Les fromages graisse des Préalpes: la réputation d'un produit de consommation populaire

In the second post-war period, traditional soft cheeses struggled to reach again in the market the position they held before. The evolution of taste, with the predilection for fresh cheeses and with lower fat content was very influential. E.g. Gorgonzola production, estimated 310,000 quintals in the late 1950s, dropped to 240,000 quintals in the early 1970s, rising again to 300,000 quintals at the end of the same decade, and exceeding 500,000 quintals in 2011. Exports, which remained below quotas of less than 100,000 quintals up until the 1990s, returned to exceed160,000 quintals in 2011. The recovery of production and exports is explained in the product protection initiatives by voluntary associations (Consorzi, PDO).