M. Shahbandeh
Research expert covering agriculture & FMCG
Canada is ranked as one of the major cheese producing countries in the world and Canadian cheese is internationally renowned for its variety and high quality. In 2022, it was estimated that the volume of cheese produced in Canada amounted to around 535,000 metric tons. The majority of cheese produced in Canada were Cheddar and Mozzarella varieties in 2022. Canada also produces many specialty cheeses, the most common varieties of which are cream cheese, cottage cheese, and parmesan.
Canadian trading partners
In 2022, Canada exported 7.6 million kilograms of cheese, amounting to about 68 million Canadian dollars in export value. Canada has a trade deficit when it comes to cheese; importing 51 million kilograms of cheese in that same year. Most of these imports come from Italy, France, and the Netherlands, which are all world renowned for their high-quality artisanal cheese.Cheese consumption
Canadian cheese prices has increased in the last two years. In 2021, one kilogram of cheese cost 16.4 Canadian dollars on average, an increase from 15.14 Canadian dollars in 2019. Cheese consumption, in comparison, has increased. The average Canadian was estimated to consume around 13.5 kilograms of cheese in 2023, an increase of over 15 percent since 2010, when annual per capita consumption stood at 10.7 kilograms. When it comes to cheese consumers in Canada, it is almost an even split between consumers who are willing to sacrifice cheese quality because of rising prices and consumers who are not.
