Kuwait consumers can enjoy extensive line-up of US cheeses
KUWAIT: Nina Bakht Halal, Director, Middle East, US Dairy Export Council responded to Kuwait Times questions.
(1) What are the various US Dairy products available in Kuwait? Consumers in Kuwait can enjoy an extensive line-up of US cheeses including cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, Asiago, Romano, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Gorgonzola, provolone, Gouda, Pepper Jack, feta and Muenster, further to dairy products such as butter, non-fat dry milk and whey powders. The certified awardwinning US cheeses are a mix of tradition and innovation, from farm to plate and our team is on hand to support in developing comfort food, classic recipes and high-end gastronomic fare.
(2) What are the highlights of the event and who are the participating retailers in Kuwait?
We participated in the Discover America Week at The Sultan Center - Sharq, where attendees had the chance to sample several recipes prepared using a variety of US cheeses in the presence of Chef Antonio El Khoury, the director of culinary programs for the USA Cheese Guild(tm), Middle East and North Africa (MENA). He developed unique recipes with distinct US cheese varieties. Highlights from the samples included cheesecake with US cream cheese and Mascarpone;
Cheese and Turkey crepe using US Pepper Jack; and Salty Crackers with US Gorgonzola cheese and dates.
Charge d’affaires at the US Embassy in Kuwait, Larry L Memmott; TSC officials including Khadija Oubala, Group Chief Executive Officer at Sultan Center Food Products Co and Makram Malaeb, Corporate Commercial Director were among the VIPs who attended the opening. Cheese in-store promotions were conducted as well in various other branches of The Sultan Center including Salmiya, Hawally, Kout, Egaila, Salwa, Jabriya, and Boulevard. It is also worth adding that Discover America Week has also been held in other parts of the region including Qatar, Oman and the UAE.
(3) What are the future projects in Kuwait, including expansion plans if any?
There will be continued retail training for all deli staff, supervisors and managers at major supermarkets and hypermarkets in Kuwait to educate them about US cheeses- touching upon their history, cheese-making practices, cheese handling, food safety, pairings, preparations of cheese boards, etc. Cheese-in store promotions will continue in partnership with major retailers in Kuwait.
(4) What is your role and vision for USDEC in Kuwait? As Director of the MENA region for the USA Cheese Guild, our team is on a mission to spread the word about all of the award-winning USA cheesemaking history and offerings. It’s not well-known that the United States is the largest single-country cheese producer and exporter in the globe. From small batch artisan cheese to high quality foodservice quantities for multinational chains, there are USA cheeses for every occasion and our support extends not only for Western-style foods, but also
finding creative ways to incorporate into the local cuisine.
My team and I work towards meeting the evolving needs of the region’s dairy demand by establishing partnerships with retailers, highend foodservice entities, culinary institutes and universities. Through our culinary programs headed by Chef Antonio, we aim to broaden the reach of US cheese applications and varieties in the foodservice and retail sectors in Kuwait and throughout the GCC.
Future plans include partnering with hotel chain and food service operators in the region. Our efforts are yielding consistent results. Cheese consumption in the region is steadily on the rise. Kuwait, along with the UAE and KSA imported 15,437 MT of US cheese between January and September 2019, worth USD 59 million. This is nearly 34% increase compared to the same time frame last year.
Economic growth1 in the MENA region is forecast to reach an average of 2.6% in 2019-2020, directly supporting imports of dairy products. MENA2 will account for as much as 24% of world dairy imports in 2027. We aim to increase engagement and visibility in the MENA region of both cheese and ingredients to benefit the region’s vibrant business success.