When thinking of mozzarella, most minds rightfully go straight to Italy. Belgium, on the other hand, is an unlikely player in this market.
Gouda, which is one of the most famous cheeses from Belgium's neighbouring country The Netherlands and is most like Belgium's own famous cheeses including Oud Brugge, has now been dethroned by mozzarella, according to new results from Statbel, the Belgian statistics office.
Some 109,500 tonnes of cheese were produced in Belgium in 2022, of which 96,500 tonnes were natural cheese.
While the total cheese production remains at the same level, a clear change in the types of cheese produced is noticeable, Statbel wrote.
At Solarec, part of the 'Laiterie des Ardennes', in Baudour, up to 32,000 tonnes of Mozzarella can be made every year. Credit: Belga/ Virginie Lefour
"Gouda production showed a 7% decrease, compensated by a strong 9% increase in mozzarella production. With this, the dairy sector is responding to world market demand," Statbel stated.
More than 68,500 tonnes of mozzarella was produced, 6,000 tonnes more than in 2021, while 2,000 tonnes of classic Gouda less was produced – a 17% drop.
Goat cheese too recovered since 2021, with 33% more of this soft cheese being produced, nearing almost 10,000 tonnes, but its share remains limited.
Made in Italy?
Mozzarella has evolved into the largest single category in EU cheese exports, with mass production in The Netherlands and Germany leading them to become the biggest exporters in recent years.
This has resulted in a rapid rise in the number of fake "made in Italy" product business, with several brands printing Italian-sounding terms, the colours of the country's flags and even geographical indications on their packaging, despite the fact that they are not authentically Italian products, RTBF reported.
While Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle obtained the protected designation of origin (DOP) in 2020 and the buffalo mozzarella sold as Mozzarella di Bufala Campana has carried the DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta, translated as “Protected Designation of Origin”) logo for years – there is no such protection for the actual word 'mozzarella' in the EU.
"With a protected name, you can only produce in Italy, you can only produce with Italian milk. They've tried several times in Italy to protect the name, but they haven't succeeded," Gianfranco Raineri of the Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce, said.
The food industry can therefore use the word mozzarella without it being produced, made, or processed in Italy or with Italian products. This has become a real economic problem for the country, which according to the Chamber, lost €79.2 billion because of the fake 'made in Italy' business, which cured meats and cheeses are particularly affected by.
