The resilient character of PDO/PGI products in dynamic food markets

The European and Italian food system is experiencing a change in the relationship with the consumer andwith the distribution. In fact, customers are increasingly demanding, and are attracted, by products that have highquality content and a strong link with the territory.The brands with the price are the two factors affecting the strategic policies of the food producer firms. At the sametime, the retail system has proven to be very sensitive to consumer demands by providing quality products atcompetitive prices and using their brand as an element of loyalty.In the European context, the Italian agri-food system has the higher number of products with the ProtectedDesignation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) recognition. However, 90% of PDOproducts are represented by only 15 Designations. This figure shows how different types of products find a muchdiversified business position in relation to the firm’s characteristics, to the markets characteristics, to the reputation ofthe Designation and to the consortium strategies in relation to their commercialization.The objective of this research, based on observed data collected through the survey of QUALIVITA Association, is toprovide an exhaustive picture of the economic characteristics of the Italian PDO, PGI Designations and define atypology of such Designation according different set of variables as production system, reputation level, role of theterritory and distribution channel.The ultimate goal is to determine the strategic levers taken at the marketing stage and to identify which factors clarifytheir potentiality on the market.The methodology adopted for the quantitative analysis is based on non-hierarchical cluster analysis by the method ofk-mean in order to identify clusters of similar designations which explain what variables act on the various strategiesadopted and on the related development processes.