Culatello di Zibello, pre-sliced product drives the first half of the year 2026

The pre-sliced product is confirmed as the growth driver for Culatello di Zibello PDO. In the first six months of 2026, the Protection Consortium placed 527.457 trays on the market, an increase of 8,2% compared with the 487.628 in the same period last year.

The number of culatelli destined for this specific processing method is also growing, rising from 16.178 to 17.789 (+10%): a share that today represents 41,7% of the entire production of the PDO, compared with 36,8% in the first half of 2025. The total number of culatelli sent for production during the six-month period was 42.661, however, a slight decline (-3%) compared with the first six months of last year, which had nevertheless recorded a jump of +12,8%.

These figures confirm the consolidation of a sector undergoing continuous expansion. In 2025, the Consortium had placed 1,06 million trays on the market, assigning 34.392 culatelli to pre-sliced production, equal to 41,5% of the total volume, generating turnover for the sector of more than 12 million euros. This growth is even more significant when viewed over the decade: in 2015, production intended for slicing accounted for just 4,6% of the total, with 71.000 trays produced.

Romeo Gualerzi, president of the Protection Consortium for Culatello di Zibello PDO: “The first-half figures confirm what we had hoped for: pre-sliced product continues to grow structurally and provides consortium members with a more stable market, capable of supporting production even during periods of adjustment. This confirms a strategic choice that has changed the face of our PDO over the past ten years, expanding the audience for Culatello di Zibello without ever compromising on quality.”

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.