Dairy Market Intelligence

Real-time pricing, trends, forecasts & industry news
2026-03-08 23:37
Source: FRED API + Industry RSS
10 live data series

Executive Summary

US retail cheese at $5.98/lb (+3.3% MoM), trend: rising. 6-month forecast: $5.92/lb.
Whole milk at $4.10/gal (+1.3% MoM). Range over period: $3.35 - $4.22.
Fluid Milk Mfg PPI at 299.9, falling trend. Volatility (6M): 12.9.
Overall Dairy PPI index at 261.9 (+33.7% over full period).

HIGH Producer Price Index by Commodity: Farm Products: Slaughter Chickens: +7.3% month-on-month move
MEDIUM Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Dairy and Related Products in U.S. City Average: Near all-time high at $271.19
US Cheese (Retail)
$5.98/lb
+3.3% MoM | rising
US Whole Milk
$4.10/gal
+1.3% MoM | rising
US Butter (Retail)
$4.38/lb
-0.6% MoM | falling
Cheese Mfg (PPI)
$198.79
-1.6% MoM | falling
Dairy PPI Index
$261.91
+0.2% MoM | rising
Dairy CPI
$271.19
+0.8% MoM | falling
Cheese Market Prices

Cheese Prices + 6-Month Forecast (USD)

Milk & Butter Prices (USD)

Month-on-Month Price Changes

All Tracked Commodities — MoM % Change

Complete Market Data
SeriesCurrentMoMPeriod ChangeTrendRangeAvg6M ForecastVolatility
Average Price: Cheddar Cheese, Natural (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average
U.S. Dollars | Monthly
$5.982 +3.3% +6.8% rising $5.257 – $6.123 $5.710 $5.922 $0.487
Average Price: Milk, Fresh, Whole, Fortified (Cost per Gallon/3.8 Liters) in U.S. City Average
U.S. Dollars | Monthly
$4.100 +1.3% +21.7% rising $3.348 – $4.218 $3.951 $4.217 $0.174
Average Price: Butter, Stick (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average
U.S. Dollars | Monthly
$4.383 -0.6% +19.7% falling $3.474 – $5.004 $4.411 $5.150 $0.518
Average Price: Ice Cream, Prepackaged, Bulk, Regular, per One-Half Gallon (1.9 Liters) in U.S. City Average
U.S. Dollars | Monthly
$6.236 -2.6% +26.3% falling $4.685 – $6.505 $5.754 $6.823 $0.367
Producer Price Index by Commodity: Farm Products: Slaughter Chickens
Index 1982=100 | Monthly
$344.312 +7.3% +57.6% falling $218.400 – $498.373 $352.928 $378.596 $47.860
Producer Price Index by Industry: Cheese Manufacturing
Index Jun 1981=100 | Monthly
$198.787 -1.6% +7.2% falling $185.400 – $226.250 $205.042 $211.878 $12.932
Producer Price Index by Industry: Fluid Milk Manufacturing
Index Dec 1982=100 | Monthly
$299.870 -2.0% +25.3% falling $239.300 – $319.817 $292.768 $331.312 $12.887
Producer Price Index by Industry: Dry, Condensed, and Evaporated Dairy Products
Index Dec 1983=100 | Monthly
$212.567 -0.2% +19.9% falling $177.300 – $240.763 $211.216 $215.865 $6.483
Producer Price Index by Commodity: Processed Foods and Feeds: Meats, Poultry, and Fish
Index 1982=100 | Monthly
$261.910 +0.2% +33.7% rising $195.900 – $275.478 $238.351 $259.785 $14.125
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Dairy and Related Products in U.S. City Average
Index 1982-1984=100 | Monthly
$271.185 +0.8% +17.7% falling $229.249 – $272.840 $260.469 $285.595 $6.349
6-Month Price Forecasts
SeriesCurrent+1M+3M+6MProjected Change
Average Price: Cheddar Cheese, Natural (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average $5.982 $5.888 $5.911 $5.922 -1.0% (fall)
Average Price: Milk, Fresh, Whole, Fortified (Cost per Gallon/3.8 Liters) in U.S. City Average $4.100 $4.195 $4.171 $4.217 +2.8% (rise)
Average Price: Butter, Stick (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average $4.383 $5.084 $5.068 $5.150 +17.5% (rise)
Average Price: Ice Cream, Prepackaged, Bulk, Regular, per One-Half Gallon (1.9 Liters) in U.S. City Average $6.236 $6.677 $6.680 $6.823 +9.4% (rise)
Producer Price Index by Commodity: Farm Products: Slaughter Chickens $344.312 $363.234 $381.970 $378.596 +10.0% (rise)
Producer Price Index by Industry: Cheese Manufacturing $198.787 $209.955 $211.148 $211.878 +6.6% (rise)
Producer Price Index by Industry: Fluid Milk Manufacturing $299.870 $323.447 $326.461 $331.312 +10.5% (rise)
Producer Price Index by Industry: Dry, Condensed, and Evaporated Dairy Products $212.567 $214.841 $215.524 $215.865 +1.6% (rise)
Producer Price Index by Commodity: Processed Foods and Feeds: Meats, Poultry, and Fish $261.910 $251.783 $255.871 $259.785 -0.8% (fall)
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Dairy and Related Products in U.S. City Average $271.185 $282.941 $282.578 $285.595 +5.3% (rise)
Forecasts use linear regression with seasonal decomposition (12-month cycle). These are directional indicators — validate against AHDB, Kite Consulting, and Rabobank dairy outlook reports for strategic decisions.
Top 10 UK Cheese Companies — Competitive Analysis

Market Share (%)

Estimated Revenue (£M)

CompanyBrandsSegmentRevenueMarket ShareEmployeesThreat
Saputo Dairy UK
Nuneaton
Cathedral City, Davidstow, Clover Mass Market / Retail £1850M 22.5% 4,200 High
Lactalis UK & Ireland
London
Seriously Strong, President, Galbani, Rondelé Premium / Continental £1600M 18.0% 3,800 High
Arla Foods UK
Leeds
Arla, Castello, Lurpak (butter), Apetina Cooperative / Multi-category £2400M 12.0% 3,200 Medium
Wyke Farms
Bruton, Somerset
Wyke Farms, Ivy's Reserve Premium / Heritage £85M 3.5% 250 Low
Adams Foods (Pilgrims Choice)
Leek, Staffordshire
Pilgrims Choice, Adams Reserve Value-Premium Cheddar £320M 8.0% 900 Medium
Ornua (Kerrygold parent)
Dublin (UK ops)
Kerrygold, Pilgrims Choice (part), Dubliner Irish Heritage / Export £450M 5.5% 700 Medium
Norseland (Jarlsberg parent)
Ilchester, Somerset
Jarlsberg, Applewood, Mexicana, Ilchester Specialty / Flavoured £180M 4.0% 500 Low
Belton Farm
Whitchurch, Shropshire
Belton Farm, Red Fox, White Fox Artisan / Territory £65M 2.0% 200 Low
Barber's Farmhouse
Ditcheat, Somerset
Barber's 1833, Barber's Cheddar Premium Farmhouse £55M 1.8% 180 Low
Wensleydale Creamery
Hawes, Yorkshire
Yorkshire Wensleydale, Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Regional / Tourism £40M 1.2% 210 Low
Saputo Dairy UK High Threat
Cathedral City, Davidstow, Clover
Revenue: £1850M | Share: 22.5% | Staff: 4,200
Strengths: UK #1 cheddar brand (Cathedral City), strong supermarket relationships, vertically integrated
Weaknesses: Dependence on cheddar, limited premium/artisan range
Recent Moves: Invested in sustainability packaging, expanded Davidstow aged range
Lactalis UK & Ireland High Threat
Seriously Strong, President, Galbani, Rondelé
Revenue: £1600M | Share: 18.0% | Staff: 3,800
Strengths: World's largest dairy group backing, strong continental cheese portfolio, brie/camembert leader
Weaknesses: Brand awareness below Cathedral City in cheddar, higher price points
Recent Moves: Pushing Seriously Strong range extensions, plant-based trials
Arla Foods UK Medium Threat
Arla, Castello, Lurpak (butter), Apetina
Revenue: £2400M | Share: 12.0% | Staff: 3,200
Strengths: Farmer-owned co-op model, strong organic credentials, Castello premium range
Weaknesses: Cheese not primary focus (milk/butter dominant), limited cheddar presence
Recent Moves: Organic cheese expansion, carbon net-zero dairy farm targets
Wyke Farms Low Threat
Wyke Farms, Ivy's Reserve
Revenue: £85M | Share: 3.5% | Staff: 250
Strengths: 100% green energy, strong provenance story, award-winning cheddar
Weaknesses: Small scale vs big players, limited international distribution
Recent Moves: Biogas energy self-sufficiency, export growth to US/Middle East
Adams Foods (Pilgrims Choice) Medium Threat
Pilgrims Choice, Adams Reserve
Revenue: £320M | Share: 8.0% | Staff: 900
Strengths: Strong #2 cheddar brand, good value positioning, loyal customer base
Weaknesses: Narrow product range, limited beyond cheddar
Recent Moves: New vintage and smoked cheddar lines, supermarket exclusives
Ornua (Kerrygold parent) Medium Threat
Kerrygold, Pilgrims Choice (part), Dubliner
Revenue: £450M | Share: 5.5% | Staff: 700
Strengths: Strong Irish grass-fed positioning, premium pricing power, export strength
Weaknesses: Limited UK retail shelf space vs domestic brands, niche
Recent Moves: Grass-fed marketing push, snacking cheese format launches
Norseland (Jarlsberg parent) Low Threat
Jarlsberg, Applewood, Mexicana, Ilchester
Revenue: £180M | Share: 4.0% | Staff: 500
Strengths: Dominant in smoked/flavoured cheese, unique products, loyal niche following
Weaknesses: Small volume vs cheddar giants, niche appeal
Recent Moves: Vegan Applewood launch, new flavour innovations, snack packs
Belton Farm Low Threat
Belton Farm, Red Fox, White Fox
Revenue: £65M | Share: 2.0% | Staff: 200
Strengths: Award-winning Red Fox brand, strong with independent retailers, authentic story
Weaknesses: Very small scale, limited marketing budget
Recent Moves: White Fox aged cheddar launch, Waitrose/M&S listings
Barber's Farmhouse Low Threat
Barber's 1833, Barber's Cheddar
Revenue: £55M | Share: 1.8% | Staff: 180
Strengths: 6 generations of cheesemaking, genuine PDO Somerset Cheddar, strong foodservice
Weaknesses: Tiny retail footprint, production capacity limited
Recent Moves: 1833 Vintage launch, increased US exports, food service push
Wensleydale Creamery Low Threat
Yorkshire Wensleydale, Real Yorkshire Wensleydale
Revenue: £40M | Share: 1.2% | Staff: 210
Strengths: PGI status, tourist destination, Wallace & Gromit association, unique product
Weaknesses: Single product dependency, seasonal tourism revenue
Recent Moves: Cranberry & blueberry variants, online D2C push, export trials
Market share and revenue figures are estimates based on industry reports (Mintel, Kantar, company filings). For live competitor retail pricing, integrate supermarket API scraping or a service like Brandview/Prisync.
Industry News & New Products
Dairy Global
When temperatures soar and calves face hotter days, this impacts their productivity, growth, and immune function. Input from farmers and the right strategies ensure calves remain comfortable and pave the way for improved lifetime performance. The the...
Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:30:00 +0000
Dairy Global
Narrowing down an incredible pool of impressive entries was no easy feat, but the expert jury has finally named the 5 finalists for the Sustainability Impact Award 2026. Each contender stood out for their unique solutions and commitment to sustainabl...
Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000
Dairy Global
One can say that a healthy cow is a productive cow; however, optimal feed intake, welfare, and comfort are essential for peak performance. Yet these factors are intertwined with hoof health. When cow hooves are a focus on-farm, performance soars, pro...
Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000
Dairy Global
This May, Dairy Global will publish a special edition dedicated to the topic of heat stress. This special will bring together articles from researchers, experts in the field and other independent authorities. Heat stress is a hidden but powerful disr...
Tue, 03 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000
Dairy Global
Dairy is rapidly becoming the most data-intensive sector in livestock agriculture. Modern farms generate continuous streams of information from milking robots, wearable activity monitors, rumen smart sensors, smart cameras, milk composition analysers...
Thu, 26 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000
Dairy Global
I visited a dairy farm 20 years ago in the Minas Gerais region in Brazil. It left a lasting impression on me. I remember the intense, heavy humidity as well as the smell of molasses and dust in the air. The farmer, a man with deep lines etched into h...
Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000
Dairy Global
What’s NEW in the dairy farming world? We report on the latest business updates from the global dairy industry from February, including the financial results of Friesland­Campina, Arla Foods and Vilomix, insights from the 2025 mycotoxin survey by dsm...
Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000
Dairy Global
In this edition of Dairy Talks, Dr Claudia Parys from Evonik Animal Nutrition discusses how heat stress and early lactation challenge the energy metabolism of dairy cows. Rising temperatures bring serious on-farm heat stress that impairs cow performa...
Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:30:00 +0000
Methodology & Sources

Live Data: FRED API (Federal Reserve Economic Data) — US dairy commodity prices updated monthly/weekly.
News: Dairy Reporter, Food Manufacture, The Grocer, Farming UK, Dairy Global, AHDB RSS feeds.
Global: Global Dairy Trade (GDT) bi-weekly auction results.
Forecasting: Linear regression + seasonal decomposition. Not financial advice.
To add: AHDB Datum (UK farmgate), EU Milk Observatory CSVs, supermarket scraping for competitor retail prices.