Leading countries in cheese production 2023

The European Union is by far the top producer of cheese worldwide. In 2023, the 27 countries that make up the European Union produced about 10.39 million metric tons of cheese.

International cheese trade

The total export value of dairy products has risen over the last few years. Many of the top exporters of cheese worldwide are part of the European Union, as to be expected. In 2022, Germany was the number one exporter of cheese. The Netherlands, France, and Italy are all world renowned for their cheese production and were also some of the top exporters of cheese in that year.

Cheese consumption in the U.S.

Per capita cheese consumption is on the rise in the United States. In 2022, the average American consumed 41.8 pounds of cheese, up from 33 pounds in 2010. There is a positive trend in cheese consumption in the United States, and Americans are projected to consume even more cheese per capita in the future. In terms of unit sales, shredded cheese is the bestselling form of cheese among U.S. consumers.