Malaysians' Growing Appetite for Cheese

On Friday, Malaysia's The Sun featured an article titled "Nuts about cheese".

 

It is true because I have observed this obsession with cheese. 

 

For sure, there is a growing appetite for cheese in Malaysia. There are now more foods incorporating cheese and a greater variety of cheese available in the Malaysian market.

 

Local eateries now offer roti cheese, Milo cheese, teh susu cheese, bak kut teh cheese, char kuey teow cheese and believe it or not, even ais kosong cheese. Some bubble tea shops have also added cheese to their drinks. 

 

Not to be outdone, street hawkers have gotten into the act with such offerings as pisang goreng cheese, apam balik cheese, lemang cheese, keropok lekor cheese, jagung rebus susu cheese and nasi lemak cheese. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big Data solutions provider Statista Q reported Malaysia’s cheese market is experiencing exponential growth, generating a revenue of RM1.9 billion. It also said the cheese market is expected to experience an annual growth rate of 8.08% from this year to 2028, and it may reach 25.69 million kilogrammes (25,690 tonnes) in total sales by 2028. 

 

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Health Sciences Faculty lecturer Dr Siti Shahara Zulfakar explained that “the projected growth in the local cheese market is due to the interest in western cuisine and lifestyles, urbanisation and globalisation trends which have led to the incorporation of cheese in local dishes”. 

 

Malaysia possesses an exciting smorgasbord of food, of different cuisines and influences, and access to a vast potpourri of spices and flavors. So, cheese is just one more addition. 

 

But I'll be upfront. I'm not a fan of cheese. I really wish Malaysians will stop putting cheese on everything. 😕