Dairy Processing - March/April 2024 - 34

business and the license of certain trademarks
of Kraft Heinz by Lactalis Heritage Dairy in 2021
for total consideration of approximately $3.3
billion. The Signature Shreds are available in
three blends, Cheddar Blend, Mexican Blend and
Mozzarella Blend.
BelGioioso Cheese, Green Bay, Wis.,
introduced several new products in the part year,
inclduing Stracciatella Burrata Filling and a Fresh
Mozzarella sliced log for baking.
" Our core philosophy remains constant, "
said Sofia Auricchio Krans, a fifth-generation
cheesemaker with the company. " Start with
fresh, quality ingredients, use traditional artisan
methods, create flavorful cheeses. "
The company noted that imported Italian
cheese was down 13.4% in volume in 2023 -
giving plenty of opportunity for BelGioioso's
domestically made alternative.
There are more than
$5 billion in new dairy
plant investments and
expansions occurring
in the US through 2025
pandemic, it has rebounded - 76% of respondents
said innovation will be a priority moving forward.
That rebound was even more significant when
it came to updating formulations and using new
ingredients within existing brands - just 57% of
respondents said that was a priority pre-pandemic,
while 65% said that it is a focus post-pandemic.
Cheese processors are exemplifying those
responses, with new products hitting the market
from some of the biggest names in cheese. As
the market improves with inflation slowing down
and real incomes recovering, the appeal of new
products is expected. The level of innovation in
the cheese industry has kept the market relevant
to today's consumers, who are looking for variety,
convenience and added value.
Brands including Sargento, BelGioioso Cheese
and Kraft have actively introduced new cheese
products into the market, after years of reduced
product launches in the post-pandemic era. New
products include new forms and flavors, as well as
investments in specialty cheese production.
Cheese brands are not only increasingly
focusing on the classic convenient formats,
such as sliced, shredded and spreadable, but are
developing more options to place cheese as an
easy to prepare meal centerpiece.
In late March, Kraft Natural Cheese unveiled its
first innovation, Kraft Signature Shreds, following
the acquisition of certain assets in its global cheese
34 MAR-APR 2024 | DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
Belgioioso also is growing its Polly-O cheese
brand, which it acquired in 2021. The company is
rolling out new cheese formats, including mozzarella
logs and fresh shreds under the Polly-O brand.
Sargento, Plymouth, Wis., a family-owned
cheese company with net sales of $1.7 billion,
enhanced its position in the snack segment when
it introduced Balanced Breaks in 2015. The dual
compartment packages have cheese pieces on
one side and varied accompaniments, such as
chocolates, dried fruits and nuts, or mini crackers,
on the other. The latter is a joint venture with
Mondelez International, Chicago, with the snack
food company providing Ritz, Triscuit and Wheat
Thin crackers. Since the launch, Sargento now
has a 37% share of refrigerated cheese snack kits.
All store brands combined have only a 7% share,
according to the company.
In March, the company announced the
expansion of the Balanced Breaks line with Fun!
Balanced Breaks, which include Chips Ahoy
Cookies and Teddy Grahams. Sargento also added
new Fiesta Pepper and Smokehouse String Cheese
Snacks to its portfolio.
" We are all about keeping a long-term view of
our business, " said Kristi Jankowski, executive
vice president of Innovation at Sargento. " This
forward thinking keeps us competitive, as we
encourage our teams across the company to
always be creating new ideas and collaborating
with one another. "
Dave Gordon Photography
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