We work with wholesalers up and down the country, supplying them with consistent, high-quality cheese and dairy products made in the UK to keep their customers coming back for more.
Here’s our run down of the five latest cheese trends and how wholesalers can use these to maximise customer spend:
- Offer value for money products
Price is a huge pressure point for customers so it makes sense to offer value-for-money choices where possible. This doesn’t have to mean moving away from quality products. Many businesses avoid switching to analogue cheese alternatives as they are under the impression it can impair the taste and finish of their end products but our Encore price-fighter product range can offer all the functionality, melt and flavour of mozzarella and cheddar yet at a lower price point.
- Blend ambition
To help wholesaler customers conserve their margins, cheese blends are an increasingly popular choice (such as our Meadow Valley range which is made at our Telford factory) as these combine a flavoursome mature cheese with a lower-cost mild cheddar to maintain taste and quality while reducing costs. Blended products also allow customers to consolidate SKUs and costs for further cost savings.
- Change up the format
Finer grated cheese is trending at the moment as it gives the visual impression of lots of cheese while using less product – good for an end user’s bottom line without compromising on the consumer’s eating experience. Finer grated cheese is also good for use in hot food products as it melts quicker, so worth flagging up to food retail customers.
- Healthy options
Low-fat options are always in vogue and we have seen consistently strong demand for reduced-fat cheeses for many years from end-user customers who use it for sandwiches, toasties and hot eat products like omelettes. Mozzarella, which has a lower fat content than cheddar, is often purchased by our wholesaler customers operating in food retail and service sectors as a healthier alternative too.
- What’s your flavour?
Cheese flavour trends are moving away from statement products, like chilli cheese, and towards more subtle profiles. Smoked cheese remains popular in food service but on the whole, we are seeing a shift towards blended cheeses – for example, mozzarella blended with Emmental or mature cheddar which offers extra flavour. There has also been a shift towards the soft, creamy Italian-style of mozzarella (used for pizzas, hot sandwiches, paninis etc.) over the more American chewy, stretchy type.
From our family to yours – if you want to know more about Bridge Cheese’s offer for wholesalers, get in touch at sales@bridgecheese.com
