Marks of Origin and Quality Marks

The Grana Padano marks of origin are the four-leaf clover and the diamond-shapes with the words “GRANA” and “PADANO” printed across the entire surface of the cheese.
The four-leaf clover contains the D.O.C. acronym as well as the dairy’s serial number and the province code; the month of production is printed alongside the four-leaf clover.

The marks of origin are cold-pressed onto the cheese with moulds. Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano is the sole owner of these moulds, which it also delivers to the producers, in order to ensure that "they are looked after with the care that a good father shows his family, under the full liability of the producer’s legal representative".
The quality mark is the Grana Padano logo, which is also owned by Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano.

After it has matured for nine months, the cheese is branded with a special tool under the supervision of the Consortium’s technicians.
The cheese is tapped, pricked and checked by Consortium experts in order to ensure the "healthy, fair and commercial" quality of Grana Padano.