Valtellina Casera and Bitto, over 200 companies in the Valtellina DOP cheese supply chains

Consortium: "greater perception of value and new markets in the growth strategy"
CSQA confirmed to carry out checks on the 1,900 tons of the two certified supply chains

The Central Inspectorate for the Protection of Quality and Fraud Repression (ICQRF) of agri-food products of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies has renewed the authorization for CSQA Certificazioni to carry out checks for Valtellina Casera DOP and Bitto DOP cheeses.

The two cheeses - historical excellences of Valtellina registered as DOP in 1996 - compared to 1,900 tons of certified DOP production per year, generate a value of 13 million euros, thanks to the work of over 200 farms and dairies in the area. In particular, the Valtellina Casera DOP supply chain is the driving force, which reaches an annual production value of 11 million euros, the result of 1700 tons of product. Bitto DOP , a mountain pasture cheese produced only in the summer months, linked to a high quality organoleptic and taste profile, on the other hand has a production value of 2 million euros with an annual production of 200 tons (Data from the Consorzio di Tutela Formaggi Valtellina Casera and Bitto).

Two cheeses that are an expression of the ancient dairy tradition of the local and regional territory that well represent Lombardy , the third region in terms of economic impact PDO PGI with 34 food products with Geographical Indication - of which 15 belonging to the cheese sector - which are worth a heritage of 1.77 billion euros in production value (Ismea-Qualivita Report Data).

After presenting in May 2021 the new promotion campaign "At the origins of taste" and the strategic investment plan in the area for the two-year period 2021-2022, the Consorzio di Tutela Formaggi Valtellina Casera e Bitto chooses to confirm CSQA for checks on the certified supply chain, in the name of quality.

A new step in the development strategy of the supply chain dictated by the desire to increase the perception of value, thus reaching new markets, as stated by Vincenzo Cornaggia, president of the Consortium for protection : "Valtellina Casera and Bitto DOP cheeses represent excellent products of great importance in an Alpine economy, such as that of Valtellina, where the territory itself connotes its characteristics, which stand out in a varied and complex range of aromas and flavours. More and more, geographical identity becomes a quality value and this is also thanks to the precious collaboration with CSQA which certifies these productions through careful control of the supply chain and process”.

“Our confirmation as control body for Valtellina Casera DOP and Bitto DOP - says Pietro Bonato, General Manager and CEO of CSQA - is the result of the synergistic work carried out in terms of guaranteeing the supply chains of the most representative products of Valtellina, two excellences that originate from the same territory and dairy tradition. We are happy to continue on the path taken and of the renewed trust in our company in terms of enhancing products with designation of origin".

Valtellina Casera DOP and Bitto DOP confirm the value of the DOP IGP product portfolio certified by CSQA, which currently includes 69 Geographical Indications: a figure that underlines the desire to increasingly accompany the sustainable development of quality agri-food supply chains, a symbol of Made in Italy and the vocation of the territories .