Cheese exports: Is May 2023, the turnaround? Swiss cheese market May 2023
Cheese exports are disastrous at - 5% at the end of May 2023, but better than at the end of March.
Emmentaler -12% has overtaken Gruyere -11%, followed by other hard cheeses - 5% and Switzerland Swiss -4%.
In May 2023, Swiss cheese exports have recovered slightly, but it is still too early to speak of a trend reversal. Some cheese exporters had full warehouses and were forced to shift cheese through price actions.
Normally, price actions are unusual for the large varieties of Swiss cheese, such as Appenzeller, Le Gruyère, Emmentaler or Tête de Moine, as they operate in perfectly organised cartels. Quantities, market shares and prices are centrally controlled, limiting price differences to a maximum of 1% - 1.5%. However, when there are larger price differences, as at present, this indicates that the cartel is out of balance. It is likely that this is only temporary.
Tip for bargain hunters: It can be assumed that domestic sales will develop roughly in the same way as exports and the statistics above clearly show which cheese varieties are currently experiencing a build-up of stocks.
Special situation in Germany
Although overall sales at cheese counters in Germany are declining, the well-known varieties such as Appenzeller, Gruyère and Emmentaler continue to record good sales figures. This is because these cheeses have been sold through discounters for some time.
Those cheese counters that did not get out of these discounter varieties in time are now facing the challenge that customers tend to migrate to the discounters. Some counters therefore try to compete with cheaper alternatives and pass them off as specialities. However, they are more likely to alienate cheese lovers and risk the rest of the customers moving away as well.
For other raw milk specialities, the true specialities, the decline at the cheese counters is much smaller, as consumers have no alternative at the discount and are not interested in other suppliers at all.
Is May 2023 the turnaround?
We are of the opinion that no, it is only the stock clearance campaigns of some exporters.
Thank you very much Your Affineur Walo
