2 min

Traditions and Flavors of Modena

"Traditions and Flavors of Modena" is one of the most effective examples of a collective trademark in Italy. The Modena Chamber of Commerce cooperated with Kiwa in the development of this collective brand.

A collective trademark is a distinctive sign of characteristics of products and services used by multiple organizations. It demonstrates the presence of a well-structured and organized control system and guarantees high quality, origin, processing characteristics and typical characteristics of the supply chain, resulting in a greater recognition and better visibility of the product on the market, thanks to the adoption of common marketing strategies.

Benefits for producers

Kiwa Italia's collaboration with the Modena Chamber of Commerce was born in 2003 for the development of the “Tradizioni e Sapori di Modena” (Traditions and Flavors of Modena) collective trademark project. The aim of the trademark is protecting the typical food and gastronomic products of the region, beyond those that already boast community protections such as PDO or PGI.

Over time, it has brought together in a varied "basket" as many as 26 excellences ranging from the spontaneous products of the land and forest to those cultivated, up to craft and industrial production, all characterized by typicality and rootedness in the gastronomic culture of Modena.
The trademark is not to be confused with the PDO, Protected Designation of Origin, and PGI, Protected Geographical Indication (in Italian IGP) certification.

Display trademark logo

Once the trademark has been granted, the licensee companies can use and display the trademark logo in a variety of ways, for example on the packaging of their certified products, on the company's website, on advertising materials and during events. Producers from certified products also benefit from the promotional activity that the Modena Chamber of Commerce has carried out since the registration of the trademark, for example in the media, at events, online, advertising materials, street signs and showcases at the Modena Fair.

“Tradizioni e Sapori di Modena” now involves about 300 companies, including Fini, Rossi, Toschi, CRM, but also small artisan laboratories, and covers 26 food products of which 17 are verified by Kiwa:

  • Tortellini di Modena
  • Crescentina (tigella) di Modena
  • Nocino di Modena
  • Patata di Montese
  • Sassolino di Modena
  • Gnocco Fritto di Modena
  • Croccante artigianale del frignano
  • Salame di San Felice
  • Sfogliata di Finale Emilia
  • Belsone (Belsòn) di Nonantola
  • Amaretti di Modena
  • Antichi cereali dell'Appennino Modenese
  • Agresto di Mele di Vignola
  • Borlengo di Guiglia
  • Coppa di testa di Modena
  • Maccherone al pettine delle valli mirandolesi
  • Sfogliata di Finale Emilia (Torta degli Ebrei)

Verification for uniqueness and quality

For every excellence that has entered the brand, a specific production specification has been drawn up, also with the active collaboration of the producers involved, identifying the geographical area concerned, the chemical-physical and organoleptic characteristics, the methods of production, conservation, packaging and labelling of the product.

Every producer that wants to carry the collective trademark, must comply with the rules described in the specification. Therefore, it’s necessary to rely on a third and independent control body that guarantees a system of conformity inspections, that also has experience and knowledge of the territory and its typical agricultural and food products. Kiwa Italia verifies the conformity of the products with the requirements that are set to be part of the Collective Trademark. The checks carried out on the products are uniquely defined in a control plan and according to the production volumes and critical issues. There may also be audits in the company, a specific check for the approval of labels and tests on the market through physical and documentary analyses.

The “Tradizioni e Sapori di Modena” brand combines various elements: great respect for tradition and uniqueness and proven quality of the food products.