Dairy Products and Alternatives

Volume growth is expected to be muted for butter in 2023. With inflation still high, though easing, consumers are expected to be price sensitive and as a result opt for more affordable margarine and spreads rather than butter. The situation is…

In 2023, margarine and spreads is projected to continue to be the dominant category in retail volume and value sales terms, followed by butter, with cooking fats sales still negligible. The popularity of margarine and spreads is underpinned by its…

Spreadable cheese continues to be the most popular cheese in Algeria, and thus the leading category in 2023. This is due in large part to its more affordable price than soft cheese, and especially hard cheese, but also because of its convenience and…

Soft and hard cheese registered a positive current retail volume growth in 2022, with sales of soft cheese continuing performing better than hard. Rising consumer price sensitivity is set to see soft cheese volume sales outgrow hard cheese sales into…

Cheese is an important part of consumers’ diet, as it is often consumed as both a snack and as part of a meal. Packaged hard cheese and soft cheese make up the largest proportion of total sales of cheese, while sales of processed cheese and…

Austria is a country with a strong tradition of cheese-making, and the consumption of a wide range of cheese remains very popular in the country, leading cheese to account for the largest share of value sales within overall dairy products and…

Retail price inflation slowed down in 2023 and this had a positive effect on the cheese category, with retail volume sales rising at a steady pace. Still, the cheese category remains import-dependent, a factor that also influences pricing. The war in…

Cheese is a strongly rooted, highly mature category in Belgium with it forming the basis of many meals and dishes. Following the strong growth during the peak of the pandemic, demand for cheese declined strongly both in 2021 and 2022. This was due to…

In 2023, cheese consumption continues to grow in Bolivia, encouraged by higher levels of milk production, with much of the overcapacity being channelled for cheese production. While prices are expected to rise for cheese, they are not expected to be…

Despite the demographic challenges present in Bosnia and Herzegovina, consumer demand for cheese remains stable. One reason for the rising consumer interest in cheese is that these products are seen as an economical and nutritious source of protein,…

Amongst the key categories within dairy, cheese stands out as one of the primary products derived from pure milk. Given its significance in the dairy chain, this category has been one of the most affected by significant structural changes imposed on…

The consumption of cheese rose marginally in 2023 after two years of decline caused by a shift back towards out-of-home entertaining and travelling in the post-pandemic era. Foodservice sales grew significantly and are exceeding pre-pandemic levels…

Cheese consumption in Cameroon is significantly limited, primarily due to cultural factors. Despite its widespread popularity and versatility in many regions around the world, cheese has struggled to establish itself in Cameroon. The country’s…

Cheese consumption continues to rise in Canada, leading to an enhancement in overall sales both in terms of value and volume. Effective trade agreements have facilitated the availability of a wide variety of cheese from countries including the US and…

Raw milk is a fundamental ingredient in cheese production, and when the cost of this ingredient increases, producers face numerous challenges that can lead to significant setbacks. There are several reasons that link the increasing cost of raw milk…

While the COVID-19 pandemic control measures have eased, and logistics and offline consumption have rebounded, it is anticipated that in 2023, both the retail value and volume sales of cheese will continue to experience a double-digit decline. This…

Soft cheese is witnessing the strongest increase in current value sales in 2023, with retail price inflation largely responsible for the growth. Since the end of 2022, price increases have also been exacerbated by a reduction in supplies of soft…

Current value sales are expected to increase, along with a slight increase in volume sales. While there is still economic uncertainty, as a result of rising inflation, the growth in inflation is expected to ease. That being said, consumers are…

Lactose-free varieties have gained popularity at the expense of standard cheese in 2023. While this is partly due to the well-established tendency towards rising health awareness among the population, many consumers have also become more willing to…

Cheese retail prices have started to fall in 2023, following the sharp spike in the previous year, leading to a slight recovery in retail volume sales. Dairy leader Arla Foods has begun to lower prices, with supermarkets and competitors following its…

Cheese is expected to register moderate current value and volume growth. However, inflation is still an issue and consumers are expected to continue to be highly price sensitive and prioritise value for money. This price sensitivity is expected to…

Queso fresco (fresh cheese) is the most consumer cheese in Ecuador. In this category, the participation of the informal industry is very pronounced as cheese consumption is very regional. Each area is accustomed to the type of cheese that is produced…

Cheese in Egypt is witnessing small growth in current retail volume, and a huge increase in current retail value sales in 2023 due to the increases in price. The sector was still in recovery following the impact of COVID-19, when the war in Ukraine…

Cheese is expected to register muted constant value growth, but healthy volume growth in 2023. A significant number of newly-arrived migrants from Ukraine, escaping from the war, is also expected to increase volume sales. However, inflation is…

Cheese received a boost in current retail value sales when COVID-19 pandemic restrictions hit Finland, with consumers bulk buying cheese for home use. In 2023, as in 2022, sales continued to normalise; nonetheless, cooking and snacking at home…

Cheese in France has experienced mixed fortunes in 2022 and 2023 following an upturn in demand during pandemic-related home seclusion in 2020. Price rises across the board are resulting in retail volume declines for many types. The notable exceptions…

Butter expected to register healthy current value growth, but minimal volume growth. Continuing economic uncertainty as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and high inflation is continuing to have an effect and consumers are expected to be…

Inflation has had a noticeable impact on demand for cheese in Germany, prompting consumers to substitute higher-priced cheese varieties with cheaper alternatives. After a price increase of more than 20% since the first quarter of 2022, consumers are…

Across the review period, innovation was strong on the cheese category. Until recently, Greek law mandated the pasteurisation of milk for health reasons. However, a new legislation framework across the review period allowed cheese production from raw…

Cheese is expected to be one of the strongest performing dairy products in 2023, with double-digit value growth, as well as healthy volume growth. Lower-income buyers continue to consume unpackaged soft cheese (usually unbranded), which is available…

Sales of cheese in Hong Kong are expected to experience a significant retail current value boost in 2023, mainly due to a substantial rise in the average unit price. The overall unit price of cheese is set to increase by over 10% compared with the…

Following high double-digit price growth in 2022, the slight price decrease in 2023 positively influenced the retail volume growth of this market. However, cheese remains a product that is considered a non-basic food item by many, and as such, it is…

Retail demand for cheese in India continued to grow in 2023, as major players introduced new variants and expanded their ranges to cater for different consumption occasions. There is increasing demand for Western breakfasts among urban households,…

The COVID-19 pandemic increased awareness and acceptance of cheese in Indonesia, which continues in 2023. During lockdown there was increased interest in cooking and baking at home, and cheese became more widely used as an ingredient. In addition,…

2023 saw rising demand for premium cheese brands with a clear health and wellness positioning as Irish consumers became increasingly interested in products that can help them to improve their dietary intake. The desire to improve one’s diet to…

The government has removed customs taxes for certain imported cheeses, such as soft cheeses with a fat percentage over 5%. Previously, these cheeses were taxed at ILS8.04-13.21 per kg. The customs tax is mainly set to be removed in two stages. Half…

The price of cheese in Italy has risen considerably towards the end of the review period. Higher pricing has been affected by several factors. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic crisis, its aftermath, and the outbreak of war in Ukraine have had…

Cheese is set to see solid growth in retail current value terms in Japan in 2023, largely driven by unit price increases due to inflation and the rising cost of raw materials and energy. Major dairy players such as Megmilk Snow Brand, Meiji Co Ltd,…

Though cheese is expected to register double-digit current value growth, volume sales are expected to fall slightly. Kazakhstan has strong trade links with Russia in particular and its war in Ukraine is negatively impacting the Kazak economy and…

In 2023, cheese is expected to register double-digit current value growth, though volume growth is expected to be minimal, as inflation persists. In addition, there is shortages of local raw milk due to drought conditions, and local producers are…

Volume sales of cheese are experiencing stagnation in 2023 due to its high price, which peaked in 2022 as a result of the rising cost of logistics and energy. Inflation pressure is improving in 2023; however, economic uncertainty prevails. Consumer…

Cheese recorded stagnant retail volume growth in Lithuania during 2023, although value growth was still exceptional in current terms as the impact of high inflation boosted unit prices and value sales significantly, albeit at a slower pace than…

The dominant category in both retail volume and value terms, processed cheese (excluding spreadable), is being developed by significant new product development towards the end of the review period. The domestic foodservice operator QSR Trading Sdn…

Cheese has been the most dynamic category in dairy in current value and retail volume terms in 2023. The shift from unpackaged to packaged formats is an important driver of this trend, but also the positioning of cheese as an affordable source of…

Two distinct trends emerged within the spreadable cheese segment in the first half of 2023. Firstly, the growing popularity of single unit sales, constituting three-quarters of total cheese sales in portions. Economic constraints prompted…

Dairy has been one of the industries hardest hit by inflation, with NZ Stats reporting that the basket of milk, cheese and eggs saw a CPI increase of 12% in 2022 compared with 2021. This is amongst the highest increases in CPI for food in New…

Cheese, as a product area, witnesses a substantial volume decline in 2023, although the rate of decline is less steep in comparison to the pronounced contraction observed in 2022. This decline can be attributed to the ongoing impact of challenging…

In the face of rising prices, cheese consumption remains stable in retail volume terms as this product range remains a popular item in everyday cuisine. Its versatility is a key reason for such high demand, as it can be used in preparing various…

Cheese continues to see falling retail volume sales in Norway in 2023, though at a much slower rate than was recorded in 2022. The persistent decline in demand for cheese has been accentuated by the post-pandemic return to life outside the home and…

The rapid urbanisation across all regions of Pakistan is fuelling growth of cheese in 2023, alongside the increasing interest in Western lifestyles and diets, which is largely due to the increasing exposure to social media among affluent urban…