The Consortium

HISTORY

The Consortium for the protection of Pecorino Crotonese was established from a vision of Apocc, the Calabrian Cooperative of sheep and goat breeders, with the purpose of safeguarding and protecting a historic product. Today the Consortium guarantees that only the cheese that complies with their specifications can be called Pecorino Crotonese, so as to protect all of its consumers. The PDO seal has become the emblem that certifies it's authenticity. The supply chain of Pecorino Crotonese PDO includes 50 breeding companies, 3 producers who work annually with about 30,000 quintals of milk and these figures are always increasing, arriving at a total on average of 600 tons of Pecorino Crotonese PDO cheese.

 

1984

The Apocc association is established and immediately recognized by decree of the President of the region of Calabria no.658 dated the 9th of may 1988. Its purpose is to protect the rights of Calabrian breeders.

2005

The Apocc becomes a cooperative society registered with the REA no 146882 obtaining recognition by the O.P. organization of Calabrian goat and sheep producers. This expands its initial intentions.

2008

The realization of the social dairy. An important step that has enabled the production chain to be completed taking the first steps towards obtaining the PDO

2012

Establishment of the Consortium for the protection of Pecorino Crotonese which combines, for the first time, all of the dairies and breeders of the production area that embraces the provinces of Crotone, Catanzaro and Cosenza.

2014

Recognition of the PDO for Pecorino Crotonese.

The Consortium

The Consortium for the protection of Pecorino Crotonese is responsible for safeguarding the originality of the PDO product from non -PDO ones and from the possibility of imitation. Not only does it protect, but it also promotes, informs and elevates a cheese that is inextricably linked to the territory, which has a thousand year history. Because tasting an authentic Pecorino Crotonese PDO cheese is a completely unique experience. The forms of pecorino Crotonese that meet the specifications have the label imprinted with the logotype of pecorino Crotonese, followed by the statement "Protected Designation of Origin" or with the acronym PDO.

The Board

The board of directors is composed according to the regulations in force in terms of representation and is in this proportion. 66% is represented by dairies, 17% by breeders and the remaining 7% divided between portioners and seasoners.

Product specification

The protected designation of origin "Pecorino Crotonese"is reserved exclusively for hard, semi-cooked pecorino cheese, produced exclusively with whole sheep's milk. It is produced with milk from the Marquisate, which includes the province of Crotone and also some municipalities of Catanzaro and Cosenza. The goodness of a cheese depends on the quality and purity of the milk, which comes from sheep that graze within these territories and feed on their native herbaceous species. If we discuss cheeses in general and particularly pecorino, it is know that many of them are not made with high quality ingredients. Cheeses made with European of origin milk are not Italian, Cheeses exist that are made starting from semi-finished products. So although these final products may appear to seem the same visually, we are talking about products that are light years apart in the difference of quality, genuineness and goodness'. PDO cheeses are protected with a guarantee of traceability and bona fide ingredients. That is why Pecorino Crotonese must be PDO to be authentic.

The Breeders

There are those who say that the symbiosis between humans and animals is part of the sacred and profane history of humanity. Today breeders are the guardians of the territory: they are the only ones who know by heart the sinuous lines of the hills and plains. Breeders are the soul of the supply chain. The production chain is their Bible that they respect in its entirety by becoming representatives for the protection and continuity of the dairy traditions of these places.

Producers

Pecorino Crotonese PDO is produced by the APOCC - Calabrialleva Cooperative which has been the leader for the recognition of the PDO, the Mairano and Stirparo dairy and Cereal Latte. The cheese that we find on sale in shops and in large retailers is the result of the efforts to produce a product of great gastronomic and nutritional value.. Il formaggio che troviamo in vendita nelle botteghe e nella grande distribuzione è lo sforzo di queste realtà che mandano avanti un prodotto dal grande valore gastronomico e nutritivo.