Foreign consumers retain taste for Swiss cheese
The volume of Swiss cheese exports rose by 7% last year and producers were able to extract a 10% growth in revenues with price rises.
The Swiss cheese marketing board announced record export figures on Monday as consumers in other countries bought 82,470 tonnes in 2021, compared to 77,124 tonnes the previous yearExternal link.
This brought in CHF756.7 million ($813 million) in revenues for the traditional Swiss industry (CHF693.8 million in 2020).
Europe was the destination for 80% of all exports, with German consumers making up half of that market. Exports outside of Europe rose by 2.6%, led by growing demand in the United States.
Most cheese categories benefited from strong demand apart from processed and ready made fondue cheeses.
Around two fifths of cheese produced in Switzerland is exported to more 70 other countries.
Imports of foreign cheeses to Switzerland, mainly from Italy, Germany and France, rose 6% by volume and 8% by value.
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