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Cheese - Ireland - May 2019

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Issues covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Market sizes
Figure 1: Estimated value of the total cheese market, NI and RoI, 2014-18
Forecast
Figure 2: Estimated value of the total cheese market, NI and RoI, 2019-24
Market factors
NI cheese prices turbulent while RoI witnesses four-year low
2018 witnesses a boast in cheese exports
Own-label cheese preferred by Irish consumers
Opportunities exist for an ageing population
Companies and innovations
The consumer
Cheddar cheese is the most popular cheese in IoI
Figure 3: Types of cheese bought by consumers in the last three months, NI and RoI, March 2019
Supermarkets are the most popular retailer to buy cheese from
Figure 4: Locations consumers have bought cheese in the last three months, NI and RoI, March 2019
Environmental packaging interests consumers
Figure 5: Consumer interest in buying cheese with specific factors, NI and RoI, March 2019
Mounting interest in cheese from around the world
Figure 6: Agreement with statements related to cheese, NI and RoI, March 2019
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Cheese sales expected to witness growth in 2019
NI cheese prices start to rise while RoI sees four-year low
Exports reach an all-time high in 2018
Own-label vs branded cheese
Opportunities exist for an ageing population
MARKET SIZES AND FORECAST
Cheese sales growth estimated at 1.7% in 2018
Figure 7: Estimated retail sales of cheese, by value, IoI, NI and RoI, 2014-24
Cheese set for almost 7% growth in the next five years
Figure 8: Forecast indexed retail sales of cheese, NI and RoI, 2019-24
MARKET DRIVERS 
Cheese prices falling in RoI while NI sees a rise
Figure 9: Consumer price indices of cheese and curd, RoI, January 2015-February 2019
Figure 10: Consumer price indices of cheese and curd, UK (including NI), January 2015-February 2019
UK and Ireland cheese exports witness record year in 2018
Figure 11: RoI’s top five destinations for agri-food sector exports, 2017
Figure 12: UK cheese exports, by EU and non-EU countries, in tonnes, 2017 and 2018
Own-label dairy preferred in Ireland
Figure 13: Consumer preferences for branded or own-label dairy products, NI and RoI, September 2018
Ageing population creates opportunities
Figure 14: Actual and projected population (%) for NI, by age, 2017 and 2041
Figure 15: Actual and projected population (%) for RoI, by age, 2017 and 2046
Figure 16: Consumers who rated their current personal financial situation as ‘healthy’ (I have money left at the end of the month for a few luxuries or to add to my savings), by age, NI and RoI, December 2018
COMPANIES AND BRANDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Lifestyle changes contribute to new product development
Arla and Dale Farm looking to green energy
Companies invest in greater snacking
Cashel Blue and Ornua scoop awards
Eco lifestyles continue to encourage more brands to take action
WHO’S INNOVATING?
Hard and semi-hard cheese leads innovation
Figure 17: New product development in cheese, UK and Ireland, 2014-19
Innovation in convenience-driven cheese format
Figure 18: New product development in cheese, by format/size, UK and Ireland, 2014-19
Private-label cheese launches falter
Figure 19: New product development in cheese, by branded vs own-label, UK and Ireland, 2014-18
Figure 20: New products launched in the cheese market, by company, UK and Ireland, 2014-19
Ethical and vegan claims witnessed significant growth
Figure 21: New products launched in cheese, by top claims, UK and Ireland, 2014-19
COMPANIES AND BRANDS
Arla Foods
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Carbery
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Carrigbyrne Farmhouse Cheese
Key facts
Product portfolio
Cashel Blue Farmhouse Cheesemakers
Key facts
Product portfolio
Recent developments
Dale Farm
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Dairy Crest
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Dairygold
Key facts
Product portfolio
Fivemiletown Creamery
Key facts
Product portfolio
Kerry Group
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Glanbia
Key facts
Product portfolio
Recent developments
Mondelēz International
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Lactalis
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Ornua
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Cheddar is an Irish staple
Cheese bought most in supermarkets
Interest in spicy cheese and more ethical packaging
Cheese widely accepted as being important as part of a healthy diet
TYPES OF CHEESE BOUGHT
Cheddar is the top cheese bought in Ireland
Figure 22: Types of cheese bought by consumers in the last three months, NI and RoI, March 2019
Cheddar well positioned to tap into convenience drivers
Figure 23: Consumers who have bought cheddar cheese in the last three months, by age, NI and RoI, March 2019
Figure 24: Top five formats of cheese bought by consumers in the last three months, NI and RoI, January 2018
Opportunities exist for cream cheese in snacking
Figure 25: Consumers who have bought cream cheese (eg Philadelphia) in the last three months, by gender, NI and RoI, March 2019
Regional cheese growing in Ireland
Figure 26: Consumers who have bought regional cheese (UK/Irish cheese from a specific region eg Double Gloucester) in the last three months, NI and RoI, March 2019
LOCATIONS CHEESE IS BOUGHT
Most buy cheese at a supermarket
Figure 27: Locations consumers have bought cheese in the last three months, NI and RoI, March 2019
Discounter cheese proves popular among younger consumers
Figure 28: Consumers who have bought cheese from a discounter (eg Lidl) in the last three months, by age, NI and RoI, March 2019
A third buy cheese from convenience stores
Figure 29: Consumers who have bought cheese from a convenience store (eg Spar) in the last three months, by gender and age, NI and RoI, March 2019
Figure 30: Frequency of creating a dish that is a combination of prepared food and uncooked ingredients 3-4 times a week, by age, NI and RoI, March 2018
INTEREST IN CHEESE INNOVATIONS 
Environmental packaging leads innovation
Figure 31: Consumer interest in buying cheese with specific factors, NI and RoI, March 2019
Environmentally friendly packaging reflects a wider eco movement
Figure 32: Consumers who would be interested in buying cheese that is in environmentally friendly packaging, by social class, NI and RoI, March 2019
Spices and fruit in cheese interest consumers
Figure 33: Consumer interest in trying cheese that is made with spices and/or infused with fruit (eg apricot, blackberry), NI and RoI, March 2019
Dietary trends prompt cheese brands to innovate
Figure 34: Consumers interested in trying the following free-from types of cheese, NI and RoI, March 2019
ATTITUDES TOWARDS CHEESE
Cheese seen as important as part of a healthy diet
Figure 35: Agreement with statements related to cheese, NI and RoI, March 2019
Animal welfare important to Irish consumers
Figure 36: Consumer agreement with the statement ‘I am willing to pay more for cheese that has been sourced from animals with high welfare standards’, NI and RoI, March 2019
Worldly cheese demanded as Ireland diversifies from cheddar
Figure 37: Consumer agreement with the statements ‘I am interested in trying new cheeses from around the world’ and ‘I would like to see more continental-style cheeses made with Irish dairy (eg Brie made with Irish milk)’, NI and RoI, March 2019
Interest in smaller portions bodes well for snacking occasion
Figure 38: Consumer agreement with the statement ‘I would like to see more single-serve portions of cheese (eg 30g snack portions)’, by age, NI and RoI, March 2019
Figure 39: Top savoury snack food that consumers have eaten in the last two weeks, NI and RoI, June 2018
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Data sources
Generational cohort definitions
Abbreviations

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