Branding the trademark

The Parmigiano-Reggiano is marked from top to bottom all the way around: the identifying words "Parmigiano-Reggiano" are indelibly imprinted all over the convex "wall" of each cheese. This ensures that however small the cheese is cut, each fragment will be recognized from the marks on its rind as authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano.

 During the 24 hours while the fresh curd is settling down in its wooden mould to assume the final shape of a wheel, a special matrix imprints the identifying marks over its rindforming surface.
This permanent mark registers the date of cheese production for the cheesemaking dairy.

At a much later stage an oval mark, engraved with heat, is added on a patch left vacant for the purpose. This final brand (which distinguishes each individual wheel) is not applied until a full year has elapsed after completion of the cheese-making season, when accurate tests have ascertained that the cheese up for marking meets the required standard. The stamp confirms the success of a year's work, faithfully carried out by the traditional methods, and certifies the year of production.