In 2021, Finocchiona PGI, a Tuscan cured meat of excellence, recorded a growth in production, with a marked surge in the second half of the year (+ 22.7% compared to the last six months of 2020), bringing the denomination to close in 2021 with the production record of over 2 million kilograms of bagged dough, that is 1 million and 92 thousand pieces produced.

This was communicated by the Florentine protection consortium. Over the course of the entire year 2021, over 248 thousand kilograms more were bagged than in 2020, i.e. 20.88% more than the previous year.

"A year with such positive data, far beyond expectations, has never been registered for Finocchiona PGI since the recognition of the Protected Geographical Indication of 2015. We are proud of these data that affirm how much Finocchiona PGI is appreciated on the market and how every day you gain market share thanks to its unique and unmistakable taste”, says Alessandro Iacomoni, president of the Consortium for the Protection of Finocchiona IGP.

2021 therefore marks growth, in addition to bagging, also on other fronts: 1,723,000 kilograms of Finocchiona PGI have been certified equal to 1,018,443 pieces, i.e. + 15.75% in weight and + 36.14% in pieces compared to 2020. Sliced meat in trays records really important numbers with a total of over 3 million and 500 thousand pieces, equal to more than 352,000 kilograms, or + 13.48% in pieces and + 13.08% in weight. Vacuum-packed slices also record a new record: they are over 561,000 kilograms (+ 17.39%) for well over 532,000 pieces (+ 44.82%) packaged compared to 2020.

Therefore, Finocchiona PGI represents a sharply growing market for Tuscan cured meat factories with a value of more than € 12.9 million for production and a value at sale of around € 22.4 million.

Italy is confirmed as the main market with an estimate of approximately 1,270,000 kilograms of product, or 72.4% of the total. Then follows the European market with 25.7% followed by the non-EU market with 1.9%.