Customized Report Service – The mozzarella cheese market in Canada and the United States
December 2019
Summary
According to 2017 figures from the Canadian Dairy Information Centre, Canadian mozzarella cheese production totaled 148,049 tonnes in 2016, and Canadian imports reached 175,536 kilograms (kg) in 2018.
In Canada and the United States, 1,825 products containing mozzarella cheese or ingredients derived from mozzarella were launched in the past four years (2015 to 2018). The top 10 Canadian and US companies launched 273 products containing mozzarella. The Canadian company Western Family introduced 33 new products containing mozzarella, and the US company Kroger launched 45.
The combined number of products launched in the new variety/range extension category and the new packaging category was 1,201 during the period from 2015 to 2018. The top five companies produced 165 new products in total, and 78.4% of all the products containing mozzarella were launched in the ready-meals, meal centres and snacks groups.
Canadian mozzarella cheese imports
| Variety | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | Other natural | 585,541 | 804,492 | 510,778 | 173,189 | |
| Total natural | 20,818,385 | 20,543,172 | 20,904,840 | 24,797,697 | ||
| Processed | Grated or powdered | 73,672 | 95,909 | 80,775 | 2,347 | |
| Total processed | 1,361,405 | 1,704,509 | 1,672,615 | 1,587,563 | ||
| Total imports | 22,179,790 | 22,247,681 | 22,577,455 | 26,385,260 | ||
Source: Global Affairs Canada 1: The total includes cheese imports under permits only, and excludes cheese admitted under the Imports for Re-export Program and for cruise ship markets Calculations performed by AAFC-AID, Market Information Section |
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For a full list of Canadian cheese imports, visit Cheese Imports into Canada by Variety (Year).
Canadian cheese imports were relatively stable over the past four years, with a total volume of 26.4 million kg in 2018, of which mozzarella cheese accounted for 175,536 kg.
However, Canadian imports of mozzarella cheese were down considerably from the previous years, with decreases of 308,848 kg from 2016 to 2017 and 416,017 kg from 2017 to 2018.
Note that there are no data available for Canadian mozzarella cheese exports or for imports by country for this specific type or category of cheese. In addition, we do not have access to trade data for milk and for dairy and cheese products in the United States.
Launches of mozzarella cheese products in North America, 2015 to 2018
In Canada and the United States, 1,825 products containing mozzarella cheese or ingredients derived from mozzarella were launched during the period under review (2015 to 2018). Canadian companies launched a total of 417 products containing mozzarella and US companies launched 1,408 during the same period.
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| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 291 | 367 | 371 | 379 |
| Canada | 128 | 120 | 74 | 95 |
Source: Mintel, 2019
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| Brand | United States | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Kroger | 45 | 0 |
| Archer Farms | 22 | 0 |
| Three Bridges | 21 | 0 |
| Member's Mark | 21 | 0 |
| Signature Select | 18 | 0 |
| Marketside | 17 | 0 |
| Giant Eagle | 35 | 0 |
| Great Value | 23 | 18 |
| Western Family | 0 | 33 |
| Co-Op Gold | 0 | 20 |
Source: Mintel, 2019
The top 10 companies–seven in the United States and three in Canada–launched 273 products containing mozzarella cheese between 2015 and 2018. The Canadian company with the highest number of launches of products containing mozzarella was Western Family, with 33 products; the number one company in the US was Kroger, with 45 mozzarella products.
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| Launch Type | Kroger | Great Value | Giant Eagle | Western Family | Archer Farms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New variety/range extension | 16 | 30 | 17 | 12 | 9 |
| New packaging | 28 | 11 | 18 | 21 | 3 |
| New product | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Relaunch | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| New formulation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Source: Mintel, 2019
The two categories with the highest number of launches of products containing mozzarella ingredients were the new variety/range extension category and the new packaging category. Between 2015 and 2018, the top five companies launched 84 of the 680 new varieties of products containing mozzarella and 81 of the 521 products with new packaging.
Between 2015 and 2018, Western Family relaunched 21 mozzarella products with new packaging and launched 12 new varieties. Kroger repackaged 28 products with a new design and offered 16 new varieties during the same period.
*: Pizzas, lasagna, etc.
**: Hors d'oeuvres, sausages, etc.
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- Ready-meals and meal centres (Pizzas, lasagna, etc.): 67.8%
- Snacks: 10.6%
- Side dishes: 8.3%
- Dairy products: 6.0%
- Processed fish, meat and egg products (Hors d'oeuvres, sausages, etc.): 4.1%
Source: Mintel, 2019
In addition, 67.8% of all launches of products containing mozzarella in Canada and the United States were ready-meals and meal centres, whereas snacks accounted for 10.6% of the total number of mozzarella products launched between 2015 and 2018.
Examples of product launches
Chicken Fettuccine
| Company | Overwaitea Food Group |
|---|---|
| Brand | Western Family |
| Category | Ready-meals and meal centres |
| Sub-category | Ready/cooked meals |
| Country | Canada |
| Country of manufacture | Canada |
| Distribution type | Supermarket |
| Release date | July 2018 |
| Launch type | New packaging |
| Price in local currency | Can$1.99 |
Party Size Meat Lasagna
| Company | Kroger |
|---|---|
| Brand | Kroger |
| Category | Ready-meals and meal centres |
| Sub-category | Ready/cooked meals |
| Country | United States |
| Store name | Kroger |
| Distribution type | Supermarket |
| Release date | January 2017 |
| Launch type | New packaging |
| Price in local currency | US$11.99 |
Shredded Whole Milk Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cheese
| Company | Walmart |
|---|---|
| Brand | Great Value |
| Category | Dairy products |
| Sub-category | Soft and semi-soft cheese |
| Country | United States |
| Store name | Walmart |
| Distribution type | Mass merchandise/ hypermarket |
| Release date | May 2018 |
| Launch type | New packaging |
| Product source | Shopper |
| Price in local currency | US$1.48 |
Original Crust Pizza Supreme
| Company | Giant Eagle |
|---|---|
| Brand | Giant Eagle |
| Category | Ready-meals and meal centres |
| Sub-category | Pizzas |
| Country | United States |
| Store name | Giant Eagle |
| Distribution type | Supermarket |
| Release date | December 2018 |
| Launch type | New packaging |
| Price in local currency | US$3.79 |
Burrata Lemon Zest Herb Ravioli
| Company | Target |
|---|---|
| Brand | Archer Farms |
| Category | Side dishes |
| Sub-category | Pasta |
| Country | United States |
| Store name | Target |
| Release date | November 2018 |
| Product source | Shopper |
| Launch type | New product |
| Price in local currency | US$3.49 |
Resources
- Statistics Canada, 2019
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2019
- Mintel, 2019
Customized Report Service – The mozzarella cheese market in Canada and the United States
Global Analysis Report
Prepared by: André Ajaltouny
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