Dairy Processing - November/December 2023 - 75

InLac launches
Forever Cheese
celebrates 25 years
promotional campaign
The Interprofessional Dairy Organization (InLac)
partnered with the European Union to launch a threeyear
promotional campaign in the US called " Discover
the European Cheestories with cheeses from Spain. "
According to InLac, it includes " a powerful mix of
activities, such as attendance to fairs, exhibitions,
tastings, actions at point of sale and collaboration with
American importers and distributors. " The campaign
kicked off in June with a screening of a docu-reality
about Spanish cheese and a tasting of cheeses by
master cheesemaker Angelica Intriago, vice president of
New York-based Despaña Brand Foods.
" For the Spanish dairy sector, it is of vital importance
that American consumers know the commitment of
our production and elaboration methods and their
differential aspects with respect to competitors from
other countries, " said Daniel Ferreiro, president of InLac.
According to InLac, the most popular Spanish cheeses
in the US are cow, sheep, goat and blended, along with
cheeses with quality seals such as Manchego, Murcia al
vino or Mahón-Menorca.
Per capita cheese consumption in the US is currently
17 kilograms per person, per year. InLac expects that
number to increase as consumer demand for gourmet
and specialty cheeses continues to grow.
InLac said that the growing demand for other
international cuisines outside of Europe is also boosting
European cheese sales in the US.
" The popularity of Latino foods and Hispanic
cheeses is on the rise, " said Nuria Arribas, managing
director of InLac. " The US is a market where we are
firmly committed. "
New York-based Forever Cheese has imported
artisan cheese and accompaniments from
Italy, Spain, Portugal and Croatia for 25
years. According to the company, some of its
notable brands are Drunken Goat, Genuine
Fulvi Pecorino Romano, Mitica Marcona
Almonds, and Mitica Fig and Date Cakes.
Co-founders Michele Buster and Pierluigi
Sini achieved success by forming close
relationships with producers and focusing
on education.
" Our producers are the backbone of the
business, and they have supported what we
do from the very beginning, " Buster said. " We
are so appreciative of these partnerships and
our growth together. It means so much to see
them succeed. "
Tyler Hawes joined Forever Cheese as chief
executive officer in late 2021 and has since
pushed the company to achieve growth in
new areas, such as its acquisition of Hebron,
Ill.-based Japanese specialty food importer
W.A. Imports in the beginning of 2023.
In celebration of Forever Cheese's growth
and achievements over the past 25 years,
the company unveiled a new logo that
communicates its vision, which, according
to Hawes, is " to bring unique cheeses
and specialty foods to a wider audience,
inspiring interest and appreciation for the
diversity of flavors and cultures that our
products represent. "
DAIRYPROCESSING.COM | NOV-DEC 2023 75
The Interprofessional Dairy Organization, Forever Cheese
http://www.DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
Dairy Processing - November/December 2023

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