Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer data
- Advertising clips
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Cheese sales a victim of the economy
- A diverse market results in varied segment results
- Supermarkets increase focus on private label and specialty cheese
- Kraft Foods the leading company, but private label dominates overall
- Innovators zero in on market trends
- Marketing efforts as distinctive as brand personalities
- Today’s cheese consumer
Insights and Opportunities
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- “Green” cheese
- Better for the planet (BFP)
- Source-verified: Organic, humane, and local
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- Figure 1: Organic food and cheese household usage, by age, February 2010-March 2011
- Vegetarian/flexitarian
- Stronger flavors gain favor
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- Figure 2: Cheese purchasing occasions and attitudes, by age, June 2011
Inspire Insights
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- Trend: Guiding Choice
- Trend: Snack Society
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Market sales reflect diverse nature of cheese category
- Sales and forecast of cheese
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- Figure 3: Total U.S. retail sales* of cheese, at current prices, 2006-16
- Figure 4: Total U.S. retail sales of cheese, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2006-16
- Fan chart forecast
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- Figure 5: Fan chart forecast of cheese, 2006-16
- Walmart sales
Market Drivers
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- Overview
- Economic factors
- Disposable personal income limits spending
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- Figure 6: Real disposable income, 2007-11*
- Consumer confidence tumbles in the face of a double-dip recession
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- Figure 7: Consumer sentiment index, January 2007-July 2011
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- Figure 8: Unemployment and underemployment rate, January 2007-July 2011
- Household income impacts cheese consumption
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- Figure 9: Personal consumption of cheese, by household income, June 2011
- Demographics: Population growth for older generations and Hispanics
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- Figure 10: Population, by age, 2006-16
- Figure 11: Population by generation, 2011
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- Figure 12: Personal consumption of cheese, by age, June 2011
- Figure 13: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2006-16
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- Global demand forces rising cheese prices
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- Figure 14: Consumer Price Indexes for all urban consumers, U.S. average (not seasonally adjusted), 2008-June 2011
- Consumers continue to cut back
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- Figure 15: Private label purchasing behavior, by household income, June 2011
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Modest sales gains in 2011 keep category in the black
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- Figure 16: Total U.S. retail sales of cheese, by segment, 2009-11
Segment Performance—Natural Cheese
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- Key points
- Natural cheese rallies following sales slump
- Sales and forecast of natural cheese
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- Figure 17: Total U.S. retail sales and forecast of natural cheese, 2006-16
Segment Performance—Processed Cheese
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- Key points
- Processed cheese sales flat, yet opportunity exists to grow segment
- Sales and forecast of processed cheese
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- Figure 18: Total U.S. retail sales and forecast of processed cheese, at current prices, 2006-16
Segment Performance—Cream Cheese/Cream Cheese Spread
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- Key points
- Cream cheese sees success via versatility
- Sales and forecast of cream cheese/cream cheese spread
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- Figure 19: Total U.S. retail sales and forecast of cream cheese/cream cheese spread, at current prices, 2006-16
Segment Performance—Cottage Cheese
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- Key points
- Cottage cheese struggles to maintain its dairy snack position
- Sales and forecast of cottage cheese
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- Figure 20: Total U.S. retail sales and forecast of cottage cheese, at current prices, 2006-16
Retail Channels
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- Key points
- Supermarkets dominate, growing market share and sales
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- Figure 21: Total U.S. retail sales of cheese, by channel, 2009 and 2011
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- Figure 22: Supermarket/food stores’ sales of cheese, at current prices, 2006-11
- Figure 23: Supercenter and warehouse club cheese sales, at current prices, 2006-11
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- Figure 24: In-store deli cheese sales, at current prices, 2006-11
Retail Channels—Natural Supermarkets
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- Key points
- Organic products significant boost for natural retailers
- Sales of spreads and dips in the natural channel
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- Figure 25: Natural supermarket cheese sales, at current prices, 2009-11*
- Figure 26: Natural supermarket cheese sales, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-11*
- Natural channel sales by segment
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- Figure 27: Natural supermarket cheese sales, by segment, 2009 and 2011*
- Brands of note
- Natural channel sales by organic content
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- Figure 28: Natural supermarket cheese sales, by organic content, 2009 and 2011*
Leading Companies
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- Key points
- Private label the leading collective, Kraft the leading brand
- FDMx sales of cheese by manufacturer
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- Figure 29: Manufacturer FDMx cheese sales, 2010 and 2011
Brand Share—Natural Cheese
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- Key points
- Private label and smaller brands see sales successes
- Manufacturer and brand sales of natural cheese
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- Figure 30: Selected FDMx brand sales of natural cheese, 2010 and 2011
Brand Share—Processed Cheese
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- Key points
- Kraft Foods’ flat sales keep segment sales in check
- Manufacturer and brand sales of processed cheese
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- Figure 31: Selected FDMx brand sales of processed cheese, 2010 and 2011
Brand Share—Cream Cheese/Cream Cheese Spread
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- Key points
- Kraft dominates and grows segment with promotional efforts
- Manufacturer and brand sales of cream cheese/cream cheese spread
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- Figure 32: Selected FDMx brand sales of cream cheese/cream cheese spread, 2010 and 2011
Brand Share—Cottage Cheese
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- Key points
- Private label holds a commanding share of cottage cheese
- Manufacturer and brand sales of cottage cheese
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- Figure 33: Selected FDMx brand sales of cottage cheese, 2010 and 2011
Innovations and Innovators
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- Key points
- Launches down during the recession
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- Figure 34: Cheese product launches, by subcategory, 2007-11
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- Figure 35: Cheese product launches, by top claims, 2007-11
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- Figure 36: Cheese product launches, by top companies/brands, 2007-11
- Product innovations
- Private label continues BFY push
- Organic releases reflect recognition of sales growth
- Added flavors and variety blends up the Hispanic appeal
- Vegetarian products gain appeal
- String cheese broadens appeal
Marketing Strategies
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- Overview
- Brand analysis: Kraft
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- Figure 37: Kraft Shredded Naturals television ad, 2011
- Partnership with TerraCycle
- Kraft Touch of Philadelphia
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- Figure 38: Brand analysis of Kraft Touch of Philadelphia, 2011
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- Figure 39: Kraft/Touch of Philadelphia television ad, 2011
- Brand analysis: Tillamook
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- Figure 40: Brand analysis of Tillamook, 2011
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- Figure 41: Tillamook television ad, 2011
- Figure 42: Tillamook television ad, 2011
- Brand analysis: Sargento Foods Inc.
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- Figure 43: Brand analysis of Sargento, 2011
- Figure 44: Sargento Artisan Blends television ad, 2010
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- Figure 45: Sargento Slices television ad, 2010
- Promotional efforts can help to reach younger consumers
- Sampling
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- Figure 46: Cheese purchasing occasions and attitudes, by age, June 2011
- Social media
Household Usage
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- Key points
- Cooking cheese use on the rise
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- Figure 47: Household consumption of cheese, February 2010 and June 2011
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- Figure 48: Household consumption of cheese, June 2011
- Kids’ usage of cheese
- Cheese purchasing for kids in household
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- Figure 49: Cheese purchasing for kids in household, by age and household income, June 2011
- Kids’ usage of cheese
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- Figure 50: Kids’ cheese usage, by age, February 2010-March 2011
- Household usage, by cheese type
- American cheese
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- Figure 51: American cheese household usage, by household income, February 2010-March 2011
- Natural or imported cheese
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- Figure 52: Natural or imported cheese household usage, by household income, February 2010-March 2011
- Cream cheese
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- Figure 53: Cream cheese household usage, by household income, February 2010-March 2011
- Cottage cheese
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- Figure 54: Cottage cheese household usage, by age, February 2010-March 2011
- Spread cheese
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- Figure 55: Spread cheese household usage, by household income, February 2010-March 2011
Popular Cheese Consumption
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- Key points
- Cheddar and mozzarella remain the favorites
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- Figure 56: Popular cheese consumption, by age, June 2011
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- Figure 57: Popular cheese consumption, by household income, June 2011
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- Figure 58: Popular cheese consumption, by region, June 2011
Consumption Occasions
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- Key points
- Sandwiches, cooking, and with crackers/bread top cheese uses
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- Figure 59: Cheese consumption occasions, by age, June 2011
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- Figure 60: Cheese consumption occasions, by household income, June 2011
Factors That Matter to Cheese Buyers
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- Key points
- Type of cheese leading factor but shifting trends are evident
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- Figure 61: Factors that matter to cheese buyers, by gender, February 2010 and June 2011
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- Figure 62: Factors that matter to cheese buyers, by age, June 2011
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- Figure 63: Factors that matter to cheese buyers, by household income, June 2011
Purchase Occasions for Cheese, By Form
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- Key points
- Slices most popular, followed by shredded
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- Figure 64: Purchase occasions for cheese, by form, June 2011
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- Figure 65: Purchase occasions for cheese, by form, by age, June 2011
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- Figure 66: Purchase occasions for cheese, by form, by household income, June 2011
Retail Purchasing and Private Labels
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- Key points
- Outlets where consumers buy cheese
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- Figure 67: Outlets where consumers buy cheese, June 2011
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- Figure 68: Outlets where consumers buy cheese, June 2011
- Private label purchasing behavior
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- Figure 69: Private label purchasing behavior, by age, June 2011
Purchasing Occasions and Attitudes
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- Key points
- In-store sampling drives new variety trial
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- Figure 70: Cheese purchasing occasions and attitudes, by age, June 2011
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- Figure 71: Cheese purchasing occasions and attitudes, by household income, June 2011
Impact of Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Personal consumption of cheese
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- Figure 72: Personal consumption of cheese, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2011
- Popular cheese consumption
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- Figure 73: Popular cheese consumption, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2011
- Factors that matter to cheese buyers
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- Figure 74: Factors that matter to cheese buyers, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2011
- Purchase occasions for cheese, by form
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- Figure 75: Purchase occasions for cheese, by form, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2011
- Retail purchasing
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- Figure 76: Outlets where consumers buy cheese, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2011
- Purchasing occasions and attitudes
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- Figure 77: Cheese purchasing occasions and attitudes, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2011
Custom Consumer Groups
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- Key points
- Personal consumption
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- Figure 78: Personal consumption of cheese, by gender and age, June 2011
- Popular cheese consumption
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- Figure 79: Popular cheese consumption, by gender and age, June 2011
- Consumption occasions
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- Figure 80: Cheese consumption occasions, by gender and age, June 2011
- Factors that matter to cheese buyers
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- Figure 81: Factors that matter to cheese buyers, by gender and age, June 2011
- Cheese purchasing occasions and attitudes
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- Figure 82: Cheese purchasing occasions and attitudes, by gender and age, June 2011
SymphonyIRI/Builders—Key Household Purchase Measures
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- Natural cheese
- Overview of natural cheese
- Natural shredded cheese
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures—natural shredded cheese
- Brand map
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- Figure 83: Brand map, selected brands of natural shredded cheese buying rate, by household penetration, 2010*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 84: Key purchase measures for the top brands of natural shredded cheese, by household penetration, 2010*
- Natural cheese chunks
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures—natural cheese chunks
- Brand map
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- Figure 85: Brand map, selected brands of natural cheese chunks buying rate, by household penetration, 2010*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 86: Key purchase measures for the top brands of natural cheese chunks, by household penetration, 2010*
- Natural cheese slices
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures—natural cheese slices
- Brand map
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- Figure 87: Brand map, selected brands of natural cheese slices buying rate, by household penetration, 2010*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 88: Key purchase measures for the top brands of natural cheese slices, by household penetration, 2010*
- Processed cheese
- Overview of processed cheese
- Processed/imitation cheese slices
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures—processed/imitation cheese slices
- Brand map
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- Figure 89: Brand map, selected brands of processed/imitation cheese slices buying rate, by household penetration, 2010*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 90: Key purchase measures for the top brands of processed/ imitation cheese slices, by household penetration, 2010*
- Cheese spreads/balls
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures—cheese spreads/balls
- Brand map
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- Figure 91: Brand map, selected brands of cheese spreads/balls buying rate, by household penetration, 2010*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 92: Key purchase measures for the top brands of cheese spreads/balls, by household penetration, 2010*
Appendix—Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Figure 93: Personal consumption of cheese, by gender, June 2011
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- Figure 94: Popular cheese consumption, by gender, June 2011
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- Figure 95: Cheese consumption occasions, by gender, June 2011
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- Figure 96: Cheese consumption occasions, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2011
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- Figure 97: Factors that matter to cheese buyers, by gender, June 2011
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- Figure 98: Outlets where consumers buy cheese, by age, June 2011
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- Figure 99: Outlets where consumers buy cheese, by household income, June 2011
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- Figure 100: Private label purchasing behavior, by household income, June 2011
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- Figure 101: Private label purchasing behavior, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2011
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Appendix—Trade Associations
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