instore - May 2018 - 41

feature

That played a big part in the development of the line of Roth Snack
Cheese, which debuted in late April. The cheese is available in three
flavors - Creamy Gouda, Creamy Cheddar and Creamy Whole Milk
Mozzarella - made from unique recipes, according to Engwall.
"We've been working on this line for about a year," she says. "We
wanted to make sure the products had a good flavor that was
produced in a high-quality way. The creamy is something that people
so often look toward when they're eating a snack cheese. They want a
good mouthfeel and something that's pleasing on the tongue. Creamy
is often associated with this type of cheese."

"The driving
growth is
coming from
branded deli
snacks."

The flavors and creamy mouthfeel
combine for a taste experience that
Roth hopes will be a hit with two
important demographics.
"Each has a unique taste that's unlike
any other snack cheese on the
market," Engwall says. "The hope is
that they appease both kids and also
the moms that typically purchase
the snacks for their kids."

Heather Engwall, Roth Cheese

She says many cheeses in the snack
category have been geared toward a
kid's palate or are marketed more to
specialty cheese buyers. The hope is that the new line falls somewhere
in the middle.
"We wanted to develop something that was unlike any other snack,"
Engwall says. "We wanted to create something that would fit the need
of a specialty cheese buyer but would also appease the kid as well."

The appeal of quality
The rise of snacking has coincided with the growing demand for highquality foods with good nutritional value. The combination
of the two can be a gold mine for retailers,
especially when catering to busy shoppers
looking for fresh grab-and-go foods.

Di Stefano Cheese Company makes its premium Burrata cups by
hand daily in its Southern California plant. The cheese, known for its
creamy center wrapped in a thin fresh mozzarella shell, is a higher-end
product ideal for pairing with fruits and vegetbales, or tossing in pastas
and salads.
De Stefano's cups are designed for convenience, The lid is peeled off,
the cup is flipped upside down and the round dome of cheese is ready
to plate and serve, or be consumed on-the-go.
Roth says its new line is made with the same standards used for the
rest of its specialty cheeses, which includes using fresh, local, rBSTfree milk. The cheeses have no preservatives and each individuallywrapped piece contains just 70 calories with 5 grams of protein.
"It's something that's very natural. There are very few ingredients and
we think people are willing to pay for the quality and overall better
product," Engwall says. "And we thought very carefully about the
number of calories. Consumers are so calorie conscious. We also really
thought about the amount of protein.
"The point is to satisfy that 3 o'clock hunger so it doesn't hurt your
appetite for dinner later. It's a good portion-control size piece
of cheese."

"My hope as a specialty cheese marketer
is that people are starting to take more of
an interest in purchasing from the specialty
cheese area of the store. That's where you'll
typically find a higher-end, higher-quality product," Engwall
says. "I've been in the cheese industry for a long time and have
continued to see growth in the specialty cheese market. Year-to-year
the growth is starting to slow down, but it is still growing. That's a positive when other categories are starting to decrease."

instore * MAY 2018 * 41

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