{"id":23761,"date":"2020-03-31T16:00:40","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T14:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.xtrawine.com\/?p=23761"},"modified":"2020-03-31T17:52:00","modified_gmt":"2020-03-31T15:52:00","slug":"made-in-italy-the-reasons-why-italian-wine-is-such-an-important-product-for-this-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.xtrawine.com\/en\/made-in-italy-the-reasons-why-italian-wine-is-such-an-important-product-for-this-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Made in Italy \u2013 The Reasons Why Italian Wine is Such an Important Product for This Group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you browse around your local supermarket, you may see a label appear on a lot of products that come from Italy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Made in Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re not talking about a random claim by a manufacturer here. Made in Italy is organisation that\u2019s dedicated to ensuring consumers get their hands on legitimate Italian products. That means you can feel more confident in the product if you see the organisation\u2019s specific mark printed on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the Made in Italy organisation covers several aspects of Italian industry. These include food and fashion. But it\u2019s Italian wine, as always, that will be the focus of our article today. We contend that wine may be the most important product to carry the label, for a number of reasons. But before we get into those, let\u2019s look at who Made in Italy are and why they\u2019re important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does Made in Italy Do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a brand, Made in Italy has existed since 1980. And the reasons for it were pretty clear. With so many amazing products coming out of Italy, manufacturers wanted a way to assure consumers that they were getting the real deal. After all, any popular product is prone to forgers who create knock-offs. We\u2019ve seen it with Italian wine, where counterfeiters cost the industry millions each year as well as making products that are dangerous for consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, we also see it in fashion. Many a street hawker will try to sell you \u201cgenuine\u201d Italian garments that turn out to be cheap knock-offs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, Made in Italy as a stamp is intended to ensure that you\u2019re getting the best of Italy when you pay for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as a brand, the label is intended to continue the association between Italian products and the idea of luxury. Make no mistake about it, branding is a big part of what Made in Italy does. While ensuring consumers get what they paid for is important, the organisation also wants to support Italian manufacturers and create a certain sense of experience around the products that they create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since its conception, Made in Italy has become one of the country\u2019s most important certifications. So much so that the organisation receives special protection from the Institute for the Protection of the Italian Manufacturers. After all, both organisations have the same goal, even if Made in Italy is a little more marketing-focused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, we\u2019ve seen plenty of \u201cMade in\u2026\u201d labels before. For example, American manufacturers are keen to point out that their products are \u201cMade in the USA\u201d. But it\u2019s in the definition of \u201cMade in\u201d that Italy and other countries differ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s stick with the United States as an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A product from the United States can carry the \u201cMade in the USA\u201d label if \u201call or virtually all\u201d of its manufacturing steps occur in the country. It\u2019s the \u201cvirtually\u201d that\u2019s the point of contention here. This means that there\u2019s some flexibility involved, which means some \u201cMade in the USA\u201d products aren\u2019t entirely made in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Italy\u2019s language is very different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To carry the Made in Italy certification, a product must be \u201ctotally\u201d made in the country. That means 100% of all product planning, manufacturing, and even packaging must occur in Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These stringent standards may seem a little harsh. However, they also ensure that quality is the key focus for the Made in Italy brand. If a product carries the label, you know that it hasn\u2019t touched another country until it arrived wherever it\u2019s getting sold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, with that being said, why is wine such an important product for Made in Italy. After all, it doesn\u2019t have its own category, seeing as it falls under the Food category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can think of a few reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reason #1 \u2013 Wine Makes Huge Amounts of Money<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Italy is one of the biggest exporters of wine in the world, with only France competing with it for the top spot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, figures from 2018 show us that Italy exports at least $7.3 billion worth of wine every year. And that\u2019s not counting all of the wine that\u2019s sold to people in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, Italian wine makes a lot of money for Italy. And that means the wines that carry the Made in Italy stamp make the associated organisation a lot of money too. Made in Italy relies on the Italian wine industry to produce quality products. And the industry relies on Made in Italy to certify that these wines meet certain standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such, there\u2019s a symbiotic relationship here that is beneficial to both parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reason #2 \u2013 When You Think Wine, You Think Italy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Made in Italy represents four major industries:<\/p>\n\n\n\n