The cheese market in Malaysia remained lacklustre in 2016. Consultancy Euromonitor says many imported brands focus only on high-end supermarkets as distribution channels, such as Cold Storage, Sam Groceria and Presto Grocers. On the other hand, dual-breadwinner families prefer to dine out more than cook at home, which makes cheese a rarity in homes.
Mondelez is the leading player in cheese for Malaysia in 2016, accounting for a 46% retail value share. The company offers a wide range of brands including Kraft Singles, Philadelphia, Kraft Cheese Spread and Kraft. These brands are widely distributed, in particularly through hypermarkets and supermarkets, and have many loyal consumers due to their affordable prices, quality and flavour.
Euromonitor does not see cheese taking off in Malaysia as consumers cook at home relatively rarely, making it unlikely to become a common recipe ingredient. The research firm also notes that domestic distributors are not educating consumers on incorporating cheese into their meals.