Magazine: Growing market share for low fat cottage cheese

Although cottage cheese isn’t a real seasonal product, sales rise in December when people cook and bake more. Private label products are strong and the importance of discount supermarkets is growing in sales. Sándor Szentesi, sales director of Sole-Mizo Zrt. informed us that cottage cheese sales haven’t increased recently. János Volosinovszki, managing director of Nádudvari Food Kft. added that last year, when raw milk’s purchasing price hit a nadir, 250g cottage cheese products were available at prices as low as HUF 200 or less.

Not only 250g, but also 450g, 200g and 180g cottage cheese products are now also available in the market. Due to changing dietary habits, the market share of low fat products is growing. There is also demand for cottage cheese products made from other (non-cow) milk types, but their share in sales is still negligible. Sales of Nádudvari’s market leader körözött (paprika-flavoured cottage cheese spread) product increased last year, which shows that consumers prefer products with high added value. E-free körözött is available in 150g size in resealable lid packaging.

Sole-Mizo’s most important innovation in the cottage cheese market has been building a closed-technology production plant in their Szeged factory. This step improved the quality of the cottage cheese they make and products now have a longer shelf life. A new packaging line has also been installed, which puts the cottage cheese in upright bags. In the second half of the year the company will launch new cottage cheese products. Sales of Nádudvari cottage cheese augmented last year. The company’s flagship product, Nádudvari large-curd cottage cheese has been popular all over Hungary for quite a long time. Nádudvari cottage cheese is made using special production technology and has a very long, 30-day shelf life.