Wisconsin dairy groups release customer research on products that mimic cheese
MADISON, Wis. — In a marketplace increasingly crowded by plant-based imitation dairy products, the results of a new survey show that customers are confused about whether those products are indeed dairy foods and whether they carry the same nutritional value.
The research evaluated three plant-based foods that mimic dairy cheese to understand if the packaging and descriptions are confusing. The survey, conducted by Ravel, was commissioned by Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, based in Wisconsin.
The findings, released today at the Dairy Strong conference in Madison, Wis., were included in comments that WMCA and Edge submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is collecting public input as the agency considers changes to its enforcement of non-dairy labeling rules.
“Consumers deserve complete clarity as they choose what to eat, and how to feed their families. Our research proves that mislabeling leads people to believe that the nutritional content of plant-based products is equivalent to that of dairy, which is simply not true and potentially harmful to public health,” said Rebekah Sweeney, director of communications, education and policy for the cheese makers group. “WCMA members encourage the Food and Drug Administration to enforce labeling standards to help consumers make well-informed choices at the grocery store.”
Among the national survey’s findings:
Nearly half of customers indicated that plant-based foods that mimic cheddar and mozzarella cheese were actually cheese.
About one-quarter of customers said they don’t knowwhat ingredients are in the plant-based imitations. The same percentage mistakenly thought the products contained milk.
About one-third of customers think that plant-based foods that mimic cheese contain protein, and twenty-one percent think that it is of a higher quality than dairy even though the imitations have little to no protein. Real dairy cheese has 7 grams of protein.
About one-quarter of customers purchase plant-based foods that mimic cheese because they believe them to be low in caloriesand fat and without additives. In reality, these plant-based foods containan equal or comparable amount of fat and calories and substantially moreadditives than dairy cheeses.
“The Ravel survey findings are similar to other consumer surveys pertaining to food — consumers don’t know what’s in the food they eat regardless of what they hear,” said Patrick Geoghegan, senior vice president, marketing and industry relations at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. “The next phase is to understand why consumers associate dairy and non-dairy products with differing attributes.”
Brody Stapel, president of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and a dairy farmer in eastern Wisconsin, said the survey demonstrates that words do matter.
“These misperceptions about non-dairy foods are real. The imitations confuse customers who rely on names and product packaging to make judgments about a food. Those customers deserve transparency,” said Stapel, whose group represents its member farmers throughout the Midwest on federal policy. “Our dairy farmers and processors work hard to produce incredible food. Milk and dairy products — real dairy foods — offer almost unbeatable nutritional value, and customers deserve to know this.
“The FDA should move to aggressively enforce its existing regulations, which clearly define milk, cheese and other dairy foods as originating from a cow, not a plant.”
About Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association:
Since 1893, Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association has represented manufacturers of dairy products, as well as companies that process, market, or distribute cheese and support the industry with supplies and services. Today, WCMA’s 600+ member companies and cooperatives operate across the country and around the world. WCMA serves members as a strong policy advocate, networking hub, and trusted source of education and information.
About Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin:
Funded by Wisconsin dairy farmers, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is a non-profit organization that focuses on marketing and promoting Wisconsin’s world-class dairy products. For more information, visit our website at wisconsindairy.org.
About Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative:
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative provides dairy farmers throughout the Midwest with a powerful voice — the voice of milk — in Congress, with customers and within their communities. Under the Federal Milk Marketing Orders, the co-op also provides milk testing verification services and market information. Edge, based in Green Bay, Wis., is one of the top cooperatives in the country based on the amount of milk produced by its members. For more information, visit voiceofmilk.com.