Our CEO and founder, Ed Zimmerman has penned a piece, “Can’t Stop the Cheese,” for Cheese Market News.
Highlights:
- Per capita U.S. cheese consumption has reached record highs, now 40.3 lbs. per person.
- Increased consumption is attributed to taste, nutritional value, versatility, cost-effectiveness compared to other proteins, and its lasting appeal to children.
- Concerns about plant-based alternatives, animal welfare and health worries, haven’t yet disrupted demand.
- Companies need to continue to emphasize innovation and customer satisfaction.
The rise in plant based alternatives
Ten years ago, a few “alt-cheese” brands were emerging, especially in retail. For people with allergies, this made total sense. Someone in my household has an allergy to dairy, so I have seen this up close and personal. I’ve also tried many of these brands … more on that ahead. Americans are more adventurous eaters than a generation ago and seek alternative products, particularly ones that have perceived health benefits or claim to lower weight.
Environmental/animal treatment concerns
Dairy farmers love their cows. People I know outside of our industry say this to me sometimes, “I can’t eat dairy because farmers abuse their cows.” They state it as fact because the propaganda on the other side is strong. My retort often is, “Do you see business owners abusing their employees? No, because their productivity would go down.” Same with dairy farmers — abused cows would be less productive, so why would a business owner intentionally do something that makes less money?
Health concerns
Back in the 1970s, the message from the government and medical practitioners was that butter is terrible for your health. Fats cause heart disease and people should switch to margarine. According to Harvard Health Publications: “Then the hazards of margarine came to light … margarines had high levels of trans fats that packed a double whammy for heart disease by raising levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowering levels of HDL (good cholesterol).”
