Analysis Business dairy
Cheese prices back to high level
Cheese prices seemed to have peaked at the end of July. For just under four months, the prices of Gouda and Edam foil cheeses had risen above €5.000 per tonne. Then the price went down. Inflation, a slump in demand and holiday perils would make the high price level unsustainable. This story didn't last long.
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The tide has now turned and the cheese price has been above the aforementioned €5.000 per tonne for a number of weeks.
Mozzarella needed a little more time to rise above the level of €5.000 per tonne again, but this product also followed the movement of Gouda and Edam. Cheddar and Emmentaler cheeses are usually priced considerably higher due to their higher dry matter content, but the price of these types also rose again.
On the other hand, the tighter availability of milk and cheese is also a real fact. Large parts of Europe are suffering from the lack of rain. As a result, less grass and other feed for dairy cattle grow. This limits the milk supply considerably. The Netherlands has been hit relatively mildly so far, but the consequences are also palpable here. Moreover, possible alternatives to (traditional) cheese have also become more expensive. More and more plant-based alternatives are now becoming available, but so far they have been relatively poorly appreciated by consumers.