Arla to bring UK specialty cheddar cheese to the US

Arla Foods USA is bringing a UK-manufactured Castello Extra Mature Cheddar to the US market later this year, the head of Arla, Don Stohrer Jr., told DairyReporter.

Castello is one of Arla’s specialty cheese brands, according to the company’s website. The current Castello products include burger blue cheese and Havarti creamy cheese.

Castello Extra Mature Cheddar is priced at $5.99 for the chunk package, and $5.99 for package of slices, according to Stohrer, and they will be available at most groceries and specialty stores across the country.

Stohrer said Arla’s main goal this year is to become the main global player in the dairy isle. As part of that effort, Arla US reportedly entered into a joint venture with Dairy Farmers of America to build a dairy plant in New York to produce cheddar.

Stohrer added that there wouldn’t be any competition between the imported Castello cheddar and the cheddar Arla will produce at its future New York facility. “Castello cheddar is a specialty cheese and it’s designed for self-indulgent purpose, while Arla’s cheddar is for family use. They are in different categories,” he said.