Cheese-Making Regions: From Local Cheese Varieties to Regional Brands

The article describes the relevant issues of cheese production and the current cheese consumption patterns in the Russian Federation. The authors identified the cheese varieties preferred by the global consumer and analyzed their demand on the domestic market. Under the current economic sanctions, Russia can satisfy its needs for foreign cheeses by importing them from Belarus. However, some Russian regions produce analogues of popular foreign cheeses. The article introduces domestic cheese-making leaders with their general and per capita production, assortment policies, etc. The authors identified local cheese brands with excellent prospects for shaping the regional image and promoting local food products. For instance, the Altai Region and the Republic of Adygea produce high-quality cheeses with good domestic and global competitive potential.