The cheese market in India reached a value of INR 56.7 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach INR 211.5 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 24.3% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.

India is currently the world’s largest producer of milk owing to which the cheese market holds significant growth potential. With the rising influence of western cuisines and inflating disposable incomes, consumers are now shifting from paneer towards cheese, thereby increasing its demand in the country. In addition to this, manufacturers are introducing a number of flavored cheese products including pepper, garlic, red chili flakes, and oregano pickle, which cater to the different tastes and preferences of consumers in India.

Cheese Market in India: Drivers

Although cheese is extensively used in fast food items like pasta, pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, tacos, cakes, garlic bread, etc., it is also being included in traditional Indian recipes such as dosa, uttapam and parathas. With the growing working population and their altering food patterns, the fast food industry is experiencing a healthy growth which, in turn, is augmenting the demand for cheese. Apart from this, with an increase in the number of organized retail outlets, numerous global players are now investing in the Indian cheese market. Moreover, several manufacturers are engaging in marketing campaigns through different advertising media like newspapers, televisions and social media platforms to increase awareness among consumers about the benefits of cheese. These factors are anticipated to boost the consumption of cheese in the upcoming years.

Key Market Segmentation:
IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the India cheese market, along with forecasts at the country and state level from 2022-2027. Our report has categorized the market based on type, format, application and retail/institutional.

Breakup by Type:

Processed Cheese
Mozzarella
Cheddar
Emmental
Ricotta
Others

On the basis of types, the market has been divided into processed cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, Emmental, ricotta and others. At present, processed cheese represents the most popular product type in India.

Breakup by Format:

Slices
Diced/Cubes
Shredded
Blocks
Liquid
Cr?me
Cheese Spreads

Based on formats, the market has been classified into slices, diced/cubes, shredded, blocks, liquid, cr?me and cheese spreads. Amongst these, cheese slices hold the dominant share as they are widely used in homes and restaurants for preparing sandwiches and burgers.

Breakup by Application:

Pizzas
Burgers
Sandwiches
Wraps
Cakes
Others

On the basis of applications, the market has been segregated as pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, cakes, and others. Currently, pizza represents the leading application area of cheese, accounting for the majority of the market share.

Breakup by Retail/Institutional:

Retail
Institutional

The cheese market in India has been bifurcated into retail and institutional sectors, wherein the institutional sector exhibits a clear dominance in the market. Cheese is supplied to food service chains and restaurants for use in various preparations.

Regional Insights:

Karnataka
Maharashtra
Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Gujarat
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
Uttar Pradesh
West Bengal
Kerala
Haryana
Punjab
Rajasthan
Madhya Pradesh
Bihar
Orissa

On a geographical front, Maharashtra enjoys the leading position in the cheese market in India. Other regions include Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa.

Competitive Landscape:

The cheese market in India is highly concentrated in nature with the presence of only a few large manufacturers, such as GCMMF, Parag Milk Foods, Britannia and Mother Dairy. These players compete against one another in terms of prices and quality. Key Questions Answered in This Report:

How has the cheese market in India performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?
What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the cheese market in India?
What are the key regional markets in the cheese market in India?
What are the major application segments in the cheese market in India?
What are the different formats in the cheese market in India?
What are the various product types in the cheese market in India?
What are the major sectors in the cheese market in India?
What are the price trends of cheese?
What are the various stages in the value chain of the cheese market in India?
What are the key driving factors and challenges in the cheese market in India?
What is the structure of the cheese market in India and who are the key players?
What is the degree of competition in the cheese market in India?
What are the profit margins in the cheese market in India?
What are the key requirements for setting up a cheese manufacturing plant?
How is cheese manufactured?
What are the various unit operations involved in a cheese manufacturing plant?
What is the total size of land required for setting up a cheese manufacturing plant?
What are the machinery requirements for setting up a cheese manufacturing plant?
What are the raw material requirements for setting up a cheese manufacturing plant?
What are the packaging requirements for cheese?
What are the transportation requirements for cheese?
What are the utility requirements for setting up a cheese manufacturing plant?
What are the manpower requirements for setting up a cheese manufacturing plant?
What are the infrastructure costs for setting up a cheese manufacturing plant?
What are the capital costs for setting up a cheese manufacturing plant?
What are the operating costs for setting up a cheese manufacturing plant?
What will be the income and expenditures for a cheese manufacturing plant?
What is the time required to break-even?