25,445 tons of Gorgonzola PDO were exported in 2025, equal to approximately 39% of annual production (Clal data). Compared to the previous year, this represents a 2.14% decrease compared to 2024.

Antonio Auricchio, president of the Consortium for the Protection of Gorgonzola PDO Cheese, cites several factors as the main causes of this decline, including the climate of international uncertainty, declining consumption in various markets, and increases in raw material and energy prices. "This decline doesn't alarm us, especially since it affects the entire sector, and it certainly doesn't indicate a decline in popularity for Gorgonzola cheese. However, a red flag has been raised, and any critical issues must be analyzed and addressed."

For Auricchio, therefore, the issue of declining competitiveness among manufacturing companies is real and can be attributed to the climate of consumer distrust weighed down by an unstable international economy marked by geopolitical tensions, growing protectionism, and international relations deteriorated by too many conflicts, resulting in rising energy costs. "The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz," Auricchio continues, "should not be underestimated because it will lead to a potentially uncontrollable increase in energy costs, even in terms of timing. There is a lot of uncertainty, and this complicates the decisions of entrepreneurs, who are naturally inclined to plan long-term, and it distresses consumers who turn to safe haven assets like gold."

Among the top three countries in terms of Gorgonzola PDO imports in 2025, France (511,494 wheels, +2.38%) and Spain (175,580 wheels, +3.17%) are growing, accounting for approximately a quarter of global exports. Exports to Germany (432,793 wheels, -6.9%) are also declining, the second-largest foreign market. Gorgonzola exports to the important Netherlands (90,737 wheels, -16%) are also declining, as are those to the main Eastern European countries: Poland (-1.9%), Romania (-15.7%), and Hungary (-7.61%), while the Latvian (+153%) and Danish (+25%) markets are also booming.

In geographical Europe, the United Kingdom performed poorly (38,314 wheels; -6.58%), while Luxembourg grew by 8.8%, with 113,952 imported wheels, becoming the fourth largest market for Gorgonzola worldwide.

Elsewhere in the world, exports to the US are decreasing (31,440 wheels; -2.62%), which imposed import duties on EU products in the second half of 2025, while Canada's performance is extremely positive (+113%). In the Far East, the Japanese, the vast majority of whom are lactose intolerant, continue to show strong interest in Gorgonzola PDO, importing 41,758 wheels in 2025, a 2.5% increase. Countries with triple-digit growth in 2025 were Peru, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam.