The role of children is another notable aspect of current cheese consumption in China. Children are perceived as an important market segment by Chinese cheese suppliers. Calcium deficiency is still common in China, which has inspired Chinese food technologists to design a number of calcium-enriched foods for children, who have a high need for calcium to grow bones and teeth.

These products have to be attractive to young children, like biscuits or candy. However, product claims such as ‘with added calcium’ are becoming less popular in China, now the notion of ‘clean label’ has landed in the country. Milk is a natural source of calcium and therefore preferred over fortified foods – the only problem is the creamy taste of milk has a harder time getting accepted in China than a concept like ‘clean label’.

Cheese then becomes an attractive alternative. Pure cheese has to conquer the perception of a ‘bad odour’, but that can be helped by adding additional flavours. Milkana has recently launched a range of cheese sticks with various flavours: natural, fruit chunks, mixed fruit, banana and chocolate. For the attentive reader wondering how those flavours fit into the growing appreciation of ‘clean label’ in China, Milkana stresses only natural ingredients are used.

In case parents are hesitant about how and when to give their toddlers a cheese stick, Milkana offers a helping hand with some marketing advice: ‘a stick before a meal will not kill the appetite, a stick to complete breakfast’s nutrition, a stick right after exercise, a stick when the little ones get together to play’.

Chinese dairy giants Bright Food, Mengniu and Yili also produce their own cheese sticks. Bright and Milkana, meanwhile, also produce cheese cups, all for children. To emphasise the importance of this demographic for cheese makers doing business in China, in Savencia’s 2020 annual report, the French group claims its Milkana cheese Lollipop is “the number one cheese for children in China” (although it doesn’t cite its source). Moreover, in what Savencia described as the “highly dynamic market” for cheese in China, the company told investors it was named ‘Cheese Category Captain’ for the Singles Day event on Alibaba’s website on 11 November last year.

Analysis from Intelligent Research Group published in May forecasts the value of China’s food market for infants in 2024 will reach CNY43.62bn. Currently, dairy products make up 15% of that market. This area provides a good example of how international suppliers should adapt their products and marketing campaigns to suit the Chinese market.

There are plenty of directions in which international manufacturers can follow this lead, while still creating their own niche. Milkana’s cheese for children is heavy on the sweet side. More savoury varieties – for example, flavoured with ham, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, pepper, and so on – will be appreciated by Chinese consumers, and not only the younger ones.

China’s consumers, meanwhile, like to have a stash of finger food ready when they go out for a day in an amusement park or have a long train ride. Finger-sized sausages are a long-time favourite for that en-route craving, but cheese-based foods of approximately the same size, with various savoury flavours would be a viable alternative, marketed as healthier than sausages containing a range of additives.

Cheese, then, may not be as a big market as other parts of the dairy cabinet in China but it is in growth and there are opportunities in the country for the savvy supplier and marketeer.