The USA has seen increased cultural diversity and popularity with the culinary styles of Latin America for several years. This has increased the trend for purchasing and consuming Hispanic foods, as reflected by the increased Hispanic-style cheese (HSC) production in the United States. Hispanic-style cheeses now comprise about 2.8% of total cheeses production in the USA and as one of the fastest-growing segments will likely continue to innovate and grow in the future.
The growing popularity of Hispanic cheese calls for increasing production to sustain the market demands at various destinations. However, scaling up production could encounter various challenges in the U.S. cheese market. According to the 2021 Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics, California is the leading producer of HSC, followed by Wisconsin. Popular Hispanic cheeses include queso fresco, asadero, manchego, oaxaca and cotija.