The Consortium for the Protection of Gorgonzola Cheese welcomes with satisfaction its participation in the recently concluded Dubai Expo. An edition that saw the participation of 192 countries, never so many for a Universal Exposition, and over 10 million visitors.
The Consortium spent six months collaborating and networking with other excellent Italian dairies in order to present a united front in a market like the Middle East, which is very interesting for Italian products. Under the aegis of AFIDOP (Association of Italian Pdo Cheeses) and together with the Consortia for the Protection of Grana Padano, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana and Pecorino Romano, the Gorgonzola Consortium was the protagonist in the M-Eating Italy space, organized by Cibus, including a fine-dining restaurant and an events area.
In addition to the constant presence of the great Gorgonzola Pdo classics on the restaurant menu, “in purity” tastings, show cooking and master classes were organized to highlight the four Italian Pdo cheeses. Of particular interest were the master classes held by Italian chefs in Dubai. Francesco Acquaviva (Social of Heinz Beck), Alessio Burgio (Trattoria Madinat Jumeirah), Devid Di Benineo (JA Ocean View Hotel), Davide Gardini (Hilton Hotel JBR), Alessandro Miceli (Bella), Andrea Mugavero (Vero – Hilton Hotel JBR), Giuseppe Pezzella (Cinque – Five Hotel The Palm) took turns on stage. The initiative also continued on social channels with some of the main Arabic-speaking food influencers who created Italian recipes using Gorgonzola and the other three Pdo cheeses. (https://www.instagram.com/p/CazwLceDWyW/).
Antonio Auricchio, President of the Consortium for the Protection of Gorgonzola Dop Cheese, and President of AFIDOP, who met Foreign Minister Di Maio on 24 November in the M-Eating Italy space, at Expo Dubai, said: “Our cheeses are the expression of the great ability of Italian companies to master and transform milk as a raw material, with different stories and different places of origin. This is a treasure that the world envies us and should therefore be increasingly protected in view of the growing appreciation in foreign countries. Let’s take Gorgonzola as an example, the fifth most important product in the whole of Italian agri-foodstuffs, capable of generating a turnover of 800 million euros, of which more than a third comes from exports to 88 sovereign Countries. Well, in the United Arab Emirates we recorded a growth of 37% in 2020 compared to 2019. It is clear that participation in such an international showcase as EXPO was strategic in order to communicate our values properly: the Italian spirit, the high quality of raw materials, the utmost attention to control and food safety, and the extraordinary thousand-year heritage that is the Italian cheese-making tradition”.
Gorgonzola Dop was also a guest of the Piedmont Region during “Piemonte Week”, an entire week dedicated to Piedmontese excellent products during which the Region, in collaboration with Ceipiemonte and VisitPiemonte, organised numerous activities within EXPO and in some of the city’s symbolic locations. Therefore, food and wine excellence based on typical Piedmontese products and dishes, such as risotto with Gorgonzola Pdo offered by the Consortium for the protection of Gorgonzola cheese, could not be missing.
Finally, Gorgonzola was presented for tasting at the dinner organised by the Lombardy Region at the Intercontinental Dubai Marina Hotel for the presentation of the “Innovation House” project, promoted together with the Polytechnic Foundation, with the aim of promoting and relaunching Lombardy’s production, cultural and environmental landscape systems in the international context.
