Production and consumption of Hispanic cheeses have grown significantly in the United States. In 2019, the United States manufactured about 333 million pounds of Hispanic cheeses versus only 206 million pounds in 2009. Between 2009 and 2019, U.S. per-capita consumption of Hispanic cheeses nearly doubled.
The past year appears to have been one of ups and downs for Hispanic cheeses. In 2020, it’s estimated that Hispanic cheese volume in foodservice totaled about 96 million pounds; this would be an 11% decrease from 2018. The good news is that during the past year, Hispanic cheeses appear to have done better in the retail market than many other cheese types.