Volume 32 January 18, 2013 Number 52 Scan this code for breaking Designation of origin cheeses news and the latest markets! provide spirit of place, quality By Rena Archwamety product is made in a specifi c geographical indications (GIs) have to protect that story.” region using specific tradi- across Europe fi rst came into Stephano says Atalanta’s INSIDE MADISON, Wis. — When look- tional methods, help bring back force in the 1990s. marketing team tries to use ing for a cheese that evokes memories of those travels and Currently in the EU, there are the PDO registration stamp ✦ Guest column: a certain sense of place or taste experiences. more than 200 cheeses that have whenever possible on labels, U.S. export potential memory of travel, consumers Cristi Menard, senior buyer either PGI or PDO status. These signage, literature and other remains strong, but often gravitate toward PDO at Chicago’s Pastoral Artisan include such well-known cheeses point-of-sale materials. improvements remain vital. (Protected Designation of Cheese, Bread and Wine, says as Italy’s Parmigiano Reggiano “The younger consumer is For details, see page 6. Origin) or PGI (Protected Geo- certain customers are drawn to and Grana Padano and France’s demanding it. It’s the seal of graphical Indication) cheeses. PDO and PGI cheeses, which Roquefort and Comte as well as authenticity,” he says. “They ✦ Products from shuttered “When someone travels make up about 35-40 percent lesser-known cheeses such as are willing to spend an extra Golden Guernsey plant to Europe for the fi rst time, of Pastoral’s imported cheese Poland’s Ser korycinski swojski 50 cents, $1, $2 a pound for distributed to food banks. they have some of the most selection. and Slovenia’s Nanoski sir. PDO the product story behind it and For details, see page 12. wonderful meals, intriguing “If it happens to be one of status is given to products with knowing it is protected.” dishes, and want to bring those our international customers, a strong link to the defi ned geo- • Promoting abroad ✦ Fiscalini Cheese to launch experiences back home,” says who was born or grew up in graphical area where they are As these cheeses become new cheese varieties. John Stephano, director of mar- France and moved to the United produced, and a PGI denotes a known on a global scale, consor- For details, see page 14. keting and training for cheese States, their heart and soul product linked to a geographical tia for specifi c cheeses, such as and specialty food importer tends to be with those cheeses,” area where at least one produc- Italy’s Asiago PDO Consortium ✦ WCMA Distinguished Service, Atalanta Corp. Menard says. “Or if someone tion step has taken place. (Conzorzio Tutela Formag- Life Member winners named. Cheeses with PDO or PGI was abroad and fell in love with The idea behind GIs is to gio Asiago) help to educate For details, see page 18. labels, which assure that the a cheese they saw there, they preserve traditional ways of consumers and promote the will gravitate toward these.” making cheeses that have been cheeses at home and abroad. Menard says Asiago, Man- part of a country’s or region’s Italian Asiago has been sold chego, Comte and Roquefort are history, to assure the produc- in the United States for many Cheese dips, spreads offer some of Pastoral’s top-selling tion methods and quality of years, but this PDO cheese in designation of origin cheeses. these cheeses, and to prevent recent years has been growing consumers fl avor, versatility “These are names people who the names of these cheeses in distribution to other coun- have traveled are very familiar from being used to market tries as well. It is now sold in By Alyssa Sowerwine with, but also people well-versed products that do not meet the 51 countries abroad and is the in cheese but not traveled. It’s specifi c standards. fastest-growing Italian PDO MADISON, Wis. — With snacking a booming trend, more cheesemakers an indication of quality that they “What PDOs have done in cheese, growing 12-15 percent are offering consumers the bold fl avors of their cheeses in more know they are going to get at a protecting cheeses like these, in exports every year, according versatile dip and spread formats. minimum,” she says. they’ve locked in that passion to Slavio Innocenzi, director of “With snacks accounting for one out of every fi ve ‘eating occasions’ While many individual for generations to come,” the Asiago PDO Consortium. and our continuing passion for small plates and grazing, it’s only natu- countries have had their own Stephano says. “PDOs are doing Innocenzi says the Asiago ral that dips and spreads would be popular with consumers, not only protected food name labels for something special. Not only do brand is considered a public at foodservice but at retail, too,” says Jennifer Giambroni, director decades, legislation for unifi ed they have to tell the story, they Turn to PDO, page 13 a of communications for the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB). According to data from SymphonyIRI Group Inc., total cheese spreads volume sales have held steady over the past four years, and dollar sales of total cheese spreads increased by 4.4 percent from 2010 to 2011. But the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association’s “What’s in New division of Heartland Dairy, ag groups Store 2013” reports that the dairy spreads category posted strong gains launch Agriculture this past year, with refrigerated spread sales increasing 18.5 percent markets Omega-3 cheese Workforce Coalition for the 52-week period ending April 14, 2012. DORCHESTER, Wis. — Omega Valley Farmers LLC is now In addition to the growing snacking trend, cheese dips and spreads marketing cheese that contains Omega-3 fatty acids under WASHINGTON — Orga- offer consumers convenience and fl avor for entertaining occasions, its new “Heathier for You” label. nizations representing a notes Marilyn Wilkinson, director of national product communications Omega Valley Farmers — a new division of Heartland broad range of agricultural for the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB). Cooperative Services, Dorchester, Wis. — held a grand employers have announced “From the holidays through March basketball tournaments, dips fi t opening celebration and product launch Jan. 10. the formation of the Agri- any occasion,” Wilkinson says. She notes WMMB has made it easier for “We are proud to introduce the Omega Valley Farmers culture Workforce Coalition consumers to fi nd the right dip with its new microsite, DairyDips.com. food line to the consumers’ table. After two years of our own (AWC). The groups’ goal is to “We found that a lot of our web traffi c in the recipe section of our site research and development, we are poised to bring our new seek legislation that ensures was going to dips,” she says. The more than 50 dip recipes on DairyDips. line of ‘Healthier for You’ dairy products to the forefront of America’s farms, ranches com feature cream cheese to sour cream to Wisconsin cheese, with choices available in today’s market,” says Dennis Schultz, and other agricultural op- options for sweet dips, savory dips, holiday dips and more. CEO, Heartland Cooperative Services. erations have access to a • New fl avors, trends Omega-3 acids are typically found in fi sh and plant foods, stable and skilled workforce. Wilkinson notes that as more ethnic cuisines and restaurants pop up in not dairy. They are said to promote cardiovascular wellness In particular, the coalition, a Turn to SPREADS, page 9 Turn to OMEGA, page 16 a Turn to AWC, page 11 a Reprinted with permission from the Jan. 18, 2013, edition of CHEESE MARKET NEWS®© Copyright 2013 Quarne Publishing LLC; PH: (509) 962-4026; www.cheesemarketnews.com 2 CHEESE MARKET NEWS® — January 18, 2013 MARKET INDICATORS Chicago Mercantile Exchange CHEESE FUTURES for the week ended January 17, 2013 Cash prices for the week ended January 18, 2013 (Listings for each day by month, settling price and open interest) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Jan. 14 Jan. 15 Jan. 16 Jan. 17 Jan. 18 Fri., Jan. 11 Mon., Jan. 14 Tues., Jan. 15 Wed., Jan. 16 Thurs., Jan. 17 JAN13 1.752 932 1.756 932 1.756 932 1.756 932 1.755 932 Cheese Barrels FEB13 1.730 752 1.732 762 1.731 764 1.724 764 1.724 764 Price $1.6725 $1.6725 $1.6650 $1.6500 $1.6375 MAR13 1.771 698 1.760 749 1.757 769 1.740 807 1.745 811 Change NC NC -3/4 -1 1/2 -1 1/4 APR13 1.800 351 1.800 354 1.797 361 1.788 361 1.785 362 MAY13 1.822 251 1.823 251 1.823 269 1.822 270 1.827 269 Cheese 40-lb. block JUN13 1.842 211 1.842 211 1.842 217 1.847 217 1.840 218 Price $1.7200 $1.7100 $1.7000 $1.7000 JUL13 1.857 122 1.840 125 1.840 125 1.849 125 1.849 125 $1.6875 AUG13 1.860 78 1.860 78 1.860 78 1.855 81 1.855 81 Change NC -1 -1 NC -1 1/4 SEP13 1.845 108 1.847 108 1.847 109 1.847 109 1.847 109 OCT13 1.827 75 1.830 75 1.830 75 1.830 75 1.830 75 Weekly average (Jan. 14-18): Barrels: $1.6595(-.0260); 40-lb. Blocks: $1.7035(-.0245). NOV13 1.820 85 1.820 85 1.820 90 1.820 90 1.820 90 Weekly ave.