Cheese offers consumers taste, nutrition, versatility, convenience, and good value, which is why it’s found in 94 per cent of fridges in the UK. Despite being an everyday essential, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, inflation and Brexit have unsurprisingly impacted how frequently consumers are buying cheese.
However, with consumer confidence beginning to rise, monetary policy having its desired effect, and shoppers increasingly seeking out versatile and convenient food products, there’s plenty to be optimistic about in 2024 and beyond.
“After two years of contracted volume sales, the cheese market has an opportunity to regain momentum,”said Heloise Le Norcy-Trott, Group Marketing Director for Lactalis UK & Ireland explains: Looking forward to 2024 and beyond, these are the cheese trends we think retailers should be aware of:”
Recovery of branded cheese:
When the UK cost of living crisis began in late 2021, the tightening of budgets subsequently led to cost saving behaviour from consumers, including many switching to own label products. While the UK is by no means out of the woods, there’s reason to be optimistic for 2024. The Bank of England has predicted inflation will keep falling in 2024, and GFK’s long running consumer confidence index now measures at -30 for October 23, up from -47 last year. As a result, we expect a recovery in market share for branded cheese as pressures on shopper spending ease, especially with cheese types where quality and taste are emphasised, such as continental. As part of this recovery, embracing innovation to drive excitement back into the category will be paramount. Whether it be alternative flavours or growing categories like hot eating cheese, new product development allows brands to differentiate themselves by offering something different.
Premiumisation driving growth:
Even though grocery prices are increasing, and consumers have been choosing to buy fewer units of cheese, premiumisation still has the potential to drive market growth. This is likely to come from a combination of new and old consumer habits – exploring new ways of enjoying cheese, like enjoying hot and using it in different recipes, and rediscovering varieties they previously enjoyed. With cheese being a household staple, it’s important that the industry and retailers continue to adapt, expand, and innovate their offering in the coming months, to cater to changing consumer demands as shoppers get back into cheese.
Cheese as a source of protein:
There is a growing interest in how what we eat and drink affects our bodies – with more than half of consumers reading product labels more than last year. Therefore, one trend to look out for is consumers seeking out cheese for its nutritional benefits. For example, cheese is packed full of essential dairy nutrients, such as protein, with it providing 15 per cent of our daily requirement. Unlike some plant-based proteins, cheese contains all of the nine essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that our bodies need. Protein is vital for many different functions in the body including building and maintaining muscle and supporting healthy bones but also for helping to make other body tissues and organs, the antibodies in our immune system and haemoglobin, an important protein that carries oxygen in our blood (British Nutrition Foundation 2023).
Everyday pleasures and special occasions:
As confidence returns, shoppers are likely to be open to spending more on cheese as an affordable indulgence. That’s not just in the run up to Christmas, as seen in the last two years, but all year round, enjoying premium, hot eating, blue, and selection packs, as well as hard and soft specialty cheeses, as treats for ‘me’ moments and celebrations with family and friends. Cost pressures are resulting in consumers having more “big nights in”, which are often major cheese eating occasions.Recent research shows two in five (40 per cent) of us plan to go out less often, and three fifths (61 per cent) are spending more cautiously, but we still want affordable indulgence, when we treat ourselves or entertain at home. Speciality cheeses and hot eating cheese options offer retailers an additional way to tap into the big-night-in occasion.
Growth in hot eating cheese:
Hot eating is currently one of the highest grossing cheese categories, offering quick and tasty hot meal-time solutions, and another area where retailers can encourage premiumisation. (Président A La Carte Crispy Bakes with Brie and our new Seriously Cheese Burgers, which launchedin July, are the fastest growing and top contributing brands to category value and volume growth.)
Increased use of cheese as a meat alternative:
Cheese is a major recipe ingredient in many popular meat-free dishes, while hot eating cheese products provide consumers with a tasty vegetarian meat replacement they can enjoy at any time – while also appealing to consumers trying to reduce their meat intake, as an alternative to meat protein. Health is a growing consideration for many, and our recently launched Seriously Cheese Burgers represent a new sub-category within the hot eating fixture, which previously focused on indulgent products like baking camembert and fondue.
More convenient formats providing cooking and recipe inspiration:
Time-poor consumers are likely to be drawn to cooking with cheese using timesaving options such as grated and sliced formats, which have seen sales rising as work patterns normalise. Sliced and grated - the UK’s second biggest cheese subcategory after block cheddar - increased +16 per cent and fell just -0.5 per cent in volume, in line with the overall cheese trend. Grated cheddar has seen a proportionately larger rise than block cheddar in volume bought per trip, likely due to its comparatively lower rise in average price, but also its convenience for busy shoppers. The latest addition to Lactalis UK & Ireland’s grated offering, Leerdammer Grated in 160g resealable pouches is an authentic Dutch cheese that is finely grated for perfect melting, offering an alternative to cheddar in recipes, with a unique flavour.
Greater personalisation:
New consumers coming into the market are likely to seek ways to express their individuality and personalise how they use cheese, based on imagination and personal preferences. As these shoppers recognise the recipe potential for cheese and the varieties that are available, we can expect greater creativity in its use in planned dishes, and making use of leftover cheese. In addition to the growing range of recipes available online, TikTok and other social media will increasingly impact people’s cheese tastes and usage.
With the demand for affordable indulgence driving the category, we can expect a blurring of the distinction between speciality, every day, and recipe cheese, and cheese lovers ‘mixing it up’ with treats like brie on toast. While it’s unlikely British consumers will forsake cheddar as the nation’s favourite cheese, they will increasingly want to widen their cheese repertoire, and products like Lactalis’s Leerdammer slices, the number #1 cheese slices brand in the UK in value sales,will encourage them to think ‘beyond the block.’
“As these insights and predictions indicate, the next twelve months present a significant opportunity for everyone involved to develop the UK cheese market,” saidLe Norcy-Trott.“As a leading player here and around the world, we have built our position by monitoring trends and anticipating demand with our product ranges, and we will continue to do so, for the benefit of our consumers and customers alike.”
Single origin dark chocolate brand, Cox & Co, is upping the ante this Easter with the launch of two new Easter products.
Following the success of the launch of its Blood Orange Crunch bar in the autumn, Cox & Co has now created two new Easter products inspired by its newest flavour; a Blood Orange Crunch Egg Bar and a Blood Orange Crunch Easter Egg.
Cox & Co’s Blood orange crunch chocolate is made using 60 per cent single origin Colombian cacao, blended with blood orange extract and raw cacao nibs, resulting in a zesty citrus flavour, balanced with subtle vanilla notes and a moreish crunch.
“Our Blood Orange Crunch bar has quickly become a best-seller in a very short space of time, so extending this flavour into our 2025 Easter range made perfect sense,” explains Gavin Cox, founder of Cox & Co. “These two new Easter products are the perfect choice for dark chocolate lovers and those looking for a plant-based and ethical choice.”
Ideal for eco-conscious chocolate lovers, with Cox & Co you don’t need to choose between being ethical and enjoying an indulgent treat. With 100 per cent paper outer packaging and the egg sealed in a fully compostable bag made of wood pulp, the Cox & Co range is fully sustainable, plant-based and fully recyclable. The brand also works with Colombia’s Luker Chocolate estate, investing in farmers, communities and sustainable farming methods to produce chocolate that’s as ethical as possible.
Cox & Co offers a full range of Easter products including a selection of Easter Eggs in four flavours: Bee Pollen & Honey, Miso & Caramel, Mint Crunch and Blood Orange Crunch, as well as five Easter Egg Bars in five flavours: Bee Pollen & Honey, Miso & Caramel, Mint Crunch, Blood Orange Crunch and Raw Cacao Nibs.
Cox & Co’s NEW Blood Orange Crunch Easter Eggs (£155g RRP £12.50) and Easter Bar (140g RRP £8.99) are available to the channel through wholesalers including Cotswold Fayre, Diverse Fine Food and Suma
To celebrate the release of Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, only in cinemas from 13February, PopWorks is kicking off its first ever* on-pack promotion. It is running from 27 January to 23March across its Sweet & Salty and Sweet BBQ flavour 85g sharing bags. To celebrate the cinema release, the promotion offers shoppers an amazing opportunity to win a luxury getaway; official movie merchandise and gift vouchers, making this an unmissable promotion for Bridget Jones fans.
The partnership taps into a massive fanbase, with 13 per cent (8.9 million) of the UK population identifying as Bridget Jones super fans. As one of the most beloved film franchises, this is the perfect opportunity to enhance PopWorks' brand relevance with shoppers and establish its place as the perfect accompaniment to a big night in.
From exclusive Bridget Jones-themed merchandise to gift vouchers, the promotion is set to drive purchase, encourage repeat buys and elevate the in-store experience. Notably, PopWorks' Sweet & Salty 85g bags already boast a strong repeat rate of 38 per cent, highlighting consumer loyalty and the potential to drive further engagement. Shoppers can enter the promotion by simply purchasing participating PopWorks share bags, scanning a QR code on the pack and registering to enter on the website.
“This partnership with Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is a match made in heaven, bringing together an iconic film franchise and the perfect snack for a cinema trip,” said Cynthia Finke, PopWorks Marketing Director at PepsiCo. “The on-pack promotion provides an opportunity for retailers to boost brand visibility and drive consumer engagement with a brand that’s making waves in the snacks category. With over 500 winning moments, the promotion encourages impulse and repeat purchases and enhances the shopping experience.”
In addition to the on-pack promotion, PopWorks is further supporting the campaign with PR, digital, and point-of-sale (POS) marketing to ensure the excitement around this partnership reaches a wide audience. PopWorks is hosting an exclusive pre-release screening of the film, driving reach and awareness through influencers on social channels, plus hardworking digital/social assets. The on-pack promotion will be available across grocery, wholesale and discounters in Sweet & Salty and Sweet BBQ sharing bags.
*UK and ROI
Pack size: The products mentioned are Sweet & Salty Sweet BBQ 85g Share bags
T&Cs
‡UK & ROI, 18+. Starts 09:00 27/01/25. Ends 20:59 23/03/25. Enter between 09:00 and 20:59 each day. Buy a promo pack, scan the QR code or visit the website, and log in or register for an account by entering your details and pack code starting with ‘BJ’ for a chance to win. Keep pack. 672 Instant Win Prizes to be won (1 per hour), including vouchers and merchandise. All participants automatically entered into Grand Prize Draw to win 1 x trip for 2 to the Cotswolds. Max 1 entry per person per day. Max 1 Instant Win Prize per person. See here for full T&Cs and Prize details.
Magnum ice cream has launched its new Utopia range, featuring two of its most indulgent and premium flavours yet: Magnum Double Cherry and Double Hazelnut. The launch will be supported by an unmissable ATL campaign to amplify the launch from June.
As the market leader for ice cream innovation, the Magnum Utopia range introduces ground-breaking ingredient marbling technology for a truly multisensorial experience, featuring indulgent flavours swirled with multi-layer architecture and sauce. The leading reason for consumers buying ice cream is for an indulgent treat, and this new range delivers a uniquely satisfying and flavourful experience with every bite.
Magnum Double Cherry offers a tantalising combination of marbled berry-flavoured and velvety panna ice cream, drizzled in sour cherry coulis sauce. This ice cream is covered in signature cracking Magnum milk chocolate and crunchy berry-flavour sugar pieces.
Magnum Double Hazelnut swirls hazelnut and caramel almond ice creams within a rich salted hazelnut sauce. The ice cream is coated in thick white chocolate studded with salted caramelised hazelnut, almond and pistachio pieces elevating the sensory experience.
“We know that successful innovation is key to excite shoppers and deliver category growth," said Daniel Lythgo, Brand Manager Magnum UK, Unilever. "With every launch we continue to push the boundaries of indulgence, and our new marbled ice cream paired with rich sauces and inclusions delivers just that. Magnum Utopia Double Cherry and Hazelnut offers consumers a unique bite and flavour experience each time. We’re excited for both current and new shoppers to the category to try our new Magnum Utopia range and let us know their favourite!”
Magnum continues to invest in innovation and marketing, and these new products are no exception. The launch of Magnum Utopia is being supported by an unmissable, market-leading ATL campaign, leveraging TV, OOH, social media, experiential, audio and more.
The launch follows last year’s mood-inspired duo, Euphoria Pink Lemonade and Chill Blueberry Cookie, with the former being the top new product launch within the ice cream category in 2024. With Magnum’s ongoing growth, there is a clear opportunity for the brand to continue innovating and leading new product launches within the category, bringing consumers a wide range of exciting flavours and experiences. The new Magnum Utopia range is an exciting and promising addition to the brand’s existing range and to the ice cream category.
The UK’s number one cake brand , Mr Kipling, is launching new limited-edition Simnel Slices just in time for Easter. Expanding the season beyond the classic chocolate treats, Mr Kipling is bringing a fruity Easter flavour onto shelves, expanding retailers’ seasonal cake ranges this year.
Simnel is the third most popular cake flavour at Easter , growing 7.4 per cent versus 2023. Often found across Easter in larger sharing cakes, the new Mr Kipling slices look to meet the growing demand for this flavour in a smaller convenient format, leveraging Mr Kipling’s number one cake format. Whilst Simnel is highly relevant to the season, there is an untapped opportunity in a smaller slices format. This launch will tap into the demand for seasonally relevant options among shoppers aged 45 and above , with Mr Kipling’s tried and tested credentials. New Simnel slices encapsulate a fluffy and moist sponge with succulent dried fruit, sandwiched with a moist marzipan flavour filling and topped with soft marzipan flavour icing.
“Mr Kipling is renowned for its iconic seasonal products, and Easter remains highly important for attracting and driving penetration of newer, lighter buyers," said Naomi Shooman, global marketing director for sweet treats at Premier Foods. "Mr Kipling brought in the most new shoppers of any Easter cake range in 2024 . With this latest launch we hope to drive even more footfall into the aisle this Easter, engaging shoppers with seasonally relevant and fun flavour twists to enjoy across the season, helping retailers make the most of the opportunity on offer.”
Mr Kipling Simnel Slices will be launching alongside returning favourites, with limited-edition sweet treats across the Premier Foods portfolio from Mr Kipling and Cadbury Cakes. New Mr Kipling Simnel slices are available now at an MRSP of £2 in packs of 6.
The spicy snacking trend shows no signs of slowing down, with the flavour segment having grown +8.7 per cent year-on-year.
To support impulse retailers in making the most of this growing opportunity, PepsiCo is launching Doritos Dinamita exclusively into the UK convenience market this February.
Following a series of fiery launches from PepsiCo over the last year, the new rolled tortilla chip joins the existing Extra Flamin’ Hot portfolio, which includes Walkers MAX, Doritos and Wotsits Crunchy.
As the top spicy innovation within the last three years, the proven range has sold over 4.8m packs to date within the impulse channel. Doritos Dinamita is the next step in the Extra Flamin’ Hot journey, with the channel exclusive set to give impulse retailers the chance to go big in-store with the hot new launch.
Rolling out solely in a price-marked pack (PMP), the launch will allow retailers to continue to boost their savoury snacking sales by offering exciting new product developments in a popular format that offers shoppers value.
The new addition follows the popularity of PMPs, which have acted as an engine driver of growth across the convenience channel in recent years.
Rob Pothier, Head of Marketing, Portfolio Campaigns at PepsiCo, comments: “The last year has seen us unleash the heat with Extra Flamin’ Hot in the impulse channel, but now it’s time to turn things up another notch.
"We know that Gen-Z are driving the demand for bold and exciting flavours, so we have been on a mission to support retailers in catering to these shoppers through our Extra Flamin’ Hot brand, effectively working to futureproof the category with new and innovative offerings.
“Our latest Doritos Dinamita innovation introduces our rolled tortilla chip form, available in the UK for the first time after proving a hit in other global markets.
"Through this, the launch of a Doritos rolled tortilla snack within the UK will ensure retailers are offering shoppers a new experience from a brand that they already know and love, with the product also containing a hint of lime.
"As a result, the launch aims to fuel the range’s momentum with shoppers through appealing to Gen-Z and spice lovers seeking the ultimate spicy flavour experience.”
The activity follows PepsiCo’s recent amplification of the Extra Flamin’ Hot range in January, with a limited-edition eight-week Walkers Extra Flamin’ Hot offering.
"Doritos Dinamita will hit shelves across the convenience and wholesale channels from the end of February. Available in a 65g PMP at an RRP of £1.25, the launch will be supported by an impulse shopper campaign across March.