The ham market - Italy (2023)

1.1 Definition and presentation

Ham is a cut of pork. In food, it is mainly used in the creation of two cured meats: prosciutto crudo and prosciutto cotto. Technically and more correctly, in the Italian language the term prosciutto refers to a cut of meat from the hind limb of the pig, from the hip to the first row of tarsal bones, commonly known as the thigh. Although in rare cases it can be cooked and served fresh, most hams are cooked or cured. The ham market can be segmented by form (fresh and frozen), process (air-cured and smoked hams), buyers, sales channels (supermarkets, specialty retailers, and online retailers), and geographic region.

The global ham market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 3 % in the coming years, and reach a value of $47 billion by 2030.

Considering Italian production, Prosciutto di Parma is one of the most attractive products offered by this market. However, it ended 2020 with a significant production reduction of 5.6 %, as the year 2020 showed a general contraction of the ham market. On the other hand, exports managed to at least partially contain the crisis, with a 3 % decline and 2.5 million hams sold. Despite the reduction in production, demand for Parma Ham accelerated during the pandemic, especially for pre-packaged ham, which is characterized by low prices and longer shelf-life of the product itself. This solution has also been relevant for exporting the ham to more distant countries. Specifically, in Italy there are 140 companies specializing in the production of Parma Ham. Of their total production, 71 % is sold in Italy, and the remaining 29 % is for export.

However, there are also other types of ham that are produced in the Italian territory, including Prosciutto di San Daniele, Culatello and Prosciutto cotto, and which also hold an important reputation in foreign markets.