French lead cheese imports for the first time

In 2007, France accounted for nearly a third of the 399,408 tonnes of cheese now imported into the UK. Imports of French cheeses have been steadily rising to close the gap on Irish volumes since 2004. Figures from Eurostat show that during last year, French cheese imports into the UK accounted for 112,085 tonnes compared to Ireland's 89,042 tonnes. The campaign, run under the Fine Cheeses from France name, builds on the success of 'The Accents on Sharing' theme of the past two years and has launched a four-week long campaign in all Waitrose stores and the John Lewis Food Halls. The Waitrose French Cheese Showcase is fronted by chef Pascal Aussignac. It features special offers linking cheeses and wines and in-store demonstrations of Pascal's recipes. This then follows by a tailored promotion with Morrisons, featuring 150 days of tastings and demonstrations. The French cheese website also offers a new section 'Guide to over 1,000 chesses' packed with details on where to buy, tasting notes and accompaniments, which shows that France is the 'cheese capital' of the world. Sophie Wesse, brand manager ULN, commented: "Continental cheese penetration increases – now up to 78% and consumer confidence grows, we are also seeing a greater willingness to experiment with a wider variety of French cheeses and thus the volume growth last year came from blue cheeses; new hard cheeses, speciality cheeses and from Camembert more so than from the more established Brie." Sally Budd, senior account manager for Fine Cheeses from France, added: "French cheeses form the heart of today's continental offering and in a slower growing market place, there's never been a better time for retailers to support cheeses which consumers are prepared to pay more for because of their authenticity and provenance. We're all agreed that education is a must and our marketing campaign continues to invest in guiding consumers through the world of French cheeses." Weblink: www.frenchcheese.co.uk