milk is different, and to be able to have a quality product you have to start from valuable ingredients. Luckily, my cows have a possibility to graze and sleep outside.
I see that Parmesan has lost a little its characteristic. Therefore, it is important for us to specialise in organic and highlight our own name. In fact, we would like to have some organic Parmesan on our own and sell it in our farm. Otherwise, the company that is collecting our milk and producing Parmesan from it is gaining the most.
I know that organic Parmesan consumers want as natural product as possible and they are willing to pay more. For their safety there is also a traceability system of the PDO scheme and every cheese can be traced later. Customers can find out from which dairy their Parmesan comes, from which milk it has been produced and what the cows have been eaten.
Overall, the PDO scheme adds value to organic mountain Parmesan. In my case, the price of milk would go down if everybody produced Parmesan freely. For instance, they are producing milk for 18 cents per litre in Eastern Europe, whereas my milk costs 40 cents per litre. However, the quality scheme system must take care that my company can economically survive within their rules, and I think that they are acting for the common good.
4.4 The Italian results
The connections between branding, COO and the quality schemes as described by the Italian entrepreneurs
In this sub-section, I am focusing on answering the first Italian part of the main research question: How do the Italian entrepreneurs describe the connections between branding, COO and the quality schemes? In this regard, the logic of the descriptions differs between the Finnish and Italians from the part of the quality schemes. Thus, the Italian entrepreneurs have been using the quality schemes in their agri-businesses for years, while the Finnish in the stories above are not using the schemes yet.
To begin with, both Italian entrepreneurs describe that the quality scheme controls make them always try to do their best and work as a guarantee of the traceability of Parmesan to their customers. Altogether, this description is my first discovered Italian connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes. In this respect, Mr Land tells, ‘I believe a lot in the Italian animal nutrition, and we have excellent products since we have a lot of controls, and due to that we always do our best.’
Then, Mrs Alpine continues, ’For their (customers) safety there is also a traceability system of the PDO scheme and every cheese can be traced later. Customers can find out from which dairy their Parmesan comes, from which milk it has been produced and what the cows have been eaten. Through these descriptions, I see the scheme controls affecting branding since they are helping to keep the product quality steady. Thus, Parmesan can be traced back to its origin due to the PDO certificate that the cheese carries.
Thereafter, both entrepreneurs say that the PDO scheme enable the higher prices and sales of milk used for making Parmesan and finished Parmesan, and that is the second connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes. In this respect, Mr Land narrates, ‘We also have other white cheeses, but by selling Parmesan we gain more. ---. ‘In both cases, PDO affects a lot our sales.’ Similarly, Mrs Alpine agrees with him by saying that: ‘In my case, the price of milk would go down if everybody produced Parmesan freely. For instance, they are producing milk for 18 cents per litre in Eastern Europe, whereas my milk costs 40 cents per litre. In this regard, I think that the PDO logo attracts and adds customer trust and in this way enables the higher prices and sales of Parmesan. Furthermore, since the scheme guarantees that the milk for producing Parmesan is sold and the cheese itself is produced only in the specific Italian areas, it connects Parmesan with its Italian origin.
As next, Mr Land tells following the old traditional preparation method of Parmesan cheese, and that forms the third connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes. In this regard, he describes, ‘I produce Parmesan as consortium says to me by following the old traditional style. This means that I have to take the cream away from the evening milk and the milk from the morning has to be full fat. I would like to work with a bigger yield too and to be able to produce 10 kilos of cheese from one quintal of milk, but no way! We must continue to work with the right yields in order to have a wonderful product.’ In this connection, the preparation method of Parmesan follows the rules that are determined by the PDO scheme and controlled by the consortium of Parmesan. Despite the controls, I think that the old traditional preparation method
is an important element that maintains the brand image and identity of Parmesan. Moreover, since the Italian milk from the specific areas of Italy is used for preparing Parmesan the brand is also connected to its geographical origin.
Thereafter, Mr Land describes that the PDO certificate affects customer decision-making process and trust positively, and that is the fourth connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes. In this regard, he ponders, ‘Anyway, the PDO mark hits the right note and my customers feel more confident. ---. I have noticed that when they have to choose between the PDO and non-PDO cheese at my shop, they choose the first option. Therefore, I would say that the contribution to customer trust is 80 per cent. ---. Our customers are protected with the logo of Parmesan, which certificates quality, then, they are protected with the PDO logo, which certificates the origin of Parmesan. This means that there is a double certification helping customers in the choice of the products.
Above all, the PDO mark adds trustfulness of quality if you don't know the producer directly. In this way, I think that since the customers trust the PDO logo it also brands Parmesan and its Italian origin.
As next, both entrepreneurs describe that the PDO scheme adds value to Parmesan from both the entrepreneurs and customers’ viewpoints, and that is my fifth founded connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes. In this regard, Mr Land describes value creation from the customers’ viewpoint: ‘Customers have learned to give value to PDO and are prone to spend something more. In this way, the value of the product increases.’ Then, Mrs Alpine states it from the entrepreneurs’
perspective: ‘Overall, the PDO scheme adds value to organic mountain Parmesan. In my case, the price of milk would go down if everybody produced Parmesan freely.’ Due to these excerpts, I deduce that the PDO scheme makes the Parmesan brand more valuable for both the entrepreneurs themselves and their customers.
Moreover, the PDO scheme adds value to Parmesan because due to its protection Parmesan or milk that is used for Parmesan cannot be produced elsewhere.
Then, Mr Land describes that the PDO certification gives them the protection against the product counterfeits, and that is my sixth founded connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes: ‘Still and all, the PDO logo is fundamental at the international level since it differentiates us from the counterfeits, like Regianito from Argentina or American's Parmesan. In fact, Parmesan name can be used only to identify Parmesan in the EU so it is registered. The role of Parmesan consortium is to supervise and arrange those aspects because
without the quality scheme we would be at the mercy of everybody.’ In this way, the PDO scheme is connected with the brand of Parmesan since it is protecting the brand and its Italian origin.
Thereafter, Mr Land narrates the use of the PDO logo in connection with the marketing of Parmesan and the PDO logo, which is recognised by his customers, and that description is my seventh founded connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes: ‘We use the PDO logo everywhere, on every product packet and marketing banners, on the webpage and social media. We figured out that it is just the view of the PDO mark that is enough for some customers. Some don’t know the real meaning of the PDO logo and think that since there is the logo the product should be better. Of course, there are also customers, who know for what PDO stands for since they ask information.’ In this regard, I deduce that the PDO scheme is connected with branding and country of origin of Parmesan since some customers recognise and trust the PDO logo, even if they do not always know the meaning of the PDO logo. On the other way round, the other customers recognise the PDO logo so well that they want to ask more information. Thus, I reason that if the logo were not important, the customers would not pay attention on it or ask more information.
Finally, Mr Land tells that meaning of the PDO scheme is to help entrepreneurs produce Parmesan with the same features, and that is my eight founded connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes: ‘All Parmesan producers, who follow the rules of PDO, are at the same level. I mean that since we have created PDO, we have to cooperate, and we cannot produce cheese without listening to each other. It should never happen that customers say that they have eaten Parmesan that has tasted bad. They must always eat quality Parmesan and that should never depend on the producer. The meaning of PDO is to help produce Parmesan with the same features.’ I think that this connection conceptualises all of the Italian connections between branding, COO and the quality schemes: The PDO scheme affects so much the brand of Parmesan that it says the geographical areas wherein it can be produced. Thus, the steady brand quality is gained.
The lack of connections between branding, COO and the quality schemes as described by the Italian entrepreneurs
Nevertheless the founded connections, also the Italian entrepreneurs describe some lack of connections between branding, COO and the quality schemes. In this respect, I am answering now to the last part of my main research question: How do the Italian entrepreneurs describe the lack of connections between branding, COO and the quality schemes?
First of all, Mr Land tells that he would like to produce more Parmesan from one quintal of milk than the rules of the PDO scheme are allowing, and that is the first founded lack of connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes: ‘I produce Parmesan as consortium says to me by following the old traditional style. This means that I have to take the cream away from the evening milk and the milk from the morning has to be full fat. I would like to work with a bigger yield too and to be able to produce 10 kilos of cheese from one quintal of milk, but no way! In this connection, I see that the rules of the PDO scheme limit the entrepreneurs’ own cheese production and possibly also their branding through the different versions of Parmesan. For instance, they might like to produce ‘a diet version’ of Parmesan for the customers, who want to lose weight, but since the scheme rules are strict they are not allowing doing it. I also think that these strict rules affect in the same way branding abroad and through that to the image of Parmesan and its Italian origin.
Next, Mr Land’s personal business interest and personal brand seem to set some doubts for applying the PDO scheme, and these doubts form the second lack of connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes: ‘Every now and then, I am dreaming to be an organic farmer. That would be the only reason to produce cheese without the PDO logo. ---. ‘They know me and trust me as a person; they don't need the PDO logo for that.’ In this regard, if the entrepreneur was an organic farmer, he could brand his cheese differently than it is happening through the PDO scheme. Furthermore, Mr Land could focus more freely on his personal brand as a cheese seller if he did not need to follow the rules of the PDO scheme. In this regard, e.g. he could produce his own kinds of cheeses and be branded through them in a way that is suitable for him. In this case, he could also e.g. produce his cheeses elsewhere with less expensive expenses than in Italy, and that would affect his country of origin branding too.
Thereafter, Mrs Alpine tells that he does not own a dairy or shop and therefore he is not gaining so much, and that is the third founded lack of connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes: ‘Our farm locates up in the Apennines, and we only produce milk for Parmesan but we don’t make cheese on our own. ----. ‘In fact, we would like to have some organic Parmesan on our own and sell it in our farm. Otherwise, the company that is collecting our milk and producing Parmesan from it is gaining the most.’ In this respect, if the entrepreneur had his own dairy or shop, he could brand his produced Parmesan together with the other entrepreneurs through the quality schemes and Italian origin, but since he does not have, it is the lack of connection.
Lastly, Mrs Alpine says that Parmesan has lost a little its characteristic, and that is the fourth lack of connection between branding, COO and the quality schemes: ‘I see that Parmesan has lost a little its characteristic. Therefore, it is important for us to specialise in organic and highlight our own name.’ In this respect, I see that she wants to highlight her own name as a milk producer because she does not want to
‘hide’ namelessly behind the brand of Parmesan. By acting like this, she might also want to emphasise more her company alone than the region of origin through the PDO scheme.
Branding in the Italian stories
Having analysed and described the Italian connections and lack of connections between branding, COO and the quality schemes, I move on answering the first sub-question for the Italian part: How do the Italian entrepreneurs describe their branding?
To begin with, I see that both Italians describe their brand building and management through the Italian origin of the cows’ feeding and finished Parmesan. In this regard, Mr Land states, ‘I believe a lot in the Italian animal nutrition.’ ---- ‘They (customers) are protected with the PDO logo, which certificates the origin.’ ----
‘When they (customers) think Parmesan they relate it to the trustworthy feeding of our cows.’ Likewise, Mrs Alpine tells, ‘I have a lot of my own pastures to feed our cows.’ --- ‘To be able to have a quality product you have to start from valuable ingredients (the Italian ones).’ In this respect, I think that they use country of origin in their branding and that it plays important roles in both brand reputation and the entrepreneurs’ own brand identity perceptions.
As next, I deduce that both entrepreneurs describe their brand building and management through the PDO scheme that Parmesan applies. Moreover, I see that the PDO scheme affects also brand reputation among the customers and the entrepreneurs’ own brand identity. In this regard, the scheme is especially important for Mr Land’s branding: ‘The PDO mark hits the right note and my customers feel more confident. They always look for information about the product, and they are paying a lot of attention on the ingredients, and if they don't see any quality mark, they turn to be worried. I have noticed that when they have to choose between the PDO and non-PDO cheese at my shop, they choose the first option.’ ---. ‘Our customers are protected with the logo of Parmesan, which certificates quality, then, they are protected with the PDO logo, which certificates the origin of Parmesan. This means that there is a double certification helping customers in the choice of the products.’ ---. ‘We use the PDO logo everywhere, on every product packet and marketing banners, on the webpage and social media. We figured out that it is just the view of the PDO mark that is enough for some customers.’ ---. ‘Customers have learned to give value to PDO and are prone to spend something more. In this way, the value of the product increases.’ Moreover, Mrs Alpine tells, ‘I know that organic Parmesan consumers want as natural product as possible and they are willing to pay more. For their safety there is also a traceability system of the PDO scheme and every cheese can be traced later. Customers can find out from which dairy their Parmesan comes, from which milk it has been produced and what the cows have been eaten.’ ---.
‘Overall, the PDO scheme adds value to organic mountain Parmesan.’
However, despite the importance of the PDO certificate, Mrs Alpine tells about the names of organic and mountain Parmesan and their own company that they use to differ from the competitors: ‘The milk we produce goes for organic and mountain Parmesan. If I had not differentiated high up here, I would have faced a rough ride’, ‘I see that Parmesan has lost a little its characteristic. Therefore, it is important for us to specialise in organic and highlight our own name.’ Thus, Mrs Alpine is more differentiated producer than Mr Land. In this respect, I think that this difference is mostly due to the mountain environment where Mrs Alpine is running her company compared to Mr Land who lives in the flat land.
In addition, I see that Mrs Alpine builds and manages her milk brand through the organic and mountain characteristics and these characteristics shape her brand identity and image of the company and produced milk: ‘Luckily, my cows have a possibility to graze and sleep outside.’ ---. ‘I know that organic Parmesan consumers want as natural product as possible and they are willing to pay more.’ However, also Mr Land describes the naturalness of Parmesan: ‘there are no other cheeses without preservatives that have such a
good ripening’ and therefore, I think that the preservative-free cheese matters in his brand reputation building and management.
Then, Mr Land continues describing the brand of Parmesan by telling that, ‘our Parmesan is known all over the world’. Moreover, he tells that he follows ‘the old traditional style’ when making Parmesan. In
Then, Mr Land continues describing the brand of Parmesan by telling that, ‘our Parmesan is known all over the world’. Moreover, he tells that he follows ‘the old traditional style’ when making Parmesan. In