2025
9
US Cheese Market Report 2025
2025-10-30T11:01:53+00:00
REPC71FF7BC_2F06_45FB_BE1D_D04418241E7F
3695
188049
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Report
en_GB
The US cheese market in 2025 continues to show growth, with a market size of $33.4 billion and a growth rate of 3.9%. Private label products are gaining traction, especially…
US
Cheese
simple

US Cheese Market Report 2025

"Cheese remains a household staple for most consumers, with shifting consumption habits and preferences inviting continued flavor, format and nutritional innovation."

Sydney Riebe, Analyst - US Food & Drink

Sydney Riebe, Analyst - US Food & Drink

Market Intelligence ReportsCheeseUS

US Cheese Market – Trends and Insights

  • The US cheese market is projected to grow to $33.4 billion in 2025, with a steady growth rate of 3.9%. Private label products are particularly strong in the natural cheese segment, holding over half the market share.
  • Cheese remains a staple for consumers despite economic challenges, driven by its versatility and increasing demand for products that meet nutritional needs while offering flavor innovation.
  • Gen Z and Millennials are reshaping the market with a focus on health, sustainability, and local production claims, while Gen X drives interest in exploring new flavors and premium offerings.
  • Baby Boomers are the most frequent users of cheese, incorporating it heavily across a variety of dishes, highlighting their reliance on this staple.
  • There is an opportunity to strengthen consumer associations with cheese’s benefits, particularly around convenience, versatility, and flavor, while also improving perceptions of its health and indulgence attributes.

Key Topics Analysed in the Report

  • Cheese market and forecast
  • Cheese consumption and usage
  • Importance of cheese claims
  • Interest in cheese flavor innovation
  • Attitudes and behaviors toward affordability of cheese
  • Cheese product innovation and marketing

Collapse All

  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outook for cheese
    • Opportunities
    • Continual opportunities to strengthen lukewarm associations with cheese
    • Graph 1: cheese associations by format, 2025
    • Learn from, and continue to connect with, cheese connoisseurs
    • Help Gen Z consumers build routine and expand cheese repertoires

  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size & forecast
    • Consumers and the economic outlook
    • Market factors
    • Domestic cheese giants are shielded from tariff risks, but consumer concerns may shift habits
    • FMMO changes are impacting the dairy and cheese markets
    • Cheese offers versatility to fulfill snacking needs
    • Market size and forecast
    • Slow to moderate sales growth expected for cheese in coming years
    • Retail sales and forecast of cheese
    • Graph 2: total retail sales and forecast of cheese, at current prices, 2019-30
    • Retail sales and forecast of cheese
    • Market segmentation
    • Natural cheese remains the dominant market segment
    • Graph 3: total retail sales and forecast of cheese, by segment, at current prices, 2019-30
    • Retail sales of cheese, by segment
    • Market share/brand share
    • Private label inches closer to half of the cheese market share
    • Graph 4: MULO sales of cheese – market share, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2025
    • Sales of cheese, by company
    • Private label controls the majority of the natural cheese market
    • Graph 5: MULO sales of natural cheese – market share, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2025
    • Sales of natural cheese, by company
    • Bel Group wins with spreadable and snackable formats
    • Graph 6: MULO sales of processed cheese – market share, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2024 and 2025
    • Sales of processed cheese, by company
    • Private label steals cream cheese share from segment leader Kraft Heinz
    • Graph 7: MULO sales of cream cheese/cream cheese spreads – market share, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2025
    • Sales of cream cheese/cream cheese spreads, by company
    • Leading cottage cheese brands continue to see significant sales growth
    • Graph 8: MULO sales of cottage cheese – market share, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2025
    • Sales of cottage cheese, by company

  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Consumer fast facts
    • Cheese consumption and usage
    • Reported cheese consumption has declined across most formats
    • Graph 9: trended types of cheese consumed, 2023-25
    • Align innovation toward parents to strengthen utilization
    • Graph 10: types of cheese consumed, by parental status, 2025
    • Strong dairy divisions across generational lines
    • Graph 11: types of cheese consumed, by generation, 2025
    • Help younger consumers widen their considerations of cheese
    • Graph 12: cheese uses, by generation, 2025
    • Health, sustainability and local claims attract the Gen Z cheese consumer
    • Link explicit health claims to broader health goals to connect with younger consumers
    • Graph 13: important cheese claims – health, by generation, 2025
    • Younger consumers are serious about ethical and environmental claims
    • Graph 14: important cheese claims – sustainability/ethical, by generation, 2025
    • Gen Z leans local, potentially shifting views of premium cheese
    • Graph 15: important cheese claims – origin, by generation, 2025
    • Graph 16: motivators to pay a higher price – origin, by generation, 2025
    • Emphasize the dual appeal of health and enjoyment
    • Interest in cheese flavor exploration and enjoyment
    • Gen X is at the sweet spot for flavor exploration
    • Graph 17: cheese attitudes – flavor/enjoyment, by generation, 2025
    • Graph 18: motivators to pay a higher price – flavor/method, by generation, 2025
    • Gen X has widest interest in savory flavors, sweet entices Gen Z
    • Graph 19: experience with and interested in cheese flavor profiles, by generation, 2025
    • Borrow from indulgent categories for flavor inspiration
    • Attitudes and behaviors toward affordability of cheese
    • While price concerns are uneven across financial situations, private label retains a strong reputation
    • Graph 20: cheese attitudes – value, by financial situation, 2025
    • Consumers with tight budgets have the strongest plan for cost savings when it comes to cheese purchasing
    • Graph 21: cheese purchasing behaviors when trying to save money, by financial status, 2025
    • Double down on where budgeting consumers find value

  4. PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Ethical claims in cheese see differing growth over past five years
    • Graph 22: Global claims in cheese – ethical, 2020-25
    • Cheese products with ethical claims strengthen purchase intent
    • BFY and dietary claims reveal varied innovation
    • Graph 23: claims in cheese – dietary, 2020-25
    • Cheese products with healthy positioning receive high purchase intent from consumers
    • Cheese flavor innovation adopts food and beverage flavor to new formats
    • Philadelphia reminds consumers that cream cheese is for more than just bagels
    • Babybel’s Stranger Things-inspired LTO heats up its cheese alternative offerings

  5. APPENDIX

    • Market definition
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Generations
    • Abbreviations and terms
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast fan chart methodology

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