TILLAMOOK

Executive Chef, Tillamook

How is your company keeping up with trends?

We continue to showcase our 113-year-old brand while evolving with the needs of consumers. Our line-up of offerings covers all that operators could need, from the perfect cheeses for everything from pizza and quesadillas to aged cheddar savory souffles and Dungeness crab macaroni and cheese. We invest deeply into the research and development of new products, packaging and existing item extensions to ensure we stay current with the industry’s needs.

What trends are you seeing in cheese?

We continue to see increased demand for cheese as a category, in part due to consumers eating smaller and less “formal” meals than in the past. I predict continued popularity of cheese and charcuterie boards, cheese snack kits and timeless cheesefocused staples (such as grilled cheese and mac and cheese).

From a menu item standpoint, I predict cheese continuing to have large presence in salad/appetizer segments, and even higher demand as a course offering for multiple course meals, or as an addition replacing traditional desserts. I also am pushing the return of fondue as a new trend for 2023. It aligns well with many consumers’ current eating habits, is flexible from an offering standpoint, gives an opportunity for operators to make a customized version, and can be a great way to use local ingredients at the peak of the season.