The enduring popularity of Mediterranean diets, combined with a big boost from a series of viral social media posts, are driving strong consumer interest in feta cheese.
Feta, which gets its salty, tangy flavor from being marinated in brine, is a versatile cheese that can be used in a variety of recipes, including soups, salads, wraps, omelets, pizza, pasta, and others. It is also the centerpiece of an array of baked dishes, often combined with tomatoes and herbs, as demonstrated in several popular videos on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and elsewhere. It can be marinated in olive oil with herbs and spices as a stand-alone snack or to enhance other recipes, and it pairs well with olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh fruit, dried fruits, and nuts. It also complements both mild and spicy cured meats such as salami or prosciutto.
Global sales of feta cheese are estimated to reach about $5 billion in 2025, and are projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of about 5% through 2023 according to a Data Insights Market report. The expansion is being fueled by several factors, including consumers’ growing interest in natural and minimally processed foods, and the increasing use of feta in a range of recipes, the report concludes.
Perhaps the most important factor driving this growth is the fact that feta plays a starring role in the Mediterranean Diet, which has long been considered one of the healthiest eating regimens. In fact, the Mediterranean Diet has been named the best overall diet by U.S. News and World Report for the past eight years, and the magazine also named it the best diet for people seeking to manage a range of health conditions, from arthritis to diabetes to gut health.
“Numerous studies have shown that this dietary model reduces the risk of certain chronic health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes, while promoting longevity and improving quality of life,” according to the magazine’s in-depth report.
The Mediterranean Diet is based on traditional eating habits in the region, and focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, nuts, and legumes. Many of the cuisines of the region include feta cheese in their recipes, and experts agree that feta packs both flavor and important nutrients, including protein, calcium, B vitamins, and others. It is also low in calories.
Feta Goes Viral
The popularity of the Mediterranean Diet, and of Mediterranean cuisines in general, have helped fuel an explosion of feta-based dishes and created more awareness around the cheese’s versatility.
For the past few years, consumers have been sharing via social media various versions of baked feta recipes such as this one for a baked feta pasta, which demonstrate how easy it is prepare this dish at home with just a few simple ingredients. In fact, when the craze first emerged in 2021, videos with the hashtag #fetapasta received more than 660 million views and caused a feta shortage on supermarket shelves.
Other feta recipes that continue to circulate on social media include ones focused on baked feta with cherry tomatoes, and others that feature feta combined in dessert applications, such as feta-based dishes sweetened with honey. Additional feta recipes can be found here: https://odysseybrands.com/recipes/.
High-quality feta made in the U.S.
Although feta cheese is known as an important ingredient in Mediterranean cuisines, the U.S. also makes its own high-quality feta.
At Klondike Cheese Co., the producer of Odyssey® Feta, for example, the company’s Master Cheesemakers have created multiple award-winning feta cheese. In fact, in the past five U.S. Cheese Championships, Odyssey® has won first-place in its respective categories.
Odyssey® cheesemakers start with fresh cow’s milk that is sourced from nearby family farms located within an hour of the manufacturing plant, delivered every day and pumped directly into the plant’s milk silos. The fourth-generation company, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, operates a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant that uses automation to make uniform portions of cheese with minimal waste.
Retail sizes include 6- and 4-ounce crumbles and 8-ounce chunks. Odyssey® Feta is available in several flavors, including Traditional (plain), Tomato & Basil, Peppercorn, Mediterranean Herb, Reduced Fat, Fat Free, Sweet Heat, and the newest addition, Naturally Smoked.
For more information about how to drive more cheese sales with award-winning Odyssey® Feta, visit www.odysseybrands.com.