A large range of food options provided by the food service providers, along with the accessibility of on-the-go and home delivery continue to drive demand for cheese shreds from HoReCa sector. With advancement in dynamics, there has been an increase in the number of hotels, restaurants and cafes, which made the market growing demand for cheese shreds, used as toppings and ingredients in different number of food items.
Restaurants serving fast-food items have registered an increase in popularity, exclusively in the developing countries, which, persuaded the demand for processed cheese in form of shreds owing to the ease of use as ingredient and toppings. The disposable incomes and growing demand are increasing for value-added dairy products from consumers from the HoReCa sector, stakeholders in the cheese shreds market are developed high-quality cheese made using healthy ingredients along with various number of flavors of cheese shreds.
Demand, Trend and Scope of Cheese Shreds Market
North America is expected to dominate as the largest market for cheese shreds with revenues expected to register US$ 1.6 billion in 2019. Cheese shreds market players in the region are averaging falling prices of milk with respect to higher stocks, which have reduced cost of various cheese variants.
Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) will absorb its position as the fastest-growing market for cheese shreds. Greater China constantly gaining significance as an attractive market with increasing demand for cheese shreds from bakeries and western style restaurants in the country.
Rising consumption of pizza and ready-to-eat food products has provided extensive adoption of cheese shreds, owing to their ease of use as ingredients and toppings in these food products. Moreover, increasing inclination for shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese among pizza providers will continue to underpin demand for cheese shreds to a significant extent.
Cheese producers’ effort to increase shelf-life of cheese shreds, along with growing adoption of cellulose to impart moisture-phobic property has resulted in high-quality cheese shreds offerings. Increasing implementation of potato starch and micro-crystalline cellulose in cheese shreds for longer shelf-life and flavour retention, will forecast well for growth of the cheese shreds market.
Increasing preference for dairy-free products, associated with increase in lactose intolerant population, is driving the demand for vegan cheese shreds, opines Fact.MR. Novel vegan cheese is produced by culturing puree or milk from tree nuts with same bacteria used by dairy cheese producers to enlarge the taste and texture.
Cheese processors are increasingly focusing on improving product packaging to maintain freshness of cheese. Stand-up and resealable pouches made with the usage of plastic barrier shrink films are recommending huge application in cheese shreds packaging in order to protect the product from moisture while maintaining its natural texture and flavor.
Evolving consumer preferences made increasing the demand for low-fat cheese. This has translated into development of low-fat cheese shreds with interest towards retaining their functional properties and flavor. Transglutaminase enzyme has accommodated as the only commercial covalent cross-linking enzyme for producing low-fat mozzarella cheese improving physical properties, stretchability and meltability in low-fat cheese.
Conclusion:
Increasing number of product growth, and caking defect is one of the biggest challenges owned by the retailers and producers in the cheese shreds market. Mold formation in cheese shreds led to the growth of harmful bacteria high such as brucella, listeria, e-coli, and salmonella. High-calorie count combined with high fat and sodium content in cheese, which provides various health issues. Moreover, various number of studies have found possibility of bacteria in cheese transferred from cows, which can affect human health.