Granarolo and Italy’s PDO Pecorino Cheeses: Romano Leads the U.S. Boom and Opens the Door to a Map of Flavor

Something very specific is happening in the United States, and Granarolo is at the forefront of it: Roman traditional cuisine has taken center stage. Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, Amatriciana, and Gricia—among Italy’s most celebrated pasta classics—are no longer niche dishes, but widely replicated icons across restaurants, food blogs, and home kitchens. At the heart of this “Roman Pasta Effect” lies one essential ingredient: Pecorino Romano PDO.

According to official data from the Consorzio del Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Romano PDO sales in the U.S. have increased by over 25% in the latest production campaign, with the American market now accounting for approximately 35–40% of total exports. This is not simply commercial growth; it signals a cultural shift. U.S. consumers are actively seeking authenticity, heritage recipes, and certified ingredients that guarantee origin and quality.

Pecorino Romano PDO is the structural backbone of Rome’s most iconic pasta dishes. It delivers the sharp, salty depth that defines Carbonara, creates the perfect creamy emulsion in Cacio e Pepe, balances tomato and guanciale in Amatriciana, and gives Gricia its essential intensity. Without Pecorino Romano, these dishes simply would not exist.

Within this context, Granarolo Group, one of Italy’s leading dairy players, brings to the U.S. market a portfolio of Pecorino cheeses marketed under different brands—including Granarolo for Pecorino Romano PDO, Podda for Pecorino Sardo PDO, and Pinzani for Pecorino Toscano PDO and Truffle Pecorino—all expressions of the Group’s Italian cheesemaking heritage. The success of Pecorino Romano thus becomes the gateway to a broader narrative: Pecorino is not a single cheese, but a geographical expression of Italy’s pastoral traditions and regional biodiversity. Because Pecorino is more than Roman. It is a map of Italy.

Alongside the bold and salty Pecorino Romano PDO, Granarolo offers Pecorino Toscano PDO, characterized by a milder, more balanced profile, a softer texture, and delicate buttery notes. Traditionally enjoyed in Tuscany as part of an antipasto platter with pears and honey, or shaved over a classic Panzanella, a rustic bread salad, Pecorino Toscano also lends elegance to baked pasta dishes and vegetable-based recipes, making it highly versatile for American home cooking.

From the heart of the Mediterranean comes Pecorino Sardo PDO, more aromatic and rustic, rooted in Sardinia’s ancient pastoral culture. Its flavor is complex yet round, with a distinctive but less intense saltiness. In Italy, it is often served in generous wedges with pane carasau and a drizzle of olive oil, or grated over Malloreddus—Sardinia’s traditional gnocchetti-style pasta—bringing depth to hearty tomato and sausage sauces.

Completing the range is a Truffle Pecorino, which, while not PDO-certified, is crafted from carefully selected Pecorino and interprets tradition through a contemporary gourmet lens. Combining the intensity of sheep’s milk with the refined aroma of truffle, it responds to the growing U.S. demand for premium, experience-driven products, perfect for cheese boards or elevated pasta creations.

The PDO Pecorino cheeses in Granarolo’s portfolio represent certified origin, strict production specifications, and an inseparable link to their territories. In an increasingly transparency-driven U.S. market, designation of origin is not only a mark of quality but also a cultural value.

The boom of Pecorino Romano in the United States demonstrates that American consumers are not simply looking for a grated cheese, but for an identity ingredient—one capable of telling a story and transforming a dish into an authentic culinary experience. Granarolo meets this demand by strengthening the presence of Romano while expanding awareness of the entire universe of Italy’s PDO Pecorino cheeses.

If Romano is the gateway, the full geography of Pecorino is what ultimately reveals the true soul of Italian cheesemaking.