A sector that continues to demonstrate solidity, adaptability, and a strong international vocation, but which faces an increasingly complex competitive landscape. This is the picture that emerged from the conference “The Future of Pork and Cured Meats in an Age of Global Uncertainty, “held in Rome as part of the Annual Assembly of ASSICA (the Meat and Cured Meats Industry Association, a member of Confindustria), organized with the support of the European project “Trust Your Taste, Choose European Quality”.
This year’s Assembly took on a particularly significance, coinciding with the eightieth anniversary of the Association’s founding. In 2025, Italian cured meat production reached 1.173 million tons, up 0.6% from the previous year, for a total value of €9.643 billion (+1.9%).
On the domestic market, consumption reached 989,200 tons, confirming a slight increase (+0.5%), despite the ongoing phase of inflation, economic uncertainty, and household spending hesitations. Apparent per capita consumption stood at 16.6 kilograms per year, confirming the important role that cured meats continue to play in Italians’ eating habits. Domestic consumption continued to see cooked ham in first place, with a 28.1% share of total cured meats, followed by raw ham at 21.0%, mortadella/frankfurters at 19.6%, salami at 8.3%, and bresaola at 2.4%. Other cured meats rounded out the list at 20.6%.
“During 2025 and the first half of this year, domestic consumption was held back by the reduction in household disposable income, which continues to impact spending decisions. In light of recent interest rate hike announcements and the worsening economic outlook, along with the serious uncertainties arising from international conflicts, there is a risk that this situation could worsen further in the coming months“, commented ASSICA President Lorenzo Beretta.
International demand once again supported the sector’s growth. In 2025, exports of Italian cured meats reached 231,645 tons, worth more than €2.5 billion , recording a 5.3% growth compared to the previous year in both volume and value.
This result confirms the strategic role of exports for the sector and contributes to bringing the trade balance above 2.18 billion euros. Growth was driven primarily by European Union markets, which absorbed over 163,000 tons of product for a value of 1.695 billion euros, up 6.4% and 6.6% respectively compared to 2024.
The situation in third countries, however, remains more complex, despite still representing a key component of Italian companies’ development strategies. These markets continue to be impacted by the restrictions resulting from African Swine Fever (ASF), geopolitical and trade tensions, and the slowdown of some international economies.
Exports of Italian cured meats to third countries totaled 67,835 tons for a value of €811 million, up 2.9% in quantity and 2.6% in value. Unlike the previous year, shipments to the United States declined slightly, reaching 19,394 tons (–3.8%) for €249.2 million (–5.8%).
Among the most exported products, cured hams remain, with sales alone exceeding one billion euros abroad. Salami, mortadella, cooked ham, bresaola, and cured pancetta also performed well, demonstrating the growing international reach of Italian cured meats as a whole.
“Companies in the sector continue to invest, innovate, and dominate international markets despite a particularly challenging environment”, declared the President of ASSICA. “Export results demonstrate the strength of our production and the recognized value of Italian cured meats, which, I proudly recall, are the highest-quality and most appreciated cured meats in the world. However, we cannot ignore the critical issues that continue to weigh on the competitiveness of our companies. ASF continues to limit access to important, high-potential markets. Added to this are energy costs, which in Italy remain significantly higher than those incurred by many European competitors, and an international context characterized by growing instability. The sector is not asking for assistance, but for conditions that allow Italian companies to compete on equal terms with European and global competitors”.
The 2026 Assembly also represents a particularly significant moment for the Association, which celebrates eighty years of activity alongside Italian meat and cured meat companies . Founded in January 1946, a few months after the end of World War II, ASSICA has accompanied all the major phases of the sector’s development: from the country’s economic reconstruction to the recovery of exports in the 1950s, from the construction of the European single market to the promotion of PDO and PGI products, up to the more recent challenges of sustainability, digitalization, and artificial intelligence.
Today, the sector is facing a new phase of transformation that affects not only markets and technologies, but also generational change within companies . In this process, ASSICA is paying particular attention to engaging the new entrepreneurial generations: the ASSICA Youth Group is playing an increasingly important role, helping fuel discussion on strategic issues for the future of the sector.
“Italian delicatessen has navigated very different phases of the country’s economic history; we have managed to maintain, indeed, increase, the quality of our products, our unique qualities that everyone envies us, strengthening our ability to innovate, create value, and compete. The future that awaits us presents significant challenges, from competitiveness to sustainability, from innovation to international scenarios. These are challenges that affect the entire production system and will require a joint commitment from businesses and institutions. We face them realistically, but also with confidence, because the history of these eighty years demonstrates that Italian delicatessen has always been able to evolve and look forward without losing its identity“, concluded the President.
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