Mozzarella remains one of America’s favorite cheeses, and producers continue to come up with new products in the category to entice grocery shoppers.
New from mozzarella specialist BelGioioso Cheese is a sliced Baking Fresh Mozzarella 1-pound log.
It’s made with a lower moisture level, making it perfect for baking in pastas and on pizzas or panini, said BelGioioso’s Sofia Auricchio Krans.
The company also recently introduced a marinated mozzarella product: ciliegine balls in an olive oil marinade flavored with fresh basil and garlic.
Meanwhile, two longstanding mozzarella products from BelGioioso — Pearls, particularly the smaller sizes, and Sliced Fresh Mozzarella — remain staples in consumers’ refrigerators, Auricchio Krans said.
“People love the convenience and different options of pack sizes.”
BelGioioso’s fresh mozzarella line has undergone major evolutions over the years, Auricchio Krans said.
The company started with water-packed 8-ounce balls in a cup, then later added mozzarella in a vacuum pack (thermoform with no water).
After that came the convenience revolution of pre-sliced offerings and a variety of different sized balls.
A certain dish played a big role throughout, Auricchio Krans said.
“As consumers were introduced to the caprese salad, fresh mozzarella became one of America’s favorite cheeses. They love the mild, fresh flavor that BelGioioso offers.”
A new player
Tillamook has gotten into the mozzarella game with its latest lineup of products.
Following closely on the heels of the company’s introduction of two other new lines — Brick Cream Cheese and Chocolate Ice Cream Collection — the new mozzarella roster features four products:
- Farmstyle Whole Milk Mozzarella Shreds
- Farmstyle Whole Milk Mozzarella Slices
- Whole Milk Mozzarella Snack Portions
- Whole Milk Mozzarella Chunk
“No matter how you pull it, shred it, stack it, or slice it, Tillamook is known for making creamy, melty, extraordinary cheese, and our new lineup of Mozzarella is no different,” said Steve Marko, Tillamook’s senior director of research and development. “Tillamook Whole Milk Mozzarella is made the traditional way with the highest quality ingredients, ensuring each melty bite delivers full flavor — and an impressively long cheese pull.”
The products can currently be found at Albertsons, Safeway, Target, Kroger and other grocery stores.
Award winner
At the 2024 World Championship Cheese, Caputo Cheese’s Nodini Fresh Mozzarella won Best of Class in the Fresh Mozzarella category.
“Such a proud moment for the Caputo team,” said Natale Caputo, the company’s president. “The hard work and passion of our cheesemakers really shined in the contest. Not only did we take Best of Class in a category jam-packed with the greatest cheesemakers in the world, we were also able to showcase our traditional cheesemaking in our Nodini.”
