June 2012 - Oser Communications Group

26
CHEESE
GOURMET NEWS JUNE 2012 www.gourmetnews.com
Specialty cheese sees
another strong year
Cheese remained the top category in specialty
food spending this year, with $3.44
billion in sales in 2011 (NASFT figures).
Whether eating on cheese plates or incorporating
it into dishes, consumers are taking
well to specialty cheese and making
room for it in their plates and budgets. Experienced
cheesemongers are in demand,
and consumer interest in and familiarity
with artisan cheese—especially from
America—is high and growing.
Here are some suggestions for how retailers
can take advantage of it.
Highlight local interest.
Make the store a takeoff point for cheese
appreciation and pairing classes, visits to
cheese festivals and farm tours. Invite
local cheesemakers and producers of accompaniments
like spirits, charcuterie and
pickles for “Meet the Producer” days or
themed dinners. This becomes more relevant
as the concept of *terroir* becomes
more applicable to certain cheeses.
Make it fun and approachable.
Dressed up versions of grilled cheese,
mac-and-cheese and cheeseburgers
seem to be customers’ favorite gateways
to artisan cheese, as these items continue
to be popular despite years of overexposure.
Norseland, for example, is promoting
“Jarlsbergers” for summer.
Atlanta retailer Star Provisions makes it
easy for customers to experience new regional
cheeses with a monthly “Cheese
and Crackers” club highlighting producers
from the Southern United States.
Unusual promotions make a difference.
A good example is Jana Foods’ Dutch bicycle
draw, which capitalizes on cycling’s
Europhile appeal and provides retailers
with eye-catching displays and materials
to promote the brand’s authentic, awardwinning
Dutch cheeses.
Beyond the cheese shop
The last year has seen moves by two
iconic cheese companies, Artisanal and
Murray’s Cheese, to reach new areas of
the country. Artisanal tied up with megadistributor
KeHe—which has a strong network
of wine stores as well—last year, and
the partnership has only grown.
Built around Artisan’s very popular
Cheese Clock, the partnership incorporates
retailer support and professionallymanaged
consumer social marketing. One
of the new aspects is color-coded tags for
wine bottles that match sections on the
Cheese Clock, allowing foolproof selection
by busy shoppers. The company
has run promotions with retailers,
including Costco, HEB, Schnucks,
Specs, Winestyles and Whole Foods
Market, and many more are projected
for 2012.
Through a partnership with Kroger
that began in 2009, Murray’s is now in
nine states. The mini-stores typically
carry more than 150 types of cheese
and accompaniments, bringing a slice
of the selection and expertise of the
iconic New York City store to much
wider availability. A Portland store with
about 300 varieties of cheese opens in
Fred Meyer in June.
In other unusual placements, shoppers
at prototype upscale Walgreens (State and
Randolph in Chicago, the historic building
Duane Reade on Wall Street, and one set
to open in Boston) can now purchase
cheeses from labels like Sartori along with
wine, eyebrow shaping, international
newspapers and takeout sushi.
Issues
As appreciation for raw milk cheeses
grows, so does the debate. The American
Cheese Society continues to dialogue with
the FDA and other agencies, toward updating
regulations to consider small dairies
and cheese producers. Sessions on raw
milk and communicating during a food
service crisis are part of the ACS conference
this year. Imports are another area of
concern, as prolonged inspection procedures
create a challenge for highly perishable
fresh cheeses.
Looking ahead
This year’s ACS Conference will also see
the first-ever Certified Cheese Professional
exam, an important step in professionalizing
cheese expertise.
Goat cheese may have been a late arrival
to the U.S. market, but based on the ACS
Cheesemaker survey released earlier this
year, it is definitely catching up. While 64 percent
of surveyed cheesemakers use cow’s
milk, goat cheese is a close second at 51
percent. Goats are more affordable to raise
than cows, and this may accelerate even further
as the market for goat meat develops.
Interest is also growing in sheep’s milk
(used by 15 percent of surveyed cheesemakers),
both for cheese and thick Eurostyle
yogurt, though the supply is limited.
Greek and Greek-style cheeses beyond
feta are starting to surface, buoyed by the
interest in Greek yogurt, and the continued
expansion of the Hispanic market and upscale
Latin American cuisines shows promise
for higher quality Mexican cheeses.