Italy has always been a powerhouse on the culinary scene. The nation’s agriculture sector has earned a reputation for excellent raw and processed food products. In 2022, Italy’s food exports reached a historic high of $63.1 billion. Worldwide, the demand for Italian food continues to grow.
In addition to long-term export destinations such as other European nations and the United States, China has become a growing market for Italian food products. While Italy is known for hundreds of food exports, here is a list of the most popular:
Pasta: Italy’s Beloved Culinary Ambassador
It isn’t easy to discuss Italian cuisine without mentioning pasta. While myth suggests pasta was brought from abroad by explorer Marco Polo, evidence shows that Italian pasta dates to the Roman era. While most people outside of Italy are familiar with spaghetti, macaroni, and ziti, there are over 300 different pasta shapes.
Italy exports approximately one-third of the world’s pasta, with Italian pasta being renowned for its superior quality. This distinction is attributed to the traditional Italian drying and processing methods employed in its production. Most non-Italian pasta makers use steel molds to create different pasta shapes. This makes pasta with a smooth surface, which is not ideal for sauce dishes. However, Italian copper molds produce pasta with ridges that help the sauce adhere.
Likewise, traditional Italian pasta has a longer drying process, improving the final product’s taste.
Pizza: A Global Phenomenon
Pizza is possibly only second to pasta in its global reach and popularity. Pizza has existed in some form since Ancient Egyptian times. However, the first recorded use of the word pizza to describe the famous dish is from 12th-century Italy. Centuries later, bakers in the Italian city of Naples started to top flatbread with oil, cheese, and garlic. Tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese made their debut in the following centuries. In the late 1800s, pizza maker Raffaele Esposito created a special pizza to celebrate a visit from the Italian royals. He named his dish, which featured the colors of the Italian flag, Margherita, after the Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. Today, Margherita pizza is one of the most popular pizza varieties in the world.
Italy exports pizza in various ways. Consumers can purchase frozen traditional pizzas to enjoy at home. In 2021, Italy exported $737 million worth of frozen pizzas worldwide, and the demand is growing.
Italy also exports its pizza through the establishment of pizzerias. Authentic Italian restaurants around the globe source their wheat flour, sauce, and toppings straight from Italy. This has contributed to higher export volume.
Cheese: The Creamy Delight
Both pizza and pasta are often combined with another delicious Italian export: cheese. Italy is the only traditional source of multiple cheese varieties, including Parmesan, pecorino, and mozzarella. Italian cheeses reflect the nation’s diverse agriculture. There are variations made from sheep, cow, goat, and buffalo milk.
In 2022, Italy exported more than half a million tons of cheese. Although thriving, the Italian cheese industry has encountered challenges with competitors falsely labeling their dairy products as Italian-made.
Yet, within the European Union, numerous Italian cheeses benefit from geographical protections, which prevent products made outside Italy from using a region’s name on their packaging. Italy recently entered similar agreements with several non-EU countries, which should help protect some of its market share.
Olive Oil: Liquid Gold of the Mediterranean
Like its southern European neighbor, Spain, Italy is one of the world’s largest olive oil exporters. There are some differences between the two countries’ olive oils.
Since Italy’s climate is a bit harsher than Spain’s, Italian olives have a tart, bitter taste. However, when pressed into oil, the flavor becomes earthy and savory. Italian oil also appears green, while Spanish olive oil is yellow.
Within Italy, there are also variations of olives, which produce distinct types of oils. For example, Moresca oil is produced in Sicily, while Moraiolo and Frantoio oils come from Tuscany.
Olive oils are graded by their production process. For example, extra virgin oil comes from unprocessed olives. Virgin and pure olive oil have a bit more additives and processing.
The finest Italian olive oil producers handpick olives because machines can extract some of the oil and yield lower quantities. The demand for labor-intensive methods is one of the factors contributing to the relatively high cost of Italian olive oil.
Approximately 60 percent of Italian olive oil is exported to the United States, with other significant export destinations including Japan, Canada, and the European Union.
Conclusion
For millions of people worldwide, authentic Italian cuisine is as close as their local supermarkets. In addition to the food products described here, Italy exports billions in wine, processed foods such as sauces and preservatives, and seafood.
Italy is a remarkable example of how a well-developed agricultural and culinary sector can translate into a strong export market.