New sales insight has been released by Saputo Dairy UK for its latest NPD Cathedral City High Protein Half Fat Cheddar, showing sales of the on-trend cheese are being driven predominantly by younger consumers.
Cathedral City High Protein Half Fat Cheddar launched in September 2024, the biggest innovation of the year for the nation’s favourite cheese brand. Since launch, sales data has shown that Millennial and Gen Z audiences account for 35% of volume sales – three times as many of those age groups that buy the Cathedral City core range (10%).
Of the four new formats available – block, sliced, grated and minis – the minis range, designed for on-the-go snacking or a lunchtime protein boost, has proven to be the most popular, accounting for a proportionally high 22% of sales, despite having fewer listings than the rest of the range.
Cathedral City senior brand manager Abi Armson commented: “We always knew that Cathedral City High Protein Half Fat Cheddar would appeal to younger people, but the overtrade in this demographic reaffirms why we brought the product to market. I think it’s a wake-up call for the category that younger people are just as obsessed with cheese as the rest of us for its taste and versatility, and are attracted by its naturally high protein credentials too.
“Seeing our minis perform so well gives us valuable insight into how people want to consume and benefit from the joy of cheese with naturally high protein content. We know that cooking and meal preparation will always be key, but we must not underestimate the opportunity for on-the-go. Consumers are juggling their busy lives with the desire for wellbeing, and I am pleased that on-trend innovation from Cathedral City is catering to that demand.”
The new range complements other Cathedral City products including the Cathedral City Lighter range and the Lactose Free and Plant Based ranges, which all cater to specific dietary requirements.
The market-leading cheese brand, Cathedral City, has increased its household penetration by 1.2% YOY to 43.9%. Since Cathedral City High Protein Half Fat launched, the protein cheese category has reversed year-on-year category decline, with 13% growth.
