A premium goat cheese topped with native Australian green ants will soon go on sale in New York specialty stores.
Anthill is a soft goat cheese (chevre) topped with green ants and is made in South Australia's Adelaide Hills by Woodside Cheese Wrights.
The was awarded a “Super Gold” at the World Cheese Awards in 2016 soon after its release in Australia, and the product will now be shipped to New York, pending final FDA approval, thanks to the use of technology to extend its shelf-life.
The green ants come from the Northern Territory, and taste like a combination of kaffir lime and lemongrass, according to head cheese maker and CEO Kris Lloyd.
Innovation in the cheese snacks segment is also on a roll, according to research firm Zenith. It has found that cheese snack consumption grew 4.5 per cent last year, driven by consumer trends such as convenience and kids' snacking.
The emergence of exciting flavours and new segments such as adult snacking, better for you, protein boost and texture, are also driving growth, according to the researcher.
"Snacking is an increasingly important part of our daily routine, but it is often associated with feelings of guilt and overindulgence,” Zenith insight manager Christina Avison said.
“Consumers all around the world are moving away from sugary snacks in a bid to be healthier, so the opportunity for cheese snacks is substantial."
In 2017, the largest market for cheese snacks was North America, capturing a 45 per cent share, followed by Europe on 34 per cent and Asia Pacific with 12 per cent of the market.
