Despite economic challenges, Germans remain loyal to their cheese. 97% of Germans eat cheese in 2024, up from 93% in 2023, with falling retail prices likely playing a role. However, the market and consumers alike continue to face inflationary pressure. Financial concerns prompted 34% of cheese eaters and buyers to reduce the amount of cheese they bought in the three months to September 2024, challenging brands to uphold consumption frequency.
While older Germans are more likely to consume cheese and do so more frequently, younger consumers have contributed to cheese’ increasing consumer reach. 97% of men aged 16-24 eat cheese in 2024, up from 88% in 2022. However, as this demographic doesn’t consume cheese as frequently, highlighting protein content and positioning cheese as a snack will help brands grow.
77% of category consumers eat cheese with bread, making it the most common usage occasion in 2024. However, in light of declining volume sales of bread, brands can highlight the versatility of cheese as an ingredient, especially to parents of children aged 18 and under looking for meat alternatives.
Despite economic challenges, consumers are still willing to spend more on ethical aspects, such as animal welfare and dairy farmers’ wellbeing. Brands that highlight according factors will find appeal and fill a market gap.
This report looks at the following areas:
- The impact of the German economy on the cheese market
- Rising consumption of cheese and frequency of cheese consumption
- Trends in the purchase of cheese types, with semi-hard cheese remaining the most commonly purchased cheese
- Occasions for eating or using cheese, such as use in cooking and baking
- Germans’ associations related to cheese, with enjoyment at the forefront
- Consumer behaviour and attitudes towards cheese, discussing willingness to pay more for ethical and environmental attributes, interest in product concepts, and barriers towards cheese consumption
- Market size, forecast, and competitive landscape for the German cheese market, including market drivers such as nutrition and sustainability trends
- Launch activity and innovation, highlighting positioning claims for cheese and plant-based cheese launches
Leverage Germans’ views of cheese as a nutritious addition to meals and position it as an alternative to meat, a versatile cooking ingredient and a high-protein snack for in-between.
Charlotte Sander, Research Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- The five year outlook for cheese
- Market context
- Economic challenges remain
- Germans show strong loyalty towards cheese
- BMEL pushes for plant-based products, but Germans stay loyal to dairy
- Mintel predicts
- Market size and forecast for cheese
- Opportunities
- Point out cheese’s versatility as an ingredient and taste
- Highlight support of local farmers to fill a market gap
- Position cheese as a meat alternative
- Position cheese as a snack for 16-24s and over-55s
- The competitive landscape
- Private label as the clear winner
- Graph 1: company value and volume shares in cheese, 2023
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MARKET DRIVERS
- The German economy
- 2024 remains challenging
- Graph 2: key economic data, in real terms, 2019-25
- The inflation rate is bouncing back to more conventional levels
- Inflation is still the key factor affecting consumers’ finances…
- …confidence and expenditure
- Graph 3: financial confidence index, 2022-24
- Economic challenges remain
- Graph 4: milk production price index vs cheese consumer price index, 2023-24
- Diets
- Open-mindedness towards plant-based cheese
- Graph 5: usage of dairy and dairy alternatives in cheese, 2021-24
- Consumers are reducing sugar, salt and UPFs for health reasons
- Sustainability
- Consumer interest in sustainability is expected to come back
- Dairy farmers rise up against policies threatening local agriculture
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Frequency of eating and using cheese
- Overall cheese consumption grows by 4pp
- Young Germans turning to cheese to hit their protein goals
- Over-65s are the most frequent cheese consumers
- Graph 6: frequency of eating/using cheese, by age group, 2024
- Help parents make meals more nutritious with cheese as an ingredient
- Cater to financially healthy consumers with little processing and ethical associations
- Types of cheese bought by Germans
- Cheese type preferences remain close to 2022
- Graph 7: types of cheese bought in the last three months, 2022-24
- Offer novelty across cheese types in Germany by tapping into international inspiration
- Enhance processed cheese with vitamins and minerals
- Over-55s show preferences for blue cheese
- Occasions for eating and using cheese
- Germans love their cheese with bread
- Germans’ choice of bread and cheese declines, but they still lead internationally
- Graph 8: selected occassions for using/eating cheese, 2024
- Most frequent cheese consumers use it in different ways
- Graph 9: occasions for eating and using cheese, by frequency, 2024
- Drive Germans to use cheese as an ingredient
- Share meal suggestions online
- Create single-household portions for the growing demographic
- Get 16-24s to enjoy cheese in small formats
- Highlight cheese’s versatility to add to meals
- Associations in regard to cheese
- Germans indulge in cheesy enjoyment
- Graph 10: top five associations in regard to cheese, 2024
- Spread kindness and enjoyment to cheese lovers
- Position cheese as a key calcium source
- Highlight a high protein content for a satiating start into the day
- Cottage cheese underwent a viral spike for its high protein content
- Graph 11: the volume of social media posts around cottage cheese*, by month, 2022-24
- Prioritise taste and small units over fat reduction
- Position cheese as a meat alternative…
- …by tapping into processed cheese’s potential
- Behaviours related to cheese consumption
- Ethical aspects warrant greater spending
- Graph 12: willingness to pay more for cheese with certain attributes, 2024
- Consumers are willing to pay more for cheese with ethical implications
- Germans want to make healthier and explorative cheese choices
- Graph 13: behaviours towards cheese, 2024
- Grate divide between block cheese and grated cheese
- Position cheese as a low-carb option for low-carb diets
- Bring cheese alternatives closer to consumers with restaurant collaborations
- Experiment with added vitamin and mineral fortifications
- Blend plant-based ingredients for healthier cream cheese
- Finances, processing and environment create cheese concerns
- Graph 14: behaviours towards barriers for eating and using cheese, 2024
- Embrace 16-34s’ cost and environment concerns with novel flavours
- Cater to cheese buyers seeking novel flavours…
- … by experimenting with alcohol flavours in cheese
- Attitudes towards cheese
- Cheese makes dishes more nutritious – and tastier
- Graph 15: attitudes towards cheese, 2024
- Sell the flavours of the world – seen through the lens of cheese
- Promote a healthy gut with kefir-based products
- Interest in cheese as a snack is high
- Position cheese as a high-protein snack
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LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
- Dairy cheese dominates dairy launches
- Graph 16: dairy launches, by sub-category, 2019-24
- Adding plant-based value, nutrients and taste to dishes
- Launch activity trends in cheese types misaligned with consumer purchase shifts
- Graph 17: percentage point change in cheese launches** vs cheese purchases in the last three months, 2022-24
- Natural claims take centre stage in cheese launches
- Graph 18: cheese launches* by claim category, 2021
- Animal-related claims are strong in the ethical and environmental category
- Graph 19: ethical and environmental claims in cheese launches*, 2019-24
- Treating the workers behind cheese fairly
- Protein content shows promise amongst niche claim categories
- Graph 20: top minus, plus and functional claims in cheese launches*, 2021-24
- Emphasise protein boosts on the packaging
- Retailers make up the majority of the top ten cheese launch companies
- Graph 21: cheese launches*, by ultimate company, 2019-24
- Private label launches are consolidating
- Graph 22: branded vs private label cheese launches*, 2019-24
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MARKET SHARE
- Private label as the clear winner
- Graph 23: company value shares in cheese (incl. counter sales), 2021-23
- Branded products were able to hold onto volume shares
- Graph 24: company volume shares in cheese (incl. counter sales), 2021-23
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MARKET SIZE, SEGMENTATION AND FORECAST
- Cheese in high demand
- Graph 25: retail value sales of cheese, 2019-24
- Graph 26: retail volume sales of cheese, 2020-24
- Almost ubiquitous consumption of cheese drives volume growth
- Value segmentation
- Volume segmentation
- Value growth forecasted to return after a price-driven decline in 2024
- Volume sales likely to stagnate in the coming years
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APPENDIX
- Appendix – products covered, abbreviations, consumer research methodology and language usage
- Products covered in this Report
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- Appendix – market size and central forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market size – volume
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – volume
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