Speciality Food Magazine JulyAugust 2024

conditions on importing cheese, forged by Brexit and the current financial climate. “The importation of European products is not as simple as it used to be,” Paul says. “There is opportunity for UK artisan cheesemakers to replace some of these European products that have traditionally established themselves in the market. “It’s critically important that the quality and standard of the cheeses meets consumers’ aspirations, and we seem to be doing that, which is very encouraging. There is a momentum, if you like, and I don’t think that interest is going to dwindle as long as the service and quality delivers.” The report states that increasing costs due to inflation haven’t hampered the local market, with consumers showing they are happy to spend more for a product they deem to be of higher quality, for instance organic speciality cheese, which is growing ahead of standard specialty in grocery retail, crucially both in value and volume (though from a small base). Anne-Laure says, “The nation’s love for cheese has not been dampened by the current financial climate and it’s great to see the retail market remain stable during this time. “But what is most promising is how brands are adapting to this changing landscape to seek out new opportunities and audiences for their products.” A new audience In a unique twist, certain cheese products have experienced a rise in popularity thanks to the power of social media. Anne-Laure explains, “The importance of viral trends cannot not be denied, and seeing some varieties blow up in popularity thanks to TikTok and Instagram is wonderful, as long-established products gain a new audience.” One beneficiary is cottage cheese which has buoyed in popularity with younger, health-conscious @specialityfood T rends may come and go in the artisan food and drink arena, but new data gathered by The Knowledge Bank is reassuring for the speciality cheese sector, highlighting a ‘renaissance’ in the British retail market which shows no signs of slowing down. The nation’s love of cheese, say analysts, isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The boost in sales and interest in the UK can be attributed to multiple factors, be it costly new legislation burdening imports frommainland Europe, greater consumer interest in the provenance and healthfulness of their food, or even the wave of new, younger Gen-Z shoppers, seeking out more exciting formats. Sales are strong Anne-Laure Farrar, The Knowledge Bank’s UKmarket insight manager, says, “Cheese has maintained a strong position in the UK retail market despite the ongoing financial challenges posed by inflation. Consumers are still opting for traditional favourites, however there is clear evidence that tastes are diversifying.” Arguably the most notable statistic in the report is the resurgence of speciality brands (up 12% across all channels) representing a massive opportunity for artisan producers. Data shows the increasing desire to cook at home has proved a fruitful environment for this growth as consumers seek to recreate the restaurant experience. This changing preference has also been noted by Paul Grant, chairman of the Scottish Dairy Growth Board (SDGB), as British cheese brands benefit from harsher and costlier 26 THECHEESE REPORT 2024 WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF SPECIALITY CHEESE? SALES OF PREMIUM STILTON SLICES ARE UP 33% CLAWSON PENNY NAGLE FELTHAM’S FARM JESSICA KIMBER HOLLOWAY GODMINSTER ANNE-LAURE FARRAR THE KNOWLEDGE BANK TIM COLLINGS ROWCLIFFE JULIE CHENEY ST JUDE CHEESE NIKKI MATTHEWS CLAWSON LEONA MCDONALD GOLDEN HOOVES SARAH NORRIS GODMINSTER COMMENTATORS consumers who are transforming it into almost anything, from cookies to ice cream. Sales across the UK reflect this, with cottage cheese outperforming other soft cheese varieties in growth – representing 11.6% in sales and 10.7% and volume respectively. Stirlingshire-based Graham’s Family Dairy has recently noted a 40% rise in cottage cheese sales – to levels not seen since the 1980s – and attributed them to rise in demand for high-protein products, retro trends and social media. As those younger, ‘social media savvy’ shoppers look to speciality stores to satisfy their desire for ‘newness’, blue cheese is gaining popularity too, withmore accessible ‘entry point’ products being brought It’s been an interesting year for the British cheese industry. One impacted by new import and export rules, rising production costs, andmore. But, say insiders, there is much to celebrate too