Cheese, a favorite ingredient in many cuisines, has been around for millennia (for at least 7,000 years, according to some sources). Over centuries and across different countries, this milky treat has evolved into various delicious shapes and flavors.
So, let’s discover how many of them there are and which are the most popular out there!
How Many Cheeses Are There in the World?
There are at least 2,000 different varieties of cheese in the world that can be classified according to the type of milk, preparation, flavor, texture, age, and country or region.
Exciting Stats and Facts About Cheese Around the World.
Cheese’s worldwide popularity can be ascribed to its delicious taste and rich nutritious profile. But do you know exactly how popular cheese is around the world? Let’s dive into the freshest cheese statistics and facts and find out!
The value of the global cheese market amounted to $77.6 billion in 2021.
(PR Newswire)
Leading cheese producers included Lactalis Groups, Fonterra, Dairy Farmers of America, etc.
The 27 EU countries accounted for about half of all cheese produced in 2021.
(Statista)
Germany stood out as the leading cheese-producing EU country in 2021, having produced over 2.25 million metric tons of cheese.
Czechs consumed 64 kg (about 141 lbs) of cheese per capita in 2019.
(Dairy Industries International)
That made the Czech Republic the country with the highest per-capita consumption in 2019.
The US produced 6.2 million metric tonnes of cheese in 2021.
(Statista)
They were the second-ranked cheese producer in 2021, surpassed only by the EU, which produced 10.3 million metric tonnes of cheese that year.
Wisconsin produced about 3.4 billion lbs of cheese in 2021.
(Statista)
This made it the leading cheese-producing US state in 2021. California and Idaho occupied the second and the third spot, with 2.4 billion lbs and just over one billion lbs, respectively.
Americans’ per-capita cheese consumption has increased by over 5 lbs over the past decade.
(Statista)
The US cheese consumption grew from 35 lbs per capita in 2010 to 40.2 lbs per capita in 2020.
The US alone produces over 300 varieties of cheese.
(AgHires) (YouGovAmerica)
Most varieties are made of cow’s milk.
According to YouGovAmerica’s 2021 poll examining 8,815 US adults, cheddar, American cheese, and Mozzarella are some of the most popular cheeses among Americans.
Macaroni and cheese is the most popular cheese recipe in the US.
(IDFA) (Premio Foods)
Some of the most popular cheeses used for macaroni and cheese include cheddar, parmesan, gruyere, brie, etc.
Italy was the world’s leading cheese importer in 2020, having imported $688.59 million worth of cheese.
(GlobeNewswire)
France and Germany followed with cheese import values of $561.78 million and $553.75 million, respectively.
Germany exported a whopping $4.8 billion worth of cheese in 2020.
(World’s Top Exports)
This made it the world’s leading exporter in that period. The Netherlands and Italy followed with $4.2 billion and $3.6 billion, respectively.
The EU is forecasted to produce 11.54 million tons of cheese in 2030.
(Statista)
Experts predict a steady increase in European cheese production in the following decade.
Conclusion
As you can see from the statistics provided above, cheese remains one of the favorite foods and is definitely here to stay. According to expert projections, its production, as well as consumption, are likely to further increase in the near future.
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