KRAFT has launched a Natural Cheese made with milk from cows raised without rbST – the artificial growth hormone typically given to cows to help increase milk production.

 

The leading manufacturer said that its natural cheese – including shredded cheese, natural slices, blocks and snacking cheese – is now made from fresh milk without rbST. The move comes in response to research from Nielsen and Statista (2016) that half of all US consumers are trying to avoid added hormones in their food.

 

“Everything we do at KRAFT revolves around the families that love our cheeses and what we can do to delight our consumers,” said Anne Field, Director of Brand Building for KRAFT. “Our goal is to give families KRAFT cheese the way it should be, with the same great taste and without the artificial hormone rbST at no additional cost. As the number 1 national brand of cheese in the homes of American families, we’re excited to give people another reason to love us.” 

 

This sourcing switch comes at a challenging time for the dairy sector, with sales of American cheese shrinking as Millennials and other consumers turn increasingly towards imports, and to plant-based alternatives. As a result, the country’s cheese industry is in oversupply, with stockpiles of American cheese higher than ever (around 1.4 billion pounds, or 635 million kilogrammes), according to the Wall Street Journal. This, in turn, has caused a significant price drop, just as tariff disputes with Mexico and China have dealt a blow to US cheese exports.

 

Given such challenges, Kraft has ample motivation to try and raise its product profile and garner positive attention from the market with this sourcing swap.