China wants a bigger wedge of cheese as tastes, attitudes change

But Liu Yajia is not fond of sweet cheese after living in the West. In 2003, she began to frequent London cheese mongers like Paxton & Whitfield, in the hope of practicing her English, because the salespeople "always fervidly discussed anything about cheese". But a love of good cheese soon became her prime motivation. She also incorporated aspects of foreign cuisine and Western cooking styles into her meals.

Study and travel abroad have raised awareness of Western habits and lifestyles. More than 120 million Chinese tourists went abroad in 2015, according to the World Tourism Cities Federation.

Liu Yang studied for six years in France, where he learned the art of making cheese from a neighbor. Returning to Beijing, he opened a homemade cheese shop, Le Fromager de Pekin, in 2008. In the early years, most of his customers were foreigners. He sold his French-style cheeses mainly to five-star hotels or Western restaurants. "But now Chinese customers account for more than 50 percent," says Liu, who is going to open a pizza restaurant to woo more customers.

Liu doesn't advertise; word-of-mouth has grown his business. He also offers cheese-making recipes on microblog Weibo to teach locals how to appreciate and eat cheese.

Another reason for the thriving popularity of cheese, he says, is that people are gradually understanding the importance of nutrition and healthier eating. Members of China's growing middle class are ready to pay a little extra to sample new flavors, particularly if they come with health benefits.

Smart chefs and cheesemakers are creating new dishes to woo Chinese customers. They have shared online the recipes for tangyuan (a type of sweet dumpling), mooncakes, and traditional pancakes made with cheese.

Brands should prioritize the young consumer market (people in their 20s and children) to cultivate cheese-eating habits, says Hao Qiu, an analyst at Mintel market research company. In the adult market, cheese for snacking is an opportunity.

Big companies like Milkana already market "kiddy cheese" in China. Though price-sensitive, Chinese parents don't be grudge money spent on their children.

Paradoxically, many people still refuse to eat cheese not because of the taste, but also because it's high in calories and fat. Keeping fit is also a concern in overweight China.

"Cheese is tasty," says Liu Yajia, "but for health, I don't suggest too much."