Parma Ham & Parmesan pair up in Manhattan

11.01.07

Thursday 11 January – an exclusive press lunch to launch a joint promotional campaign in the States

Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano-Reggiano pair up once again in the United States with a new initiative that forms part of a three-year promotional project co-financed by the EU (total funding worth 4 million euro). This initiative involves a massive promotional campaign in the States aimed at competitor differentiation by highlighting excellence, the fact that the products are completely natural and the deep-rooted ties they have with the territory from where they originate.  The new American press campaign reflects this by using the tagline: “THEY CAN TRY TO CLONE YOUR DNA, BUT THEY CAN’T CLONE YOUR TASTE ".

Among the many informative and promotional project events – in addition to the promotions that were recently held at more than 200 sales outlets between Boston and New York - some time has also been dedicated to the press. The media represent an important target for spreading awareness and the quality values that make up the European PDO system. A lot of Americans still don’t know what “protected designation of origin” actually means, used to a way of thinking that is exclusively and blindly based on trademark. Currently in the USA, Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano find themselves in a highly competitive market; as a result they need to differentiate themselves from other products by pushing the qualities that make up their high-added value.  On Thursday 11 January, it will be up to chef Morimoto to extol the virtues of these two world-renowned PDO products.

In a Manhattan that is plagued and somewhat bored with events, presentations and press conferences, the two Consortiums decided to let the products speak for themselves by inviting representatives of some of the most important American newspapers and magazines to an exclusive and private lunch. The chef, Morimoto – well known from his appearances in the TV series “Iron Chef America” – is praised for his ability to mix “Western” ingredients with oriental cooking methods. Therefore, he is well able to exploit these two products to their best, by focusing on their versatility in cooking.  Of course, the two Consortiums will use this event to repeat that the statement “Protected Designation of Origin” is allocated to products that are uniquely tied to the geographical area from where they get their name and their characteristics by two specific conditions: the production of the raw materials and transformation into finished products must take place within the region from which the product gets its name; the quality or characteristics of the product must reflect the geographical environment of their place of origin for example, natural and human factors such as climate, soil quality and local working methods.

"This promotional project in the USA will allow our products to be competitive in our most important market outside of Europe by spreading awareness and the quality values that make up the European PDO system. In 2006 our production companies sold more than 360,000 hams in the United States, confirming the previous year’s brilliant results.” said Stefano Tedeschi, chairman of the Parma Ham Consortium.

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