Japan has a lower per capita cheese consumption than Europe and the US, and a particularly large part of the domestic cheese market is accounted for by processed cheese and products for foodservice and food processing. In Europe, environmental and health concerns are leading shoppers to rethink their cheese consumption. However, in Japan, few consumers make the link between cheese and its environmental impact.
Japanese consumers are familiar with cheese products, but the prevalence of cheese varieties, formats and eating occasions differs significantly between Japan and the US or Europe. Nevertheless, brands in Japan may be able to leverage European cheese market trends.
Domestic consumption trends show that older women and Gen Z men are particularly likely to enjoy cheese as a snack. Since they prioritise getting enough nutrients, older women tend to see cheese as a daily necessity, whereas Gen Z men enjoy it as a discretionary product.
The challenge ahead lies in convincing younger consumers, who tend to view cheese as a non-essential purchase, that it’s a grocery staple. To this end, brands can expect an emphasis on nutritional value (eg protein content) to be effective.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Key points covered in this Report
- Overview
- Global market overview
- Cheese consumption trends vary greatly by region
- Graph 1: cheese consumption*, 2024
- Challenges in the cheese industry: inflation, environment and health
- Graph 2: behaviours related to cheese – environmental concerns have caused me to limit/reduce the amount of cheese I eat, % agree, 2019-24
- Trend 1: Easy-to-eat snack packs
- Trend 2: High/added protein claims
- Trend 3: Plant-based cheeses with innovative flavours
- Overview of the Japanese market and consumers
- Cheese desserts have a growing presence, even among plant-based products
- Older women and Gen Z men eat cheese often and are partial to cheese snacks
- Graph 3: % of consumers who eat cheese as a snack on its own at least once a week, by gender and age, 2024
- Make cheese an everyday staple by linking nutritional value and health benefits
- Graph 4: factors to consider when purchasing cheese or cheese alternatives – nutrients (eg calcium, protein), % agree, 2024
- Gen Z men are interested in cheese innovations, but aren’t overly concerned about nutritional value
- Graph 5: usage experience of plant-based cheese types, by gender and generation, 2024
- Opportunities in the Japanese market
- Boost consumption by encouraging shoppers to eat cheese more often
- Increase eating frequency with cheese-centric snacks and mains
- Making cheese a high-protein grocery staple for younger consumers
- Rather than further emulating cheese, add value that cheese lacks
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Global market overview
- Global cheese market
- Key insights from regional comparisons
- US and Europe lead the cheese market
- Graph 6: cheese consumption*, 2024
- South Korean cheese culture and slow growth in Japan
- Graph 7: changes in per capita cheese consumption*, 2017-24
- Europe has a large retail market, while foodservice and food processing markets are key in Asia
- Graph 8: market segmentation by volume, 2024
- Cheese for foodservice and food processing in South Korea is driving regional market growth
- Graph 9: changes in cheese consumption in the foodservice and food processing markets*, 2017-24
- Natural cheese dominates in Europe; processed cheese is mainstream in Asia
- Graph 10: cheese retail market segmentation by volume*
- Private label products are prevalent in Europe, where cheese is a grocery staple
- Graph 11: cheese retail market segmentation by volume*
- The environment surrounding the cheese market is in flux
- Two factors impacting the cheese market
- Global surges in cheese prices and the yen’s depreciation put additional upward pressure on prices in Japan
- Graph 12: cheese retail market prices (index with 2017 as 100), 2017-26*
- Changes in purchasing behaviour mainly observed among lower-income consumers
- Graph 13: the cost of living crisis has seen me eat less cheese in the last 12 months, by household income, 2024
- Consumers are eating less cheese amid growing environmental awareness
- Graph 14: behaviours related to cheese – environmental concerns have caused me to limit/reduce the amount of cheese I eat, % agree, 2019-24
- Younger consumers more likely to engage with eco-conscious trend of eating less cheese
- Graph 15: behaviours related to cheese – environmental concerns have caused me to limit/reduce the amount of cheese I eat, % agree, by age, 2024
- Concern over cheese-related health risks is on the rise
- Graph 16: behaviours related to cheese – health concerns have caused me to limit/reduce the amount of cheese I eat, % agree, 2019-22
- Cheese-related health concerns transcend generational groups
- Graph 17: behaviours related to cheese – health concerns have caused me to limit/reduce the amount of cheese I eat, % agree, by age, 2024
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Global trends
- Three notable global trends
- Snacks packs
- Easy-to-eat formats on the rise
- Graph 18: % of cheese product launches by format*, 2022-24
- Consumer demand for cheese snacks is strong
- Graph 19: attitudes towards cheese – cheese is a filling snack, % agree, 2024
- Positioning cheese as a snack appeals to both older and younger consumers
- Graph 20: attitudes towards cheese – cheese is a filling snack, % agree, by age, 2024
- Positioning cheese as a convenient premium snack
- Demand for cheese in alignment with ‘girl dinner’ trend
- Graph 21: types of snacks eaten with other snacks as a meal, by age, 2023
- Enjoy snacking with functional added value
- Value-added cheese snacks on the rise
- High/added protein claims
- Rise in health-related ‘plus’ claims
- Graph 22: prevalence of select claims in cheese product launches, 2020-24
- High protein claims increasing in cheese launches
- Graph 23: prevalence of select plus claims in cheese product launches, 2020-24
- High/added protein claims common in sliced cheese and cheese spreads
- Graph 24: prevalence of different formats in product launches, by product segment, 2024
- High protein is central to branding of a growing number of products
- High/added protein claims hold great sway over North American consumers
- Lindahls Pro+ appeals to active consumers with high-protein dairy products
- Targeting flexitarians with substantial protein offerings
- Halloumi as a meat alternative
- Innovative flavours
- Stagnation in number of plant-based cheese launches
- Graph 25: vegan/plant-based claims in new cheese products, 2020-24
- Graph 26: vegan/plant-based claims in new cheese products, 2020-24
- Even within the non-dairy product category, plant-based cheeses face particular taste-related hurdles
- Graph 27: reasons for not using dairy alternatives, 2023
- Technology enabling taste improvements
- Major brands are partnering with start-ups
- Gen X has hopes for plant-based cheese flavours
- Graph 28: plant-based cheese perception, by age, 2023
- Flavoured cheeses gradually becoming more prevalent in North America
- Graph 29: new unflavoured/plain cheese product launches
- Greater selection of flavoured plant-based cheese products
- Graph 30: number of new unflavoured/plain cheese product launches, 2024
- Making up for plant-based cheese taste limitations with rich flavours
- Plant-based spray cheese
- Dessert cheeses that leverage cheese’s inherent sweetness and saltiness
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Japanese market overview
- Processed cheese and cheese for foodservice and food processing accounts for large share of Japan market
- Graph 31: cheese market size by volume, 2016-28*
- Cheese that offers new value
- Plus claims are on a downwards trend
- Graph 32: select plus claims in new cheese products, 2020-24
- Gradual increase in ‘with iron’ claims
- Cheese desserts growing more common; marketed as guilt-free sweet treats
- Graph 33: unflavoured/plain cheese product launches, 2020-24
- The packaging and flavour of bite-size cheese desserts have levelled up
- Developing flavoured cheese snacks to pair with alcohol
- Three groups entering the plant-based cheese market
- Processing cheese locally to enhance value through freshness
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Japanese consumer insights
- Three consumer insights
- Older women and Gen Z men eat cheese often and are partial to cheese snacks
- Consumers favour processed cheese, but don’t know different varieties of cheese
- Graph 34: types of cheese eaten in the past three months, 2024
- Sliced cheese is most popular format; powdered cheese also has market presence
- Graph 35: formats of cheese eaten in the past three months, 2024
- Women use more cheese formats; minimal gender-based difference in some formats
- Graph 36: formats of cheese eaten in the past three months, by gender, 2024
- Gen Z men match women in their wide-ranging use of cheese formats
- Graph 37: formats of cheese eaten in the past three months, by age and gender, 2024
- Older women and Gen Z men are cheese lovers
- Graph 38: frequency of cheese consumption – at least once a week, % agree, by age and gender, 2024
- Both older women and Gen Z men snack on cheese
- Graph 39: frequency of cheese consumption – eat cheese as a snack on its own at least once a week, % agree, by gender and age, 2024
- Make cheese an everyday staple by linking nutritional value and health benefits
- Older women strongly associate cheese with health and nutrition
- Raising awareness about how older women are more susceptible to reduced bone density
- Older women more likely to look to cheese for protein intake
- Graph 40: interest in characteristics of cheese/cheese alternatives – protein-rich, % agree, 2024
- For older women, cheese is a grocery staple
- Graph 41: attitudes towards cheese – cheese is an essential food in my life, % agree, 2024
- Women are price-sensitive when it comes to cheese
- Graph 42: factors to consider when purchasing cheese/cheese alternatives – price, % agree, by gender, 2024
- Graph 43: attitudes towards cheese – I reduce my cheese consumption when the price becomes higher, % agree, by gender, 2024
- Older women are less sensitive to cheese pricing
- Graph 44: factors to consider when purchasing cheese/cheese alternatives – price, % agree, by age and gender, 2024
- Graph 45: attitudes towards cheese – I reduce my cheese consumption when the price becomes higher, % agree, by age and gender, 2024
- Mothers with young children also expect nutritional benefits from cheese
- Graph 46: factors women consider when purchasing cheese/cheese alternatives, by age of children, 2024
- Shoppers less influenced by price when buying with children’s health in mind
- Graph 47: women’s attitudes towards cheese, by age of children, 2024
- Gen Z men are interested in cheese innovations, but aren’t overly concerned about nutritional value
- Gen Z men like desserts featuring cheese
- Graph 48: have eaten cheese as an ingredient in desserts, by age and gender, 2024
- Consumption of flavoured cheeses with sweet flavours more common among men
- Graph 49: attitudes and behaviours regarding cheese flavours – have tried, % agree, by age and gender, 2024
- Many Gen Z men have bought plant-based cheese
- Graph 50: usage experience of plant-based cheese types, by gender and generation, 2024
- Nutrition and health benefits aren’t top priority for men
- Graph 51: interest in characteristics of cheese/cheese alternatives, by age and gender, 2024
- Many men view cheese as a discretionary product
- Graph 52: interest in characteristics of cheese/cheese alternatives, by age and gender, 2024
- Cheese–health association particularly weak among younger men
- Graph 53: attitudes towards cheese – I think cheese is good for my health, % agree, by age and gender, 2024
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OPPORTUNITIES IN THE JAPANESE MARKET
- Three market opportunities
- Increase eating frequency with cheese-centric snacks and mains
- Boost consumption by encouraging consumers to eat cheese more frequently
- Added-value products: older women respond to domestically produced and locally sourced cheese snacks
- Graph 54: select attitudes towards cheese, by age and gender, 2024
- Help younger women make mealtime more cost-effective with cheese snacks
- Satisfy Gen Z men with halloumi menu options
- Make cheese a high-protein grocery staple for younger consumers
- Change how younger generations perceive cheese’s nutritional benefits
- Few cheese products in Japan feature protein claims
- Graph 55: protein claims in dairy products* (including alternatives), by sub-category, 2020-24
- Japanese consumers have strong interest in high-protein cheese
- Graph 56: interest in characteristics of cheese/cheese alternatives, 2024
- Gen Z men are highly conscious about protein intake
- Capture the protein demand of younger men and turn cheese into a necessity
- Rather than further emulating cheese, add value that cheese lacks
- Japanese consumers don’t think cheese is bad for the environment or health
- Choose a target market and focus claims on non-environmental values
- Develop plant-based flavoured cheeses to provide younger generations with more than just a cheese substitute
- From animal-based cheese alternatives to offering unique value
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APPENDIX
- Consumer survey methodology
- Definition of generations
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