A Year of Innovation in Cheese 2025
Affordability is impacting cheese consumption, and consumers are seeking natural, clean-label and hormone-free cheese options.
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- What we have seen
- Our pick of the most innovative launches in this review
- Other innovative launches
- Global spotlight: cheese launches by sub-category
- Graph 1: share of cheese launches by sub-category, 2024-25
- The Future of Cheese: 2025
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EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA (EMEA)
- Europe: organic and other natural claims are falling in cheese launches
- Cheese consumers will pay a premium for organic cheese
- Natural claims are declining in cheese launches across the region
- Graph 2: cheese launches with select natural claims, 2020-25
- Cheese brands highlight organic and ethical milk sourcing
- Europe: affordability is an ongoing concern for consumers
- Financial concerns prompt consumers to cut down on cheese
- Private-label cheese innovation is in decline
- Graph 3: share of cheese launches, by private label, 2020-25
- Private labels offer consumers vegan, cooking and budget-friendly cheese options
- UK cheese brands dial up flavour
- The Middle East & Africa (MEA)
- Ethical and environmental claims are ripe for innovation in the region
- Cheese brands are using sustainable packaging materials
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ASIA PACIFIC (APAC)
- Asia: cheese brands strive to address consumer concerns around additives and preservatives
- Consumers seek cleaner, additive-free cheese
- No additives/preservatives claims grow in cheese
- Graph 4: cheese launches, by share of select natural claims, 2020-25
- Cheese brands highlight simple, preservative-free recipes
- Asia: flavour innovation drives category interest
- Consumers are on the lookout for new flavour experiences
- Flavoured cheese launches are slowly growing in the region
- Cheese brands in China innovate with unique flavour combinations
- Australia & New Zealand
- Plant-based claims see an uptick in cheese launches in Australia & New Zealand
- Graph 5: cheese launches with select claims, 2020-25
- Cheese brands offer award-winning and versatile plant-based options
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the americas
- North America: brands are calling out hormone-free claims to reassure consumers
- Younger consumers lead the charge for hormone-free cheese
- Hormone-free claims gain traction in cheese launches
- Graph 6: cheese launches with a hormone-free claim, 2020-25
- Cheese brands source milk produced without hormones
- North America: private-label cheese launches lose share to branded offerings
- Inflation keeps consumers focused on value
- Private-label cheese is underdeveloped in Canada, and shrinking
- Graph 7: share of cheese launches, branded vs private label, 2020-25
- Graph 8: share of cheese launches, branded vs private label, 2020-25
- Cheese brands and private labels launch plant-based, flavoured and baking cheese
- Latin America
- Flavoured cheese has room to grow in Latin America
- Graph 9: unflavoured/plain cheese launches, 2024-25
- Cheese brands offer consumers new flavour options
Explore the latest innovations in cheese with Mintel’s global innovation report. The report identifies the major launch activities, pivotal consumer attitudes and most important product developments over the past 12 months.
Key innovation trends in the global cheese market are analysed and succinctly presented alongside Mintel’s consumer data and insights. So you can understand changing consumer demands and identify future growth opportunities.
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