Gone are the years when mortadella was considered a low-quality sausage. This food, originally from Bologna, has been experiencing great growth in the world for some time, with figures that in 2023 will make producers very happy. In the first nine months of 2023, 28.8 million kilos of Mortadella di Bologna PGI (mortadella with a protected geographical indication, i.e. that meets the requirements laid down in raw materials or additives, for example) were produced, a 5% more than the previous year. More than 25 million kilos were also sold, 4% more.
The passion for bolognese sausage has crossed the Atlantic and in the USA it has become a real phenomenon. Even The New York Times has just dedicated an article to it for its goodness and versatility in the kitchen. In the USA, exports have grown by more than 50% between 2019 and 2022, reaching 1,200 tons, for a value of more than seven million euros. However, the name Mortadella di Bologna IGP does not succeed in the North American market – only 250 kilos of this product are exported there with this name – because in the USA it is associated with Baloney (Bologna sausage), a product of low quality that has nothing to do with it, but in this case it is the Italians who are penalized by the linguistic similarities. In total, Italy exports more than 30,000 tons of mortadella to the world, to which we must add more than 5,600 of Bologna PGI.
“We are extremely proud of the data for the first nine months because, despite the shutdown of consumer products in Europe and the weakness experienced by sausages, Mortadella Bologna PGI has continued its unstoppable growth, both in the domestic market and in the ‘exterior'”, celebrated the president of the Italian Consortium for the Protection of Bologna’s Mortadella, Guido Veroni.
“This means that the Consortium’s decision to bet on the unique and distinctive positioning of a product guaranteed by European recognition with a long history and tradition, but also the result of constant research and innovation to go in search of consumers, has been the winning bet”, pointed out Veroni, leader of this association that promotes mortadella around the world.
The most popular product for consumers is the one that is already sold in slices and packaged, which has registered a 7.9% growth, given the convenience for consumption. 20.4% of sales are exported, especially to European countries, with France and Germany as the main destinations. In 2023, exports to Spain have grown by 13% compared to 2022, for different reasons, starting with the low price, an important factor in times of inflation.
A couple of centuries ago, bolognese mortadella was considered an elitist product that could only be accessed by the nobles and the wealthiest bourgeoisie due to the high price. The prestige, together with the ingredients, such as the expensive pistachio, made it a delicacy, but thanks to the gradual development of the sausage industry in the 19th century, it became one of the most democratic sausages, which in Italy today it is eaten alone, in classic appetizers, or to prepare pizzas or tortellini.
In 1998 bolognese mortadella received protected status, but some purists reject the consortium because, unlike other Italian products such as parmesan, bolognese mortadella is not only it must be made in Emilia-Romagna, but it can also be made in a large part of the country. There are those who are also opposed to the use of pistachio – they think it is an addition from Sicily -, a debate that fuels great discussions in this country.
