The goat cheese market in the US continues to grow and, at the same time, it’s become an increasingly competitive market for producers.

Consumers appreciate the versatility of goat cheese – both as an ingredient in the kitchen and on their cheeseboards when entertaining – and its health bona fides.

Carr Valley Cheese’s goat cheeses have a characteristically clean flavor, which is approachable for all palettes, said Elle (Fearing) Williams, the company’s director of sales and brand development.

“Our customers and consumers we meet at industry events love our goat milk products. Common phrases we hear are ‘I don’t like goat cheese, but this is actually really great!’ That always makes our day – we strive to provide flavors that all people can enjoy.”

Demand for Carr Valley’s new Stix grab-and-go cheese product is surging, and the company was very happy with the feedback from customers and potential customers at this summer’s IDDBA and Summer Fancy Food shows, Williams said.

“Consumers want healthy, all-natural snacks that they can take on the go, and this fits the bill perfectly. We’re also not seeing the variety (from other shippers) that we offer on the shelves. Buying our Snack Stix is a great way to try an artisan cheese before committing to a larger piece.”

Carr Valley is making other updates to its goat cheese lineup. The company recently rebranded one of its most awarded cheeses, Snow White Goat Cheddar, a traditional bandage-wrapped goat cheddar that has pleasant citrus and earthy notes.

Snow White Goat Cheddar won “Best of Show” at ACS in 2008 and, Williams said, is a great example of Carr Valley’s longstanding impact on the cheese and dairy industry in the US and around the world.

Trends in the goat cheese category, she added, mirror what’s happening throughout the specialty cheese industry. In Williams’s words, this can be summed as “flavors, flavors, flavors.”

Carr Valley is well positioned to take advantage.

“We’re always brainstorming fun creations, but we have some wonderful and unique sweet goat cheeses available, including our Sweet Vanilla Cardona, Cocoa Cardona, and Boozin Billy,” Williams said.

Demand for goat cheeses category-wide continues to be strong, she said, as consumers become more invested in and educated about digestive health.

Some consumers, for instance, have found that it’s easier to digest goat milk products because the milk naturally contains only the A2 casein and has slightly lower lactose levels.

“Additionally, I think as retailers continue to expand their offerings across the country, goat milk cheese has over time become more accessible for communities,” Williams said. “As opposed to the continued traditions seen in cow milk varieties, goat milk cheese manufacturers are constantly inventing and putting out new products, which creates excitement in the retail world.”

Bring on the fruit, wine and heat 

Customers and consumers love the two latest goat cheeses from Laura Chenel, Mango Habanero and Pear, Wine & Rosemary, said Durae Hardy, brand manager.

“We strive to accentuate the clean flavor and indulgent texture of our fresh goat cheese when we work with any inclusions. The response to both new cheeses has been very fun – people love how balanced the flavors are and also just how surprising, unique and delicious.”

The newest of the two, Pear, Wine & Rosemary, which is marketed in log form, was developed in collaboration with the Culinary Institute of America Consulting.

Hardy said Laura Chenel wanted to create a flavor inspired by the taste of its home, Sonoma’s Wine Country.

The log is complemented with sweet and earthy ripe pears, the aroma of a bright Sauvignon Blanc, and finished with an herbaceous burst of fresh rosemary.

It’s available exclusively in Sprouts Farmers Markets through September and will be available in select retailers and online beginning in the fall.

Also this fall, Laura Chenel will introduce a new product, Cranberry Chevre en Croute, a ready-to-bake appetizer made with creamy fresh goat cheese swirled with ripe cranberries, dusted with cinnamon, and then wrapped in a decadent pastry dough.

It’s an extension of the company’s ready to bake goat cheese products, which Hardy said are unique to the market, offering retailers many fun merchandising opportunities for the holidays.

The new product will be the second in the line. The first, Thyme & Rosemary Chevre en Croute, was released in 2023 and was a huge hit for the winter holidays, Hardy said.

As goat cheese becomes more mainstream in the US, Laura Chenel is finding that consumers are increasingly seeking new and interesting experiences, Hardy said.

“We’re constantly looking for inspiration in the culinary world and beyond that we can incorporate into our already delicious cheeses and deliver exciting and innovative products to our customers.”

The foundation of every goat cheese, she said, is great milk for a clean and bright tasting product.

For Laura Chenel, it’s crucial to focus on the pure taste of its unflavored cheeses while adapting to consumers’ desire for fun, bold flavors as well.

“Seeing our Original log, pillow, and spreadable formats win at the American Cheese Society Conference this year makes us so proud that the base of all our cheeses present with the highest quality,” Hardy said. “And we’ll continue to strive for a balanced product list of both flavored and unflavored products.”

Free cheese from LaClare

LaClare Creamery, a 100% domestically produced goat cheese brand, gave away a year’s supply of their award-winning goat cheese through their Goat Cheese for Days Sweepstakes, in honor of National Goat Cheese Month in August.

Winners received a generous haul of delicious goat cheese, delivered to their doorstep in quarterly installments, totaling up to 52 delectable selections.

“Each year, the LaClare Creamery team celebrates National Goat Cheese Month with excitement and passion,” said Patrick Considine, national sales director at LaClare Creamery. “Our products are notorious for their delicately creamy texture and clean, tangy flavor profiles. We’re so excited about the opportunity to share our craft.”

This article is an excerpt from the September 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Goat Cheese feature and more in the digital edition here.