INSIDE: - US Dairy Export Council

Cheese & Manufactured ProductsU.S. Cheese Processors Stake Claim inWorld Gouda MarketImporters of bulk gouda have a newfriend in U.S. cheese processors.Relatively recent entrants into the globalbulk gouda scene, U.S. cheese companiesoffer great-tasting, high-qualitycheese at competitive prices. They nowoffer both 40 pound (18.2 kg) blocks ofdry salted gouda as well as 10–20 pound(4.5–9.1 kg) loaves of brined gouda, allcustomizable to fit customers’ needs. Thisnew capacity offers prospective buyersthe chance to mitigate risks by diversifyingtheir supply sources to various regionsof the world.Processors Eager to MeetUnmet Demand for GoudaGouda, a semi-hard cheese made fromcow’s milk, is well known for its fantasticmelting ability. It is, therefore, an ideal ingredientin foods including sauces,soups, casseroles and a wide variety oftraditional dishes in Mexico and elsewhere.Depending on its age, it rangesin taste from buttery and sweet to nuttywith butterscotch undertones. Goudaalso shreds easily, making it a greatcheese in gourmet pizza cheese blends.U.S. cheese processors are known worldwidefor their excellent and abundantcheddar and mozzarella production, andthey were eager to add gouda, the thirdmostpopular cheese in the world, to thatlist. Worldwide consumption of thecheese is expected to reach around900,000 metric tons (MT) once theglobal economy rebounds. And althoughU.S. cheese processors manufactureaward-winning specialty gouda, morethan 60% of the cheese consumedworldwide is made in bulk.U.S. Dairy Export Council staff recognizedthe opportunity for U.S. cheeseprocessors to enter this market but goudaproduction capacity was limited. So in2007, they began working with severalU.S. cheese manufacturers on infrastructurechanges.USDEC provided information to assistthese companies in modifying theirprocesses; with only minor tweaking,their new gouda production systemssoon became fully operational. Next,USDEC arranged for meetings betweenthese U.S. cheese companies and potentialimporters in Mexico, Russia, Koreaand Japan. The meetings included samplingof the cheeses in many differentapplications.In addition, USDEC developed high-profilemarketing and promotion strategiestargeted at local retail and foodservicecustomers, designed to back U.S. suppliers.U.S.-made Gouda Gains Favorwith Mexican ImportersImporters in Mexico, the world’s largestimporter of gouda, have even more reasonto buy U.S.-made gouda: proximity.Even from the far corners of the UnitedStates, Mexican importers can expecttheir gouda to ship in less than a week’stime. This also aids those importers lookingspecifically for very young gouda, regardlessof whether they are motivatedby price or by product use.Mexico imports nearly all of its gouda,giving Mexican importers a vast amountof experience in searching for qualitybulk gouda. U.S. processors thereforeknew the success of their cheeses restedin these importers’ opinion of the taste,quality and functionality of the new U.S.-made gouda.In tasting sessions with U.S. suppliers,Mexican cheese importers have beenimpressed on all counts, and have reportedthat the gouda is at least as goodas any they’ve imported in the past. Theyalso are pleased to partner with U.S.cheesemakers, who have a well-earnedreputation for product quality and consistencyof supply. Most importantly,they’re buying U.S.-made gouda.What Next for U.S.-madeGouda?U.S. processors continue to reach out togouda importers in Mexico and are lookingto move into the Japanese and Russianmarkets as well. If you are interestedin sourcing U.S. gouda, please contactUSDEC.6 USDECNews | December 2009