Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources and methodology
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Advertising clips
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Commodity pricing has the largest impact on overall sales
- Competition trumps innovation
- The cheese segments
- Natural cheese
- Processed cheese
- Cottage cheese
- Cream cheese/cream cheese spread
- Supermarkets dominate retail
- The consumer
- Cheese consumption
- Types of cheese eaten
- Factors influencing cheese purchase
- Form of cheese bought most often
- Source of cheese – type of store
- Attitudes to cheese and cheese buying behavior
Insights and Opportunities
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- Cheese needs to better fit in with healthy diets
- Product placement a missed opportunity
- Emphasize cheese anytime
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- Figure 1: How cheese is eaten, by gender, February 2010
- Cheese as a snack is a particularly important eating occasion
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- Figure 2: Incidence of eating cheese as a snack and as a healthy snack, 2009
- Bringing specialty cheese mainstream
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- Figure 3: Types of specialty foods purchased, July 2009
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- Figure 4: Use of natural/organic packaged food/beverage, by age, December 2009
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- Figure 5: Fine dining, last dining occasion cheese/dessert order, by age, December 2009
Inspire Insights
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- Trend 1: A Simple Balance for Health
- What we’ve seen
- Specifics
- Implications
- Trend 2: Authenticity
- What's it about?
- What we've seen
- Implications – and does authenticity matter?
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Commodity prices dictate sales results
- Recent sales paint a clearer picture
- Future growth contingent on moves by large manufacturers
- Total sales and forecast
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- Figure 6: Total U.S. retail sales of cheese, at current prices, 2004-14
- Figure 7: Total U.S. retail sales of cheese, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2004-14
- Walmart sales
Competitive Context
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- Cheese found across the board on restaurant menus
- Cheese already built into ready to eat meals at home
- Cheese is a major snack, but many snack options exist
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- Figure 8: FDMx sales of healthy snack foods, by segment, 2006 and 2008
- Figure 9: Healthy foods eaten as snacks—6-12-year-olds, December 2007
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Natural cheese dominates the market, driving results
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- Figure 10: FDMx sales of cheese, segmented by type, 2007 and 2009
- Cheese sales at current prices, by segment
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- Figure 11: FDMx sales of cheese, at current prices, by segment, 2004-14
- Figure 12: FDMx sales of cheese, by segment, recent rolling 52-week periods, 2008-09
Segment Performance—Natural Cheese
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- Key points
- Missing the opportunity boat
- But smaller players weathering the storm
- Steady ahead
- Sales and forecast—natural cheese
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- Figure 13: FDMx sales and forecast of natural cheese, at current prices, 2004-14
Segment Performance—Processed Cheese
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- Key points
- Budget shopper not lured in by cheaper cheese
- Category success rest on shoulders of one player
- Sales steady: in the black
- Sales and forecast—processed cheese
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- Figure 14: FDMx sales and forecast of processed cheese, at current prices, 2004-14
Segment Performance—Cottage Cheese
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- Key points
- Category requires a front line rally
- Sales hampered by lack of innovation and support
- Sales and forecast—cottage cheese
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- Figure 15: FDMx sales and forecast of cottage cheese, at current prices, 2004-14
Segment Performance—Cream Cheese/Cream Cheese Spread
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- Key points
- Moving beyond the bagel schmear
- Sales and forecast—cream cheese/cream cheese spread
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- Figure 16: FDMx sales and forecast of cream cheese, at current prices, 2004-14
Retail Channels
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- Key points
- Supermarkets retain grip
- Retailers an essential component of success going forward
- Sales by retail channel 2008-09
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- Figure 17: U.S. retail sales of cheese, by retail channel, 2008 and 2009
Retail Channels—Supermarket/Food Stores
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- Key points
- Retail prices drive fluctuations
- Savvy supermarkets follow trends
- Sales through supermarkets/food stores
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- Figure 18: U.S. retail sales of cheese at supermarkets/food stores, 2004-09
Retail Channels—Mass and Other
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- Key points
- A varied story to tell
- Discounting will be a theme
- Sales through mass and other stores
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- Figure 19: U.S. retail sales of cheese at mass and other channels, 2004-09
Retail Channels—Natural Food Stores
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- Natural channel/SPINS
- Sales of cheese in the natural channel
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- Figure 20: Natural supermarket sales of cheese, at current prices, March 2008-March 2010
- Figure 21: Natural supermarket sales of cheese, at inflation-adjusted prices, March 2008-March 2010
- Implications
- Natural channel sales by segment
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- Figure 22: Natural supermarket sales of cheese, by segment, March 2008 and March 2010
- Brand table: Cheese
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- Figure 23: Manufacturer brand natural supermarket sales of cheese, March 2008 and March 2010
- Natural channel sales of cheese by organic
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- Figure 24: Natural supermarket sales of cheese, organic vs. non-organic, March 2008 and March 2010
Market Drivers
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- Cheese consumption declining
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- Figure 25: Per capita consumption of cheese*, 1998-2008
- Perhaps because introductions and claims are down?
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- Figure 26: Top ten claims in cheese new product introductions, 2005-10
- Figure 27: Cheese new product introductions, by company, 2005-10
- And people should be eating more cheese at home
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- Figure 28: Spending at restaurants compared to last year, November 2008 and October 2009
- Commodity prices
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- Figure 29: Per capita cheese availability*, 2000-08
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- Figure 30: Average price per pound American and cheddar cheese, 2000-08
- Populations of cheese eaters
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- Figure 31: Households, by presence of children, 1999-2009
- Figure 32: Population, by age, 2005-15
Leading Companies
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- Key points
- Who moved Kraft’s cheese?
- Sargento floats to the top
- Private label fails to sustain benefit from recession
- Sales of leading cheese companies, 2008 and 2009
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- Figure 33: FDMx sales of leading cheese companies, 2008 and 2009
Selected Brand Analysis—Natural Cheese
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- Key points
- Private label price incentives not enough
- Kraft continues sales and share decline
- Sargento bucks the decline trend
- Natural product the natural leaders in the natural segment
- Natural cheese segment company and brand sales
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- Figure 34: Selected FDMx brand sales of natural cheese in the U.S., 2008 and 2009
Selected Brand Analysis—Processed Cheese
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- Key points
- Kraft flagship is sinking
- Bel Brands plays David to the Kraft Goliath
- Processed cheese segment company and brand sales
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- Figure 35: FDMx brand sales of processed cheese in the U.S., 2008 and 2009
Selected Brand Analysis—Cottage Cheese
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- Key points
- 2009 not kind to cottage cheese brands
- Innovations, not enough, yet?
- Not all is lost: Hope seen with smaller innovators
- Cottage cheese segment company and brand sales
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- Figure 36: FDMx brand sales of cottage cheese in the U.S., 2008 and 2009
Selected Brand Analysis—Cream Cheese/Cream Cheese Spread
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- Key point
- Kraft moves beyond the bagel
- Cream cheese/cream cheese spreads segment company and brand sales
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- Figure 37: FDMx brand sales of cream cheese/cream cheese spread in the U.S., 2008 and 2009
Innovation and Innovators
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- Convenience
- Flavor innovations
- Portioning
- Free from r-BST
- Private label push
- Let’s get the party started
- Better for you
Brands and the Advertising Landscape
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- Overview of the brand landscape
- Brand Analysis: Kraft
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese
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- Figure 38: Brand analysis of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 2010
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- Figure 39: Philadelphia Cream Cheese television ad, 2010
- Kraft Singles
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- Figure 40: Brand analysis of Kraft Singles, 2010
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- Figure 41: Kraft Singles television ad, 2009
- Brand analysis: Fromageries Bel
- Laughing Cow: “Have you laughed today?”
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- Figure 42: Brand analysis of Laughing Cow Light Wedges, 2010
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- Figure 43: Laughing Cow Light Wedges television ad, 2009
- Boursin
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- Figure 44: Brand analysis of Boursin, 2010
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- Figure 45: Boursin television ad, 2009
- Brand analysis: Cabot Cheese
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- Figure 46: Brand analysis of Cabot, 2010
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- Figure 47: Cabot television ad, 2010
- Figure 48: Cabot television ad, 2009
Cheese Consumption
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- Key point
- How and when cheese is consumed
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- Figure 49: How cheese is eaten, by gender, February 2010
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- Figure 50: How cheese is eaten, by age, February 2010
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- Figure 51: How cheese is eaten, by household income, February 2010
Types of Cheese Eaten
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- Key points
- All cheese
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- Figure 52: Types of cheese eaten, by gender, February 2010
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- Figure 53: Types of cheese eaten, by age, February 2010
- Figure 54: Types of cheese eaten, by household income, February 2010
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- Figure 55: Types of cheese eaten, by region, February 2010
- Popular cheese
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- Figure 56: Types of popular cheese eaten, by age, February 2010
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- Figure 57: Types of popular cheese eaten, by household income, February 2010
Factors Influencing Cheese Purchase
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- Key points
- Factors considered “important”
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- Figure 58: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by gender, February 2010
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- Figure 59: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by age, February 2010
Form of Cheese Bought Most Often
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- Key points
- Formats purchased driven by type of use
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- Figure 60: Forms of cheese most often bought, by gender, February 2010
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- Figure 61: Forms of cheese most often bought, by age, February 2010
Source of Cheese – Type of Store
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- Key points
- Mainstream supermarket purchases on the upswing
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- Figure 62: Type of store where cheese is bought, by frequency, February 2009 and 2010
- Impact of age on source of purchase
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- Figure 63: Frequency of buying of cheese at supermarkets, by age, February 2010
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- Figure 64: Frequency of buying of cheese at mass/club stores, by age, February 2010
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- Figure 65: Frequency of buying of cheese at natural retailers, by age, February 2010
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- Figure 66: Frequency of buying of cheese at selected delis, c-stores and other, by age, February 2010
- Impact of household income on source of purchase
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- Figure 67: Frequency of buying of cheese at supermarkets, by household income, February 2010
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- Figure 68: Frequency of buying of cheese at mass/club stores, by household income, February 2010
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- Figure 69: Frequency of buying of cheese at natural retailers, by household income, February 2010
Attitudes Towards Cheese and Cheese Buying Behavior
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- Key points
- Standard or specialty cheese in home
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- Figure 70: Incidence of standard or specialty cheese in home, by gender, age and household income, February 2010
- Interest in new varieties
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- Figure 71: Interest in new cheese varieties, by gender, age and household income, February 2010
- Purchase of individually-wrapped and low fat cheese
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- Figure 72: Purchase of individually-wrapped and low fat cheese, by gender, age and household income, February 2010
- Cheese as a gift
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- Figure 73: Purchasing cheese as a gift, by gender, age and household income, February 2010
- Cheese and drink pairings
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- Figure 74: Attitudes towards cheese and drink parings, by age and household income, February 2010
Interest in Eating Less Dairy/Cheese in the Interest of The Environment
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- Figure 75: Interest in reducing dairy/cheese consumption in order to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions, February 2010
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Lactose Intolerance
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- Incidence of lactose intolerance
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- Figure 76: Incidence of lactose intolerance, by, age and region, February 2010
- Impact on cheese eating of lactose intolerance
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- Figure 77: Cheese eating habits of the lactose intolerant, February 2010
Cheese Consumption by Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Incidence of lactose intolerance
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- Figure 78: Incidence of lactose intolerance, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2010
- How and when cheese is consumed
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- Figure 79: How cheese is eaten, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2010
- Types of cheese eaten
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- Figure 80: Types of cheese eaten, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2010
- Where cheese is purchased
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- Figure 81: Frequency of buying of cheese at supermarkets, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2010
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- Figure 82: Frequency of buying of cheese at mass/club stores, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2010
- Figure 83: Frequency of buying of cheese at natural retailers, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2010
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- Figure 84: Frequency of buying of cheese at selected other small retailers, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2010
Cluster Analysis
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- Tasters
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- Connoisseurs
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- The Timid
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- Cluster characteristics
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- Figure 85: Cheese clusters, February 2010
- Figure 86: Types of cheese eaten, by cheese clusters, February 2010
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- Figure 87: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by cheese clusters, February 2010
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- Figure 88: Purchasing cheese as a gift, by cheese clusters, February 2010
- Cluster demographics
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- Figure 89: Cheese clusters, by gender, February 2010
- Figure 90: Cheese clusters, by age group, February 2010
- Figure 91: Cheese clusters, by household income, February 2010
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- Figure 92: Cheese clusters, by race, February 2010
- Figure 93: Cheese clusters, by Hispanic origin, February 2010
- Cluster methodology
Custom Consumer Groups: Kids and families
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- Kids’ cheese consumption
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- Figure 94: Children’s consumption of cheese, by gender, April 2007-June 2008 and April 2008-June 2009
- Factors influencing cheese purchase
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- Figure 95: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by presence of children, February 2010
- Source of cheese
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- Figure 96: Type of store where cheese is bought, by presence of children, Part 1, February 2010
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- Figure 97: Type of store where cheese is bought, by presence of children, Part 2, February 2010
- Attitudes towards cheese and cheese buying behavior
- Buying for children
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- Figure 98: Impact of children on cheese buying, by presence of children, February 2010
- Purchase of individually-wrapped and low fat cheeses
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- Figure 99: Purchase of individually-wrapped and low fat cheeses, by presence of children, February 2010
- Interest in new varieties
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- Figure 100: Interest in new cheese varieties, by presence of children, February 2010
IRI/Builders—Key Household Purchase Measures Processed Cheese
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- Overview of processed cheese
- Processed slices
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures – processed slices
- Brand map
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- Figure 101: Brand map, selected brands of processed slices, buying rate by household penetration, 2009*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 102: Key purchase measures for the top brands of processed slices, by household penetration, 2009*
- Cheese spreads/balls
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures – cheese spreads/balls
- Brand map
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- Figure 103: Brand map, selected brands of cheese spreads/balls, buying rate by household penetration, 2009*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 104: Key purchase measures for the top brands of cheese spreads, by household penetration, 2009*
IRI/Builders—Key Household Purchase Measures Natural Cheese
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- Overview of natural cheese
- Natural cheese (shredded)
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures – natural cheese (shredded)
- Brand map
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- Figure 105: Brand map, selected brands of natural cheese (shredded), buying rate by household penetration, 2009*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 106: Key purchase measures for the top brands of natural cheese (shredded), by household penetration, 2009*
- Natural cheese (chunks)
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures – natural cheese (chunks)
- Brand map
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- Figure 107: Brand map, selected brands of natural cheese (chunks), buying rate by household penetration, 2009*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 108: Key purchase measures for the top brands of natural cheese (chunks), by household penetration, 2009*
- Natural cheese (slices)
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures – natural cheese (slices)
- Brand map
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- Figure 109: Brand map, selected brands of natural cheese (slices), buying rate by household penetration, 2009*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 110: Key purchase measures for the top brands of natural cheese (slices), by household penetration, 2009*
IRI/Builders—Key Household Purchase Measures Cream Cheese/Cream Cheese Spread
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- Cream cheese/cream cheese spread
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures – cream cheese/cream cheese spread (brick)
- Brand map
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- Figure 111: Brand map, selected brands of cream cheese/cream cheese spread (brick), buying rate by household penetration, 2009*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 112: Key purchase measures for the top brands of cream cheese/cream cheese spread (brick), by household penetration, 2009*
- Cream cheese/cream cheese spread (soft)
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures – cream cheese/cream cheese spread (soft)
- Brand map
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- Figure 113: Brand map, selected brands of cream cheese/cream cheese spread (soft), buying rate by household penetration, 2009*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 114: Key purchase measures for the top brands of cream cheese/cream cheese spread (soft), by household penetration, 2009*
IRI/Builders—Key Household Purchase Measures Cottage Cheese
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- Cottage cheese
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures – cottage cheese
- Brand map
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- Figure 115: Brand map, selected brands of cottage cheese, buying rate by household penetration, 2009*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 116: Key purchase measures for the top brands of cottage cheese, by household penetration, 2009*
Appendix: Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Figure 117: Types of cheese eaten, by marital status, February 2010
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- Figure 118: Types of cheese eaten, by level of education, February 2010
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- Figure 119: Types of popular cheese eaten, by gender, February 2010
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- Figure 120: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by region, February 2010
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- Figure 121: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by gender, February 2010
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- Figure 122: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by age, February 2010
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- Figure 123: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by household income, February 2010
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- Figure 124: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2010
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- Figure 125: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by region, February 2010
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- Figure 126: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by gender and presence of children, February 2010
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- Figure 127: Factors influencing purchase of cheese, by presence of children, February 2010
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- Figure 128: Forms of cheese most often bought, by number of people in household, February 2010
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- Figure 129: Forms of cheese most often bought, by region, February 2010
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Appendix: IRI/Builders Panel Data Definitions
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- IRI Consumer Network Metrics
Appendix: Trade Associations
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