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Cheese Technology

Rising demand spurs innovation in production of cottage cheese

Kinga Janowska and Esther Smit

Tetra Pak’s Kinga Janowska, cheese expert, and Esther Smit, cheese portfolio manager, contribute this column exclusively for Cheese Market News®.

In recent years, cottage cheese has emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments in the U.S. dairy market. According to a Circana study, name-brand cottage cheese sales increased by 11.7%, while private-label brands saw a 5.7% increase. This remarkable growth is driven, in part, by a social media-fueled trend that encourages consumers to experiment with new ways to enjoy cottage cheese beyond its traditional use as a standalone dish, such as a versatile ingredient in items like ice cream, yogurt, dips, flatbreads and even cheesecakes.

For producers, this expanding interest presents a significant opportunity to capture new markets by reinventing cottage cheese as a snack and on-the-go option. However, capitalizing on this trend also comes with challenges: maintaining consistent product quality, extending shelf life, optimizing efficiency, and meeting the demand for plant-based alternatives and lactose-free options.

The key to keeping pace with growing demand lies in modernizing production methods. Traditional cottage cheese production is labor-intensive, but advancements in automated equipment offer the potential to enhance quality, boost output, improve consistency and help producers to meet consumer expectations more efficiently.

• The benefits of enclosed cottage cheese vats

As most curd features are directly influenced by the process in the vat, incorporating an enclosed cottage cheese vat into a cheese plant offers multiple benefits that directly impact profitability and product quality.
1. Increased output and reduced waste

• Enclosed vats significantly reduce labor demands, freeing up operators for other critical tasks. Automation and enclosed cheese vats also improve operator day-to-day conditions by eliminating the need for manual cutting and physical strain.

• An automated run-time reduces downtime, maximizing production capacity.

• Ensuring efficient vat emptying minimizes product that’s left behind, reducing waste.

2. Product repeatability and consistency

• Consumers expect uniformity, especially from trusted brands. Achieving consistent curd quality is crucial to delivering a product that meets these expectations.

• Automated cutting in a controlled, closed environment ensures curds are produced to precise specifications every time, improving product quality and ensuring a uniform, appealing appearance that resonates with customers.

3. Enhanced hygiene and product safety

• Enclosed vats promote superior hygiene by minimizing manual handling, reducing contamination risks and improving overall product safety. Operators can sanitize equipment with a push of a button, ensuring a clean, controlled environment that mitigates bacterial growth.

• A fully automated process ensures stability and repeatability, producing a reliable product batch after batch.

4. Optimized control through digital connectivity

• Digital integration provides producers with real-time data on production processes, enabling quicker decision-making and more efficient operations.

• Digital connectivity, a standard integrated part of enclosed cottage cheese vats, enables producers to monitor key variables, identify opportunities for continuous improvement and maintain tight control over quality, ensuring the product consistently meets safety and industry standards.

• Embracing enclosed vats to stay ahead of market trends

Investing in enclosed cottage cheese vat technology can help producers set the stage for long-term success by boosting return on investment, increasing profitability, enhancing product quality and allowing them to respond swiftly to market trends. Enclosed cottage cheese vat solutions not only increase output and reduce waste, but also ensure consistency, safety and shelf-life extension — key drivers in today’s competitive dairy market.

CMN

The views expressed by CMN’s guest columnists are their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of Cheese Market News®.

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