Global cheese exports continued to expand in 2025, with total international sales reaching US$50.9 billion.

Compared with US$37.3 billion in 2021, worldwide cheese exports increased by 36.5% over the five-year period. Export value also maintained solid momentum year over year, rising 12% from US$45.4 billion in 2024.

Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, France, and the United States remained the world's leading cheese exporters. Together, these five countries generated 55.4% of global cheese export value, highlighting their dominant position in the international dairy market.

Cheese Exports by Region

Europe continued to dominate global cheese exports in 2025, accounting for more than four-fifths of worldwide shipments.

Regional export shares were as follows:

1. Europe — US$42.3 billion (83.2%)

2. North America — 6.2%

3. Oceania — 5.7%

4. Asia — 2.6%

5. Latin America and the Caribbean — 1.8%

6. Africa — 0.6%

New Zealand and Australia remained the primary cheese exporters within Oceania.

For customs classification purposes, cheese and curd products are categorized under HS Code 0406.

Top Cheese Exporting Countries

The following countries generated the highest export revenues from cheese in 2025:

1. Germany — US$7.3 billion (14.4%)

2. Italy — US$6.9 billion (13.5%)

3. Netherlands — US$6.3 billion (12.4%)

4. France — US$4.7 billion (9.2%)

5. United States — US$3 billion (5.9%)

6. Denmark — US$2.6 billion (5.2%)

7. New Zealand — US$2 billion (4%)

8. Ireland — US$1.94 billion (3.8%)

9. Belgium — US$1.91 billion (3.8%)

10. Poland — US$1.5 billion (2.9%)

11. United Kingdom — US$1.28 billion (2.5%)

12. Greece — US$1.21 billion (2.4%)

13. Austria — US$1.1 billion (2.1%)

14. Spain — US$974 million (1.9%)

15. Australia — US$870.2 million (1.7%)

Together, these fifteen countries accounted for 85.6% of total global cheese exports, demonstrating that international cheese production remains highly concentrated among a relatively small group of exporting nations.

Fastest-Growing Cheese Exporters

Several leading suppliers achieved strong export growth between 2024 and 2025.

The fastest-growing exporters included:

1. Ireland — +23.8%

2. New Zealand — +21.6%

3. United States — +21.3%

4. Italy — +17.8%

Other major exporters also posted positive growth, although at a more moderate pace:

1. Netherlands — +9.1%

2. Germany — +8.7%

3. France — +8.5%

4. Australia — +7.6%

Overall, the continued expansion of global cheese exports reflects steady international demand for dairy products, particularly from established European producers and fast-growing suppliers in Oceania and North America.

Cheese Exporting Companies

According to tendata global trade data, these are the top 10 cheese export companies in 2025:

1.FONTERRA LIMITED(6.55%, $149.84 Million)

2.PT KALDU SARI NABATI INDONESIA(6.02%, $137.68 Million)

3.PT MAYORA INDAH TBK(3.57%, $81.51 Million)

4.ITOCHU CORPORATION(2.29%, $52.38 Million)

5.FONTERRA INGREDIENTS LIMITED(2.24%, $51.26 Million)

6.KERRY INGREDIENTS M SDN BHD(2.09%, $47.81 Million)

7.LA MONTAÑA S A(1.6%, $36.64 Million)

8.BEGA CHEESE LIMITED(1.45%, $33.21 Million)

9.OPEN COUNTRY DAIRY LIMITED(1.35%, $30.87 Million)

10.ARLA FOODS AMBA(1.33%, $30.46 Million)

>>Find More Cheese Exporters via Tendata<<