History
The Pecorino Crotonese Protection Consortium
The Pecorino Crotonese Protection Consortium was founded from the vision of APOCC, the Cooperative of Sheep and Goat Breeders of Calabria, with the goal of safeguarding and protecting a product with a long-standing history.
Today, the Consortium ensures that only cheese produced in compliance with the official regulations can be called Pecorino Crotonese, thereby protecting both the product and the consumers. The PDO seal stands as a symbol certifying its authenticity.
The PDO supply chain of Pecorino Crotonese includes 50 livestock farms and 3 dairy producers, processing approximately 3,000,000 liters of milk annually (equal to 30,000 quintals), with numbers that continue to grow—resulting in an average 600 tons of Pecorino Crotonese PDO produced each year.
1984
The APOCC association was established and subsequently officially recognized by Decree No. 658 of the President of the Calabria Region on May 9, 1988. Its purpose is to protect the rights of Calabrian livestock breeders.
2005
APOCC becomes a Cooperative Company registered under REA No. 146882, obtaining recognition as a P.O. (Producer Organization) for Sheep and Goat Breeders of Calabria. In doing so, its original objectives are expanded.
2008
Establishment of the community dairy
An important step that enabled the completion of the production chain, laying the groundwork for obtaining the PDO designation.
2012
Establishment of the Pecorino Crotonese Protection Consortium, which, for the first time, brings together the dairies and livestock breeders from the production area encompassing the provinces of Crotone, Catanzaro, and Cosenza.
2014
PDO Recognition for Pecorino Crotonese
Consortium
The Pecorino Crotonese Protection Consortium is responsible for safeguarding the authenticity of the PDO product from non-PDO cheeses and possible imitations. But its mission goes beyond protection—it also promotes, informs, and enhances the value of a cheese deeply rooted in the territory, with a history spanning millennia.
Because tasting an authentic Pecorino Crotonese PDO is a completely different experience.
Wheels of Pecorino Crotonese that comply with the official regulations bear a label featuring the Pecorino Crotonese logo, accompanied by the wording “Protected Designation of Origin” or the acronym PDO.
The Council
The Board of Directors is composed in accordance with current regulations regarding representation and is structured as follows:
66% is represented by dairies, 17% by livestock breeders, and the remaining 7% is divided between portioning operators and aging specialists.
Production Specification
The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) “Pecorino Crotonese” is reserved exclusively for hard, semi-cooked pecorino cheese made solely from whole sheep’s milk. It is produced using milk sourced from the Marchesato area, which includes the province of Crotone as well as certain municipalities in the provinces of Catanzaro and Cosenza.
The excellence of a cheese begins with the quality and purity of the milk, which comes from sheep that graze on these lands and feed on native herbaceous species. When we talk about cheese in general, and pecorino in particular, it’s well known that not all are made with genuinely wholesome ingredients.
Some cheeses are produced with milk of non-Italian, often European origin, or even from semi-processed materials. While the final product may look similar to the eye, these are vastly different in terms of quality, authenticity, and flavor.
PDO cheeses are protected and guaranteed in terms of ingredient traceability and authenticity.
That is why Pecorino Crotonese must be PDO to be truly authentic.
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Breeders
Some say that the bond between humans and animals is part of both the sacred and secular history of humanity.
Today, livestock breeders are the true guardians of the land—those who know by heart the sinuous lines of the hills and plains.
Breeders are the soul of the supply chain.
The production specification is their Bible, which they follow faithfully, becoming the bearers of protection and continuity for the cheesemaking tradition of this land.
Consortium Dairies
Only the dairies listed in this section are authorized and certified to produce Pecorino Crotonese PDO. No other producer is allowed. To ensure the authenticity of the product, always check for the Consortium of Protection logo and the “Pecorino Crotonese PDO” label. Some dairies may also produce conventional pecorino, which is distinct from the PDO version. For more information, feel free to contact us.
