The global retail cheese market returned to its long term growth trend last year and was buoyed by innovation in the sector, according to a new report from Zenith International.
Innovation is rife, according to the 2016 Zenith Report on Cheese Innovation, as manufacturers seek to capture market share with new product launches that include unusual flavour pairings, products tailored towards specific consumption occasions, and low-fat cheeses.
The report identifies 10 key trends and themes driving new product development initiatives since 2014 - cooking, dipping, convenience, snacking, spreadables, added protein, indulgence, lactose-free, no-melt and child-oriented.
"Without a doubt, the level of innovation in the cheese industry has kept the market relevant to today's consumers who are looking for variety, convenience and added value," Zenith market intelligence director Esther Renfrew said.
In 2015, the global cheese market rose by an estimated 1 per cent to 11.5 million tonnes, according to Zenith, which found natural cheese was the most popular cheese type, accounting for 83 per cent of total volume and 85 per cent in value, with hard/semi-hard and white cheese topping the list.
Processed cheese consumption, however, is more common in developing economies such as Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa than in the mature economies of North America and Europe, according to the report.
The global market for cheese is also highly fragmented, according to Zenith, with the leading five brands, Kraft, Président, The Laughing Cow, Philadelphia and Sargento, holding a combined retail share of eight per cent by volume.
