Montreal-based Saputo Inc.’s Montchevre brand supplies a wide range of goat cheese flavors that make great additions to entertainment trays and other holiday recipes.
Montchevre’s best-selling products are the 4-ounce cheese logs. Jenny Englert, senior marketing manager of Saputo Specialty Cheese, recommends that retailers highlight Montchevre’s three seasonal goat cheese logs during the holiday season for both charcuterie boards and recipes.
“Consumers continue to demand more variety in cheese format and flavors, and as the US goat cheese category leader, the Montchevre brand is committed to continuously expanding consumption amongst US households and is one of the only brands to invest in driving mass-scale consideration and trial of goat cheese nationwide,” Englert said.
The seasonal flavor offerings for the goat cheese logs are:
- Montchevre Spiced Pumpkin
- Montchevre Cranberry Cinnamon
- Montchevre Truffle
“Each of these flavors lends itself to various usage occasions as our fresh logs can be spread, warmed, dipped, crumbled and served with your favorite seasonal dishes,” Englert said.
Montchevre’s seasonal goat cheese logs come in pull-and-peel packaging, making them easy to serve on a tray nicely in their original log shape.
“Our seasonal logs are a go-to for the center of a cheeseboard, but we also like to offer recipes that inspire consumers to break from the norm and add a little excitement to their dishes,” Englert said.
The Montchevre Pumpkin goat cheese has the classic pumpkin pie spices — nutmeg and cinnamon — along with a true earthy pumpkin flavor.
On its website, Montchevre features a simple but flavor-packed Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip recipe for consumers that uses one Montchevre Spiced Pumpkin goat cheese log and only requires three additional ingredients — cream cheese, pureed pumpkin and sugar.
The Montchevre Cranberry Cinnamon goat cheese is made with real cranberries, adding both a nice texture and color appeal for displaying on a charcuterie board. The company’s featured recipe for this cheese is the Cranberry Cinnamon Tart. The easy tart filling is made with one goat cheese log, cream cheese, condensed milk, eggs and sugar. The crust only needs graham crackers and melted butter.
The Montchevre Truffle goat cheese log is the perfect savory flavor for holiday recipes. Englert suggests consumers try their hand at baking a Truffle Goat Cheese Focaccia bread with it or add it to a variety of pasta dishes, paninis, salads and even omelets. It is also great by itself on a toasted baguette, Englert said.
All of Montchevre’s goat cheese recipes can be found at montchevre.com/en/recipes.
“Our fresh goat cheese logs lend themselves perfectly to holiday-focused entertaining occasions,” Englert said. “At the physical shelves, we recommend signage highlighting these seasonal flavors, so consumers know these offerings exist amongst the everyday flavors they routinely purchase. We also encourage retail partners to merchandise Montchevre goat cheese logs alongside accompaniments commonly found on charcuterie boards, including artisanal crackers, nuts, flavorful deli meats and fruit preserves.”
Cheese dips and spreads with no mixing required
For the consumer looking for peak convenience, Montchevre also recently launched a new line of Topped goat cheeses. These flavorful, creamy goat cheese products are ready to dip, spread or melt immediately upon opening.
“Montchevre Topped Line packaging allows for easy portability and serving anytime, anywhere – simply unwrap, flip, and serve,” Englert said.
Englert recommends serving the Topped goat cheeses with fresh-cut vegetables, fruit, crackers, bread and more.
The two available Topped flavors are:
- Montchevre Topped Cranberry Port
- Montchevre Topped Roasted Red Pepper
Englert said the Montchevre Topped Cranberry Port tastes and feels like a cranberry cheesecake.
“The sweet topping pairs beautifully with a dry glass of prosecco to counterbalance the sweet notes of the cranberry, while graham crackers, shortbread or moderately sweet foods pair perfectly as dipping vessels,” Englert said.
The Montchevre Topped Roasted Red Pepper flavor is a savory option that Englert described as, “forward, bright, acidic and assertive,” and said that it, “pairs well with light and white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, and light red wines such as Pinot Noir. The savory flavor profile welcomes food pairings like seasoned crackers and vegetables to balance the cheese and give it more herbal notes.”
Along with displaying charcuterie accompaniments, retailers can also benefit from arranging displays for the Montchevre Topped Line with the recommended wine pairings to give consumers more ideas for entertaining their guests.
“With the launch of the new goat cheese offerings – Topped Line and seasonal holiday flavors – Montchevre is excited for the opportunity to attract new consumers eager to try new and trending flavors and formats,” Englert said.
