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History of the Consortium

History of the Consortium

The long history of the Consorzio Tutela Provolone Valpadana involved in defending the quality and guaranteeing the origin of the cheese

When we talk about the history of our Consortium it is obvious that the events that concern it are all Italians.

The Consorzio Tutela Provolone Valpadana is a voluntary organization, established in 1975 under the name of Consorzio per la tutela del Provolone Tipico Italiano.

Subsequently in 1986 the name changed and became Consorzio del formaggio tipico Provolone and the headquarters was transferred to the city of Cremona.

Again in 1993 it changed into Consorzio Tutela Provolone and in 2002 it became what it is today, Consorzio Tutela Provolone Valpadana.

Consorzio Tutela Provolone Valpadana registered office in Cremona

In the now distant 19th century

The history of the Consortium itself, however, began around 800, when some of our countrymen, now expert cheesemakers, made the abundance of cow’s milk produced in northern Italy a real cheese. Making use first of all of the well-known quality of the raw material, they exploited the numerous processing techniques consolidated over the years to create a good and unique spun paste cheese.

Over the years, the shapes of Provolone cheese have changed, as well as the dimensions that saw the creation of sizes of even a quintal.

The history of the Consortium sees 1993 as a key year, since the denomination of origin “Valpadana” is added to the term “provolone” and in 1996 the cheese finally obtains the long-awaited and deserved P.D.O. qualification.

Nowadays the use of Provolone Valpadana is common in all Italian kitchens, from north to south, and this is synonymous of the versatility of the product. Indeed, our recipes section offers many innovative uses of Provolone Valpadana in the kitchen, from first courses to desserts.

How to become a member of the Consortium

Today, becoming a member and taking an active part in the history of the Consortium is simple: the producers are the companies that reside in the production area of Provolone Valpadana delimited by the production regulations and convert the milk collected exclusively in the above mentioned areas into Provolone Valpadana P.D.O.

The Production Specification clearly explains the basic requirements for a producer to be certified by the supervisory authority and to join the consortium.

  • 1975

    Year of establishment – Consorzio per la Tutela del Provolone Tipico Italiano

  • 1986

    Change of company name in Consorzio Formaggio Tipico Provolone

  • 1986

    Transfer of registered office in Cremona

  • 1993

    New company name change in Consorzio Tutela Provolone

  • 2000

    ISO 9001 Certification – Consortium Quality System Management

  • 2002

    New company name change in Consorzio Tutela Provolone Valpadana

  • 2002

    Recognition of the Consortium and assignment to carry out supervisory functions – D.M. 26/04/2002

  • 2020

    Last triennial award – D.M. 25971 del 20/05/2020