Cheese: Key Markets, Categories and Value Adding Trends

Soft cheese drives growth in 2014

Accounting for 50% of absolute value growth over 2013-2014, soft cheese is the fastest growing category in cheese. Product innovation and increased penetration in rapidly growing regions such as Latin America and the Middle East and Africa are the main drivers of growth.

A quarter of global total volume growth in cheese came from just two markets: Brazil and the USA

As the largest global market for cheese, American consumers eat an average 11kg of cheese per year. While volume growth may be low (just 1%), it still contributed to 10% of additional volume sales in 2014. The biggest contribution however, came from Brazil with per capita consumption of just 6kg, making it a very interesting market as a further penetration can generate substantial new sales as cheese becomes a more important food item in the Brazilian diet.

Low volume growth in mature markets balanced by value growth.

Provenance, snacking and indulgence drive value growth are increasingly used to increase the appeal of product offerings.

“Matured in French Region” sells better than simply “cheese”.

Cheese has already been promoted as a healthy snack for children but increasingly it is being promoted for adult consumption as a high protein snack.

New eating occasions for cheese have evolved in recent years through indulgent variants, such as the Philadelphia cinnamon spread which is consumed as a sweet snack and a variety of new cheese brands are being turned into cooking ingredients which further augment the number of occasions during which cheese can be consumed.

Three pillars to future growth markets

When looking at key growth markets, priority should be given to low per capita cheese markets combined with a fast-developing modern retail environment and a population with growing awareness of Western cuisine.

What this report includes

• Top-level strategic analysis of how major consumer trends will influence global markets
• Consumer insight
• Impact across all relevant consumer markets
• Unique graphics and case studies
• Key market snapshots
• Accompanying presentation to synthesise main findings

Why buy this report

• Identify factors driving change now and in the future
• Understand motivation
• Forward-looking outlook
• Briefings and presentation should provoke lively discussion at senior level
• Take a step back from micro trends
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