Fine Cheese & Charcuterie June 2014

It’s official now. Americans are spending their money on healthy offerings more than they ever have before. The evidence of how deep this has penetrated our culture hit me on a recent visit to Costco, where I was surprised to see the samplers passing out snap pea crisps, and roasted seaweed sheets filling out an end-of-aisle display.  Wow, how the world has changed! Pigs in the blanket are out and healthy choices are in. And since Costco is a volume retailer, this means it expects to sell volumes of these healthy foods as well, which means this trend is here to stay!

Cheese is also well-poised to take advantage of Americans’ recent obsession with good eating habits. We all know that dairy is an important part of our daily diet, and what better way to enjoy some dairy than by eating good cheese. I think we need to do a better job of driving this message home in the marketing of cheese. Now, this may not make complete sense to some of you, since cheese also contains fat and there is certainly an increased concern over fat intake and childhood obesity. However, not all cheese is made the same way, and some differences do exist between certain varieties.

Fortunately, fresh cheeses like those we’ve covered in this issue (brie, Camembert and others) actually contain a third less fat and a quarter fewer calories than many hard cheeses. I think this is probably a little-known fact that, if we made more apparent to cheese shoppers, would certainly make it a popular choice, and may even encourage a fat-conscious consumer to consider cheese in a different light. Fresh cheese is also great to take on picnics and outings where refrigeration may not be an option, and a sharp knife is not part of your picnic kit. Since many fresh cheeses can also be some of the mildest offerings in the category, they have universal appeal that makes them as good for parties as they are for children.

I see fresh cheese as playing a pivotal role in pulling new customers into our realm. It is the equivalent of an entry- level offering that just might open the door to greater consumption. For these reasons, I consider fresh cheese to be right for the times, season and eating habits, making it a great selling opportunity.

David Spencer
Publisher, Gourmet Business 

President, HousewaresDirect, Inc. 

dspencer@gourmetbusiness.com