With more than two decades of experience in the food industry, Eugenio Perrier has helped shape globally recognized brands. He built a career driven by cultural understanding, innovation, and meaningful brand connections. His global experience continues to influence how he approaches consumers, traditions, and modern food marketing.
Today, Perrier leads Parmigiano Reggiano’s marketing efforts in the United States. He focuses on preserving the brand’s heritage while creating relevant experiences for modern consumers. His strategy combines authenticity, storytelling, and consumer education to strengthen one of the world’s most respected food brands.
In this edition of Leaders Who Inspire, Perrier discusses the experiences that shaped his leadership style and career. He also shares insights on branding, transparency, and the evolving expectations of today’s consumers.
Your career spans more than two decades across some of the most recognized food brands globally. What first drew you to the food industry, and what were the defining moments early in your career that shaped your path?
When I began my job search after school, I did not know my path would lead me to food. My priority was to work in marketing and find a company that would give me the opportunity to grow and develop my competencies and skills. During that search, I learned that Barilla was hiring a group of young talent to join its marketing teams. At the time, Barilla—with its namesake pasta brand and Mulino Bianco in bakery—was one of the most exciting companies to work for, especially for a young person eager to start a career in marketing.
That is where it began, and it developed over the next 22 years in the same company through multiple marketing roles across businesses, countries, and brands around the world. It fulfilled all the aspirations I had as a newly graduated young professional and it gave me a platform to grow from there.
You have held leadership roles across companies including Barilla, Sabra, and Wasa, working in different markets and cultures. How has this global experience influenced the way you approach brand building today?
These experiences have shaped my professional profile immensely. In particular, working with cultural brands—brands that define a specific culture domestically or abroad—taught me that whenever we are dealing with any product, we need to fully understand the context and culture of the market in which we are operating. Situations, occasions, need states, and habits change dramatically from market to market, and so does the role of the product we are trying to sell.
It is always about being humble, listening to people, making the effort to understand their needs, and figuring out how what we do can be the right solution for them.
What makes Parmigiano Reggiano unique, and what has it been like leading its marketing efforts in the United States?
Working for Parmigiano Reggiano is a one-of-a-kind opportunity. It is like an F1 driver getting the chance to sit in a Ferrari. It goes beyond the product itself; it is about the story, the tradition, the prestige, and the meaning it carries.
The reputation of the Parmigiano Reggiano name is incredible. That comes with great responsibility, but also with an incredible power to open people’s hearts and create a dialogue.
Parmigiano Reggiano is a product deeply rooted in centuries-old traditions. How do you balance preserving that heritage while still making the brand relevant for modern consumers?
I love this challenge. The tradition behind the making of Parmigiano Reggiano is a cornerstone of its quality, so it cannot be compromised. It has to be respected, elevated and it has to be told.
At the same time, we need to engage with people who live in the present, with modern needs and the desire for experiences that are surprising and delightful. Sometimes those experiences come from the simplicity of tradition; other times they come from exploration and the courage to break conventions.
Time is one of the ingredients of Parmigiano Reggiano: the age and maturation of the cheese contribute to its sensory profile. But its goodness is timeless.
Looking back at your journey, what accomplishments or turning points are you most proud of?
Quite frankly, I am proud of every experience. Some are successes, like driving a turnaround after a challenging moment or working with a team in a market to launch and implement a growth strategy that quickly helped double the size of the business.
Others are related to managing through crisis, whether food-related issues or reputational challenges. And others were simply unsuccessful initiatives, which nevertheless resulted in very precious learning, both for the organization and for me personally.
I am also proud of the relationships with some of the people I have had the fortune to work with. Many are still friends today, after many years. Some were people I had the responsibility to manage; others were people I had the honor to serve. When those relationships were rooted in mutual respect, they led to timeless friendships.
What advice would you give to young marketers starting their careers in the food industry and building lasting global brands?
It is the same advice I would give to anyone starting their career, regardless of the industry: be humble, listen to people, learn about the needs of your clients, and think about how to serve them best.
Try to find a mentor who can guide you and pass down both the tangible and intangible skills needed to grow into a confident yet modest and approachable individual, at work and in life.
How will branding, transparency, and consumer education shape the future of the evolving food industry and changing consumer expectations?
The biggest change is how quickly people are becoming more informed and more demanding about the food they eat. The future will leave little room for mediocrity: food is expected to be good and good for you. Compromises are not going to thrive.
That is why I feel blessed to have the chance to work for Parmigiano Reggiano, which represents pure excellence from every angle.
