Table of Contents
Introduction
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- Definition
- Abbreviations
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: UK retail value sales of cheese, by type, 2012-14
- Forecast
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- Figure 2: Retail value sales of the UK cheese market*, 2009-19
- Market factors
- Phasing out of EU milk quotas is expected to see a rise in imports
- One in five interested in lower-salt cheese
- Differing trends in mild and mature wholesale prices
- Companies, brands and innovation
- Own-label accounts for over half of the UK retail cheese market
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- Figure 3: Leading manufacturers’ shares in the UK cheese market, by value, 2013/14*
- Brands gain share of new launches in 2013
- Total adspend falls by a third
- The consumer
- Cheese enjoys almost universal purchase
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- Figure 4: Purchase of cheese, by type, July 2012 and July 2014
- Usage of cheese on toast falls since 2012
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- Figure 5: Usage of cheese, by occasion, July 2012 and July 2014
- Two thirds would switch, buy less or stop buying if the price of their favourite cheddar rose
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- Figure 6: Consumer reactions to a 10% rise in the price of their favourite branded cheddar, July 2014
- Just one in five cheese users think non-processed cheese is made from all-natural ingredients
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- Figure 7: Attitudes towards cheese, July 2014
- Coated, marinated and non-European cheeses all spark consumers’ interest
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- Figure 8: Interest in cheese product concepts, July 2014
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Leading brands look to grow usage of territorial cheese through snacking
- The facts
- The implications
- Marked openness to new formats of cheese
- The facts
- The implications
- Ending of EU milk quotas in 2015 does not bode well for British cheddar makers
- The facts
- The implications
Trend Application
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- Trend: Extend My Brand
- Trend: Fauxthenticity
- Trend: Sense of the Intense
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Abolition of EU milk quotas set to bring opportunities and threats
- Mild cheddar wholesale prices down 13% year on year
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- Figure 9: UK wholesale prices of mature and mild cheddar January 2012-August 2014
- Cheese criticised for being high in salt
- Changes to school lunches represent a threat to kids’ cheese brands’ sales
- Slower growth in 15-34s and 0-4s may affect usage of cheese
Strengths and Weaknesses
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- Strengths
- Weaknesses
Who’s Innovating?
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- Key points
- Brands and own-label hold equal share of new launches in 2013
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- Figure 10: New product launches in the UK cheese market, by private label and brands, 2010-14
- Sliced cheese sees ‘better value’ and ‘value-added’ launches
- Aldi sees fastest growth in new launches in 2013
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- Figure 11: New product launches in the UK cheese market, by top 10 companies, 2010-14
- The mature segment garners interest across the board
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- Figure 12: New product launches in the UK cheese market, by top 10 flavour components, 2010-14
- Brands turn to blue cheese to add a point of difference
- ‘Premium’ cheeses account for one in 10 new launches in 2013
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- Figure 13: New product launches in the UK cheese market, by top 12 claims in 2013, 2009-14
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- 2014 sees volume sales decline and value growth accelerate
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- Figure 14: Retail value and volume sales of the UK cheese market, 2009-19
- Forecast
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- Figure 15: Retail value sales of the UK cheese market, 2009-19
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- Figure 16: Retail volume sales of the UK cheese market, 2009-19
- Forecast methodology
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Despite losing market share, cheddar clings on to 50% of the market
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- Figure 17: UK retail value and volume sales of cheese, by type, 2012-14
- Mild is the only cheddar type to see volume growth in 2014
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- Figure 18: UK retail value and volume sales of cheddar, by type, 2012-14
Market Share
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- Key points
- Own-label outperforms the market in sales growth in 2013/14
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- Figure 19: Leading manufacturers’ shares in the UK cheese market, by value, 2013/14*
- Cathedral City smashes through the £300 million mark
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- Figure 20: Leading brands in the UK cheese market, by value and volume, 2011/12-2013/14
- Other major cheddar brands struggle
- Philadelphia suffers sales drop ahead of revamp
Companies and Products
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- Adams Foods
- Background
- Product range and innovation
- Recent activity and promotion
- Bel UK
- Background
- Product range and innovation
- Recent activity and promotion
- Dairy Crest Group
- Background
- Product range and innovation
- Recent activity
- Mondelēz UK
- Background
- Product range and innovation
- Recent activity and promotion
- Lactalis McLelland
- Background
- Product range and innovation
- Recent activity and promotion
- Wyke Farms
- Background
- Product range and innovation
- Recent activity and promotion
Brand Advertising, Perceptions and Social Media
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- Key points
- Brand Advertising
- Total adspend falls by a third in 2013
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- Figure 21: Total advertising spend in the UK cheese market, 2010-14
- Bel UK overtakes Mondelēz to become biggest advertiser in 2013
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- Figure 22: Advertising expenditure in the UK cheese market, by top five advertisers, 2010-14
- Less spend on other kids’ brands and mature cheddar
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- Figure 23: Advertising expenditure in the UK cheese market, by top five brands, 2010-14
- Figure 24: Advertising expenditure in the UK cheese market, by top five media types, 2010-14
- Continental enjoys highest ad support
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- Figure 25: Advertising expenditure in the UK cheese market, by product type, 2010-14
- Brand perceptions
- Key brand metrics
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- Figure 26: Key brand metrics, August 2014
- Brand map
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- Figure 27: Attitudes towards and usage of brands in the cheese sector, August 2014
- Correspondence analysis
- Brand attitudes
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- Figure 28: Attitudes, by cheese brand, August 2014
- Brand personality
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- Figure 29: Cheese brand personality – macro image, August 2014
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- Figure 30: Cheese brand personality – micro image, August 2014
- Brand usage
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- Figure 31: Cheese brand usage, August 2014
- Brand experience
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- Figure 32: Cheese brand experience, August 2014
- Social Media and Online Buzz
- Social Media Metrics
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- Figure 33: Social media metrics of selected cheese brands, September 2014
- Online mentions
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- Figure 34: Brand share of conversation around cheese brands, 1 September 2013-30 August 2014
- Topics of discussion
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- Figure 35: Topics of discussion around selected cheese brands, 1 September 2013-30 August 2014
- Where discussion occurs
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- Figure 36: Online conversation of cheese brands, by page type, 1 September 2013-30 August 2014
- Analysis by brand
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- Figure 37: Topic cloud around mentions of Wyke Farms, 1 September 2013-30 August 2014
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- Figure 38: Topic cloud around mentions of Philadelphia, 1 September 2013-30 August 2014
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- Figure 39: Topic cloud around mentions of Dairylea, 1 September 2013-30 August 2014
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- Figure 40: Topic cloud around mentions of Babybel, 1 September 2013-30 August 2014
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- Figure 41: Topic cloud around mentions of Cathedral City, 1 September 2013-30 August 2014
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- Figure 42: Topic cloud around mentions of Anchor Cheddar, 1 September 2013-30 August 2014
The Consumer – Purchase Habits
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- Key points
- Cheese purchasing is near-universal
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- Figure 43: Purchase of cheese, by type, July 2012 and July 2014
- Spreadable gets big brand support in 2013/14
- Over-55s less likely to buy processed, spreadable or snacking cheese
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- Figure 44: Purchase of processed, Spreadable and Mini portions/Snack pack cheese, by age, July 2014
- Younger consumers less likely to buy regional cheeses
- Two thirds would switch, buy less or stop if the price of their favourite cheddar rose
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- Figure 45: Consumer reactions to a 10% rise in the price of their favourite branded cheddar, July 2014
- The market suffers from low brand loyalty
- Own-brand benefits from switching
The Consumer – Cheese Usage by Occasion
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- Key points
- Sandwiches remain the preferred way to eat cheese
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- Figure 46: Usage of cheese, by occasion, July 2012 and July 2014
- Usage of cheese on toast falls between 2012 and 2014
- Scope to grow cheese as a dessert ingredient amongst over-55s
- Cheese brands look to boost use in cooking
The Consumer – Attitudes towards Cheese
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- Key points
- No preference between British and Irish cheddar say half of cheese users
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- Figure 47: Attitudes towards cheese, July 2014
- Few see non-processed cheese as having all-natural ingredients
- Scope for cheddar brands to extend further into savoury snacking
- One in five interested in lower-salt version of their favourite cheese
- Cheese is seen as a good source of protein by 45% of eaters/buyers
The Consumer – Interest in Cheese Product Concepts
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- Key points
- Two in five interested in coated cheeses
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- Figure 48: Interest in cheese product concepts, July 2014
- Cheeses from non-European countries would add interest to the fixture
- Marinated cheese appeals to more than one in four
- Scope for cheddar brands to extend into bread products
Appendix – Market Drivers
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- Figure 49: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2009-19
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Appendix – Who’s Innovating?
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- Figure 50: New product development in the UK cheese market, by product format, 2010-14
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Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 51: Best- and worst-case forecasts for the UK cheese market, by value, 2014-19
- Figure 52: Best- and worst-case forecasts for the UK cheese market, by value, 2014-19
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