand peaks in the Himalayas.
“The steps forward made by the Consortium in thirty years – comments of president Marco Deghi, witness of the whole path that has led the body, the only one in Italy to protect two closely related denominations, to today’s results – make us proud. Today our two PDOs are increasingly well known and receiving important recognition from the market: Bitto has doubled its value in the last ten years, while Valtellina Casera currently has an average price of about two euros per kilo more expensive than milk cheese (+33%) Signs of growth a clear one that values quality, tradition and dedication to a heroic profession, but also the teamwork achieved in recent years. Starting from this foundation we want to look forward to Milano Cortina 2026, of which the quality agri-food district Valtellina is a partner, we want to build strong synergies with other products that have the local designation”, he underlined.
“Among the challenges – he continues – is expanding the offer in large-scale distribution: in the tray, where cured meats and cheeses compete for a place, we must be ready, united and recognized under the Valtellina brand. We want to grow, and to do this we need to strengthen and expand the production of Valtellina Casera, laying the foundations for new specifications that expand the area (up to Pian di Spagna and Colico) and respond to the needs of modern times. This is our priority commitment: to guarantee a modern Valtellina Casera regimen and in line with market needs and today’s consumers,” he stressed.
“Finally, a further, equally exciting challenge awaits us: taking our products abroad. First and foremost are European exports, which will grow by 15% in 2024: because this is where our future lies. Very positive signals come from Germany and France, thanks to the intense promotional activities that have started this year at the main exhibitions.
This 30th anniversary is also an opportunity to look at a positive 2025 Bitto season, with 45 mountain pastures involved in 2025 and production substantially in line with 2024. Valtellina Casera also did well: after a great 2024 that recorded +8.9% in volume (more than 221 thousand wheels produced) +10.3% in production value (13.2 million euros), in the first 9 months we were on 174,320 forms with +2.89% compared to the same period the previous year. The new fur celebrating the thirtieth anniversary also makes its debut, on the market with a new logo where the number 30 visually merges with the region and with the brands Valtellina Casera and Bitto, representing the deep and eternal bond between product and origin.
“The work of the Valtellina Casera and Bitto Consortium for thirty years is clear proof of how a partnership born from the union of producers serving the region can generate value, quality and recognition far beyond the borders of the Valley”, said Member of the Agricultural Council of the Lombardy Region, Alessandro Beduschi in his message to the Consortium.
“The increase in numbers represents a success story, but above all, they prove the strength of the Dop economy: a system that respects local roots and at the same time opens itself to international markets, preserving farmers’ incomes and the region’s identity. As a member of the regional council for agriculture, and also as president of Arepo, the association of European Regions with Designation of Origin, I see in examples like these the essence of a model that we want to further improve: a network capable of combining tradition, sustainability and competitiveness. Lombardy is proud of a company that knows how to look forward without losing sight of the authenticity of Bitto and Valtellina Casera is more than just two cheeses: they are symbols of an economy that grows from the mountains, from work and from the knowledge of our communities”, he concluded.
For the board member responsible for local authorities, mountains, energy resources and use of water resources, Massimo Sertori: “Today we celebrate thirty years since the birth of the Valtellina Casera and Bitto Consortium, protagonists in writing the specifications and obtaining the PDO. We can say in the final balance sheet, certified by the numbers, that this project has preserved and qualified high-quality products born from the history and traditions of the people of Valtellina, who have upheld the highest needs”, he underlined.
“Such products – he explained – are not only good, recognized and sought after throughout Italy, but they immediately lead you to an experience that is inescapably integrated with a region, an extraordinary landscape, but at the same time also exhausting. I think of the work in the mountain pastures, I think of the sacrifices, efforts and dedication that have been made and continue to be made by all the people involved in such activities. Bitto and Casera are, in fact, only superior food and wine products and the entire supply chain that produces them generates the economy and contributes to maintaining an extraordinary region like our Valley Combining history, culture, identity, quality, work, always keeping up with the times, preserving traditions, is a very difficult challenge but this story has proven possible,” he concluded.
For Afidop’s vice president, Giovanni Guarneri: “Celebrating thirty years of Valtellina Casera and Bitto Dop means paying tribute to an Italian heritage that is rooted in the traditions of the mountain pastures and is part of the important Lombard denomination and national heritage of the dairy heritage of origin, a pillar for the Lombard agri-food economy. The event ‘Dop economy, between tradition and innovation’ captures the point perfectly: the protection of our territorial uniqueness is our global advantage.”
To the president of Coldiretti, Ettore Prandini: “The product denomination of origin represents the heritage of the country and the most advanced point of the expansion of the agri-food chain that has reached a value of 707 billion, with specialties that have conquered all the main markets of the world. However, we must not forget that the production of PDO and PGI can give a stronger impetus to the country’s exports and growth, if international agreements are finally able to stop the detrimental food adulteration of Made in Italy”.
To the president of Origin Italia, Cesare Baldrighi: “The production of the Italian Dop Economy worth more than 20 billion, involving almost 200,000 companies, not only represents the real economic power of genuine and authentic Made in Italy, but also shows the extraordinary capacity of the Protection Consortium. It is they who, in recent years, have been able to organize the supply chain in the region, maintaining a constant dialogue with local communities, as demonstrated by the 30 years of activity of the Valtellina Casera and Bitto Protection Consortium”.
For anthropologist Marino Niola: “Bitto and Valtellina Casera are two extraordinary symbols of Made in Italy food, which, even before being a simple productive economy, is a synthesis of the history and geography of a region. PDO sanctifies the social and economic processes originating in mountain communities and their way of production: this adds gastronomic excellence plus humanity and identity. Today the market is mainly looking for typical products capable of evoking a certain way of life, a feeling, a It is no coincidence that the best way to get to know a region is to eat it, especially if the region produces, such as in the case of Bitto and Valtellina Casera, a model of sustainability, which reveals the dual relationship that exists between local traditions, productive work and shared forms of life.
This thirtieth anniversary is also an opportunity to reaffirm the important role of the PDO in the field of tourism and the mountain economy. According to the jfc Italian Mountain Tourism Observatory in 2024, Italian mountain tourism generated a turnover of 24 billion euros, with prospects for further growth thanks to the 2026 Olympic Games with an estimated +7.5% of international visitors. In this scenario, Valtellina takes the top spot in the ranking, with Livigno and Bormio for the first time hosting alpine ski competitions at Milan Cortina 2026. A unique context for promoting local products, thanks to the love of Italians for local food and wine and the mountains. If on the one hand, one of the reasons for the increasing interest in the mountains is the large number of sports and activities offered (52.73%), for 64.3% the mountains are ideal for trying local specialties among mountain huts, shelters and huts. This is almost followed by the possibility of going on excursions (63.7%) or seeking well-being and relaxation (63%). The latest survey conducted by Swg ‘Valtellina taste of emotions’ also confirms the importance of food and wine. Market survey on brand perception and positioning on behalf of the Sondrio Chamber of Commerce, which highlights how one in 3 Italians is a fan of mountains and how nature tourism (71%, especially 81% among Baby Boomers), and food and wine tasting (51%) are among the most appreciated activities. An even stronger trend occurs in Valtellina: the region occupies a middle position among the most famous mountain resorts, thanks to Livigno and Bormio being visited by half of the nation’s mountain enthusiasts.
