Israel Faces Shortages of Cottage Cheese and White Cheese, Driving Up Prices

Israel is experiencing a significant shortage of cottage cheese and white cheese, particularly the 5% and 9% fat varieties from major dairies like Strauss, Tnuva, and Tara. Consumers are finding empty shelves in supermarkets, especially in the evenings, with only occasional availability of larger 500-gram containers of white cheese. While cottage cheese might be found in the morning, white cheese remains scarce.

Dairy industry sources attribute the shortage to production disruptions caused by the proximity of the Sukkot and Simchat Torah holidays to Shabbat, leading to lost production days. Restarting the specialized machinery required for cottage cheese and white cheese production takes several hours, exacerbating the issue. The Dairy Council had previously warned of potential localized shortages due to this holiday overlap.

In response to the scarcity of regulated white cheese, consumers are turning to alternative products like cream cheese, which are not price-controlled. One consumer expressed outrage at the price of Tnuva's 9% fat Napoleon cream cheese, costing 16.90 shekels for 225 grams. This price is more than triple the regulated price of white cheese, which is capped at 5.87 shekels for 250 grams. Napoleon cream cheese prices were found to range from 9.90 to 18.90 shekels across different supermarket chains, with some promotional prices still considered excessive by consumers.

Comparisons with Strauss's Symphony 5% cream cheese, a direct competitor, show Symphony to be generally cheaper, ranging from 7.70 to 13.90 shekels for 200 grams. Other brands like Tara and Gad also offer cream cheese products, with prices comparable to or higher than Symphony. Imported brands like Arla and Philadelphia Light are also expensive, with a 150-gram pack of Philadelphia Light costing up to 18.90 shekels.

While Tnuva holds a dominant market share in cottage cheese (75%) and white cheese (51%), it also leads in the cream cheese segment with 52%. The current shortages and resulting high prices for alternatives are causing considerable frustration among Israeli consumers.