FITCHBURG, WIS. – The popularity of cheeseboards and charcuterie has piqued consumer interest in gouda. Retailers and their supplier partners are paying close attention, with new products and new merchandising muscle instore and online.
Emmi Roth is launching a new line of Roth Cheese spreads this year, one of which features the company’s Buffalo Ranch Gouda, said Amie Wentz, director of brand management.
Also in 2024, Emmi Roth will roll out an exact-weight, 6 oz, pre-cut version of its award-winning 3 Chile Pepper Gouda. Both Buffalo Ranch and 3 Chile Pepper, Wentz said, tap into big demand for products with “complex heat.”
The new exact-weight product helps retailers deal with the chronic problem of labor shortages, which Wentz said can impact the amount of cut and wrap cheese retailers are able to provide to their customers.
The 6 oz 3 Chile Pepper joins Roth’s 5 oz pre-cut Roth Aged Gouda among products that don’t require extra labor in store.
Gouda demand is strong across the board in retail specialty cases.
“Gouda is a top 10 deli cheese type, and in the last 52 weeks, Roth gouda has outpaced the growth of both gouda and deli cheese as a whole,” Wentz said.
Emmi Roth does its part to keep that demand strong by leveraging its digital marketing expertise and strategic social media partnerships to drive expansion of the gouda category.
As gouda goes for Emmi Roth, so goes the whole specialty cheese category, Wentz said.
“From cheeseboard concepts and grilled cheese recipes to culinary creations and snacking tips, we strategically promote Roth cheese year-round, and our success is driven by the strong performance of Roth Original Gouda and the growth of our innovative flavors, which reflect consumer demand for new and exciting flavors from their specialty and deli cheeses.”
The strong snacking and eat-at-home trends have been among the drivers of rising demand for gouda and for cheese in general at grocery retail, Wentz said.
“The demand is not only for cheeseboards — it includes recipe applications, as well.”
