Market Trends of Cheddar Cheese Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Cheddar Cheese Market according to our research experts:
Increasing Consumer Preference for Natural Cheddar Cheese
Natural cheese has been dominating the overall cheese category for much of the past decade. The trend has also translated into positive growth for natural cheddar cheese. Much of this growth in the natural cheddar cheese category has been because of two overarching trends: increased consumption of cheese in the foodservice industry and increased consumption as snacking cheese. With innovative recipes and culinary trends becoming popular across the world and because of increased internationalization of continental and American cuisines, cheddar cheese consumption by the foodservice industry has seen an upswing over much of the review period. Smaller restaurants are observed to be consuming larger retail packs and this stimulates growth in the "block" form of cheddar cheese.
The product and packaging innovations by producers to enable consumption of cheese as a snack, either as-it-is or in combination with other snack ingredients is expected to boost the market for cheddar cheese over the forecast period. Coupled with these snacking trends, consumers' willingness to spend on natural, clean-label, organic and similar ingredients is projected to be an important factor impacting the growth of the natural cheddar cheese category over the forecast period.
North America Dominates the Global Market
Although the major market in the region, the United States experienced a slowdown in retail sales, the region still accounts for a major share of the global cheddar cheese market. The consumption of cheddar cheese in the region is driven by its almost ubiquitous presence in American cuisine. The snacking habit with respect to cheese has also been a prominent factor impacting positive market growth over the review period. Companies are increasingly focused on launching innovative products as cheese snacks. For instance, Dairy Farmers of America added habanero cheddar and extra sharp white cheddar to its popular brand, Borden Snack Bars.
