Swiss Cottage Cheese Imported to Israel Amid Shortage
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Euro Cheese has begun importing cottage cheese from Switzerland to Israel to address a severe domestic shortage. The Swiss product has a three-month shelf life, unlike the two-week life of Israeli cottage cheese, and is priced slightly higher. The shortage has persisted for weeks, with local producers unable to meet demand, leading to inflated prices on the black market.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Euro Cheese is importing Swiss cottage cheese to Israel due to a severe domestic shortage.
- The imported Swiss cottage cheese has a three-month shelf life, significantly longer than local products.
- The Swiss cottage cheese is sold in non-kosher stores and costs between 8-9 shekels per container.
- Local dairy producers blamed a busy holiday schedule for the initial shortage.
- During the crisis, private sellers offered cottage cheese for up to 50 shekels per container.
A significant shortage of cottage cheese and white cheese in Israeli supermarkets has led to an unprecedented move: the import of cottage cheese from Switzerland. Euro Cheese, an Israeli food import company, is bringing in cottage cheese from the Swiss company Züger. This is the first time cottage cheese has been imported into Israel.
Guillaume Shenaz, the professional manager of Euro Cheese, stated that the company seized the opportunity due to the severe shortage. He explained that while typical cottage cheese has a shelf life of only two weeks, making import difficult, the Swiss product has a three-month shelf life, rendering the import feasible and profitable. The imported cottage cheese is currently being sold in non-kosher establishments like Tiv Ta'am and Kashet Taim, as it does not yet have a kosher certification. Shenaz indicated that if demand is high, they might pursue kosher certification for future imports.
The price difference is minimal, with the Swiss cottage cheese costing between 8 and 9 shekels per container, compared to 6.5 to 7.90 shekels for the Israeli product. This slight increase comes with the advantage of a much longer shelf life. Euro Cheese, founded in 2010 and specializing in international cheeses, was acquired by Sugat in June for approximately 140 million shekels.
The shortage has been ongoing for weeks, with local dairy producers initially blaming a busy holiday schedule, a claim that did not resolve the issue. At the peak of the crisis, a logistical issue at Tnuva reportedly caused a chronic shortage, leading to private sellers offering cottage cheese for up to 50 shekels per container. Major supermarket chains reported receiving only about 80% of their requested orders, leaving shelves largely empty.
