MINNEAPOLIS — In celebration of July as National Grilling Month and summertime cookout season, Crystal Farms Dairy Co. today announced a list of the top 10 Midwest cities whose residents consume the most cheese. Crystal Farms shares this research on the cheese-loving region as the company embarks on a journey with Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), the largest cheese co-op based in the U.S., to source 100% of its dairy from Midwest dairy farmers.
According to Nielsen data referencing pounds of cheese sold per capita in the last year1, Crystal Farms found that Cincinnati, OH edged out the “cheese-heads” of Wisconsin to land the top spot on the list. In fact, cities in Missouri and Ohio took the top four spots, with Milwaukee coming in at number seven. The full list includes:
- Cincinnati, OH
- Dayton, OH
- St. Louis, MO
- Kansas City, MO
- Indianapolis, IN
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
- Detroit, MI
- Cleveland, OH
Research also revealed that Midwest residents consume more cheese than any other region in America, with more than 1 billion pounds purchased in the past year for an average of 15.5 pounds purchased per Midwesterner. While the Midwest region can agree on its love of cheese, top-ranking cities differ on their favorite cheese varieties. Milwaukee and Minneapolis favor string cheeses, while Kansas City is one of the top consumers of Blue and Monterey Jack cheeses.
“We know Midwesterners eat a lot of cheese — which isn’t surprising because our region is where we believe the best cheese comes from,” said Roxanne Bernstein, CEO of Crystal Farms. “In working with dairy farmers across the Heartland, we can bring consumers unbelievably delicious cheese products. We encourage people to come together to celebrate their love for all types of cheese — you name it — to help us ensure Midwest family dairy farms survive and thrive.”
Crystal Farms is on a journey to source 100% of its cheese from Midwest dairy farmers in partnership with AMPI. The company works with farmers and cheesemakers to create its delicious cheese slices, shreds, sticks and chunks.
“AMPI dairy farmer-owners are dedicated to their animals and land, providing exceptional care to ensure quality milk,” said Sheryl Meshka, AMPI Co-President and CEO. “We’re proud to be involved in Crystal Farms’ legacy and applaud their dedication to family farmers throughout the Midwest.”
Crystal Farms products are available at retailers across the Midwest. For more information on the company’s cheese varieties and Midwest sourcing, visit crystalfarmscheese.com.
1 Ranking was created by compiling data from Nielsen sales data for the total cheese category in all outlets including Food/Grocery, Drug, Mass Merchandisers, Walmart, Club, Dollar, and Military DECA. Data includes 52-week sales data from June 5, 2020 to June 5, 2021. The results have been weighted per capita.
About Crystal Farms
Since 1926, Crystal Farms Dairy Company has brought smiles to American kitchens through its fun, innovative and high-quality dairy foods. As a leading dairy brand, Crystal Farms provides more than 150 varieties of quality local dairy products to consumers across the country. Made with love in the Midwest, Crystal Farms is on a journey to source 100% of its dairy from Midwest dairy farmers. Crystal Farms is a subsidiary of Post Holdings.
About AMPI
AMPI is headquartered in New Ulm, Minn., and owned by dairy farm families from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. The cooperative’s award-winning cheese, butter and powdered dairy products are marketed to foodservice, retail and food ingredient customers. The co-op launched its Dinner Bell Creamery brand and accompanying Co-op Crafted promise in 2019, highlighting more than 50 years of dairy farm families partnering with skilled dairy craftsmen to make great-tasting, award-winning products.
