Loblaw and Parmigiano Reggiano not only made statement to celebrate Italian tradition with a nationwide in-store stunt, they set a world record in the process.

The Guinness Book of World Records confirmed Monday that a new milestone was set after 1,672 wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano were cracked open simultaneously on June 14. Maverick worked on public relations for the nationwide promotional event that spanned 452 Loblaw-affiliate locations.

Loblaw and the Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano, a protection body for the producers of the hard Italian cheese, reinforced themselves as recordholders after establishing the mark in 2014 when 1,209 wheels were cracked across the country.

Joe Difalco, VP of fresh merchandising at Loblaw, tells strategy that the event was planned for June to coincide with Italian Heritage Month and highlight a broader array of offerings at subsidiaries such as the Real Canadian Superstore.

“Our stores are catalysts for connections with Canadians through food,” Difalco says. “This felt like the perfect opportunity to reattempt our Parmigiano Reggiano cracking record and launch the start of the in-store cut-cheese program at Real Canadian Superstore across the country.”

Store employees, culinary experts and celebrity chef David Rocco took part in the event that placed Loblaw’s Maple Leaf Gardens location in Toronto at its centre.

Visiting consumers were offered servings of the freshly cracked cheese, photo opportunities and educational moments.

Genuine Parmigiano Reggiano has protected designation of origin status meaning only compliant products from five Italian provinces receive the mark of origin – a distinctive dotted emblem. Producers use methods that date back to Parimgiano Reggiano’s origins nine centuries ago.

Fabrizio Raimondi, the global head of PR at the Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano, tells strategy that the Loblaw event was a chance to convey the cheese’s history and relay to consumers what sets Parmigiano Reggiano apart from its imitators.

“We live in a world where people want to know where their food comes from – how it’s made, who makes it and why it matters,” Raimondi says. “So, when we crack a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano in-store, it’s not just a spectacle – it’s a way to make that heritage come alive in the present day.”