New Zealand’s cheesemakers are witnessing a huge uplift in interest in sales of locally-produced cheeses, with consumers eschewing common choices to branch out into more interesting and adventurous selections. 

According to a report in Stuff, C’est Cheese Artisan Cheese & Deli Paul Brighton said the way customers are shopping for cheese has been altered by the Covid-19 lockdown. 

“As people spend more time travelling around their country they’re beginning to appreciate and connect with New Zealand’s vibrant community of artisan cheesemakers,” Brighton said. 

“We’re seeing many of our customers trying styles of cheese that they previously might not have considered.”

The New Zealand Specialty Cheesemakers Association chairman Neil Willman said cheesemakers are delighted that Kiwis are directly supporting them. 

“It’s uplifting to see the sales are strong across the board from traditional blocks of cheddar and edam to grated cheese and through to specialty cheeses,” Willman said. 

But the increase in spending isn’t relegated to only cheese, with StatsNZ finding spending on groceries during September saw the second largest increase, up 10 per cent or $206 million, of all industries on the same month last year. 

“Spending on groceries has remained strong since March as supermarkets were an essential service that stayed open throughout the lockdowns,” StatsNZ retail statistics manager Kathy Hicks said.