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In the fiscal year 2022, the market size of natural cheese in Japan was valued at billion Japanese yen. The cheese market is one of the largest segments of the domestic dairy market, but despite the rapid growth of natural cheese manufacturers in the country, the majority of its demand is met through imports.

Cheese consumption in Japan

Over the past decade, the production volume of cheese in Japan has been consistently increasing. However, the consumption in Japan is relatively low despite the increasing number of fusion dishes in food service establishments. Weekly or monthly consumption is most common, with processed cheese and fresh cheeses like mozzarella being consumer favorites. Bite-sized processed cheese cubes in single packaging, known as “candy cheese”, are also available in the snack food market, allowing to-go consumption.

Cheese in the Japanese dairy industry 

Among various dairy products, cheese holds the highest production volume in Japan. The domestic production of processed cheese surpasses that of natural cheese. Natural cheese refers to traditional cheese crafted from ingredients such as milk, buttermilk, cream, or a combination of the aforementioned. Processed cheese involves the addition of emulsifiers and other ingredients to natural cheese. In the Japanese industry, the majority of natural cheeses used in the production of processed products are procured through imports.