Private Label Deli Cheese: How to Build a Store-Brand Cheese Line

Why cheese is a natural place to start

When a store builds its first private label deli line, cheese often goes in first. There are good reasons for that.

• A few cheeses do most of the work. American, Swiss and provolone cover a large share of what most counters slice. Get those right and the line is already earning its place.
• Customers judge cheese by taste and texture. Shoppers will try a store-brand Swiss next to their turkey sandwich more readily than they will switch a meat they buy by brand name.
• It pairs with everything else you sell. A private label cheese line sits next to your turkey, ham and roast beef, on your sandwiches and on your party trays. Every one of those is a chance for customers to see your name.

Cheese also tends to be steady. Customers who find a provolone they like keep buying it, which is exactly what you want from a product carrying your store's name.

The core deli cheeses

Longview's deli cheese range covers the five slicing cheeses most delis sell every day: American, Swiss, Muenster, provolone and mozzarella. We also make organic cheeses for stores that want an organic option in the case. Here is what to think about for each.

American

The workhorse of the sandwich counter. Customers expect it to melt smoothly and slice without crumbling. Decide on color (white or yellow), how mild or sharp you want it, and the slice thickness your counter uses most. Most deli American cheese is a pasteurized process cheese, which matters for the product name on the label (more on that below).

Swiss

Customers look for the eyes, a clean nutty flavor and a slice that holds together. Taste a few options side by side; the difference between a mild and a more aged Swiss is easy to notice on a sandwich.

Muenster

Mild, soft and a strong melter, with its familiar colored rind. It is popular on hot sandwiches and with families, so check how it slices on your machines and how it holds up in the case.

Provolone

A stretched-curd cheese that ranges from mild to sharp. Many stores carry one provolone; some carry a mild one for sandwiches and a sharper one for platters and Italian subs.

Mozzarella

A higher-moisture, milder cheese that works for sandwiches, paninis and catering. Decide whether you want it for slicing, for platters, or both, since that changes the format you order.

What the federal standards say

Many cheeses have a federal standard of identity: a definition that sets what a product has to be to use that name on the label. These standards are part of the FDA's rules for cheeses and related cheese products. A few examples from those rules:

Cheese	What the federal standard covers (summary)
Swiss (emmentaler)	Has holes or eyes throughout; at least 43 percent milkfat by weight of the solids and no more than 41 percent moisture; at least 60 days old.
Provolone	A pasta filata, or stretched-curd, cheese with a stringy texture; at least 45 percent milkfat by weight of the solids and no more than 45 percent moisture.
Mozzarella	Made from pasteurized dairy ingredients; at least 45 percent milkfat by weight of the solids, with moisture above 52 and up to 60 percent.
Pasteurized process cheese	Made by blending one or more cheeses with an emulsifying agent, with the aid of heat, into a smooth, uniform mass.

You don't need to memorize any of this. The practical point is that the product name on your label is not just marketing. "Swiss cheese", "pasteurized process American cheese" and similar names have defined meanings, and your supplier makes sure the product matches the name. Cheese labeling also falls under the FDA, not the USDA meat inspection service that oversees your meat labels, so the label rules for your cheese line are not identical to those for your meats.

Confirm requirements for your products with your supplier and regulators. This guide explains the general rules; it isn't legal advice.

Organic cheese: when it makes sense

An organic option can make sense if your shoppers already buy organic milk, yogurt and produce in your store. Under the USDA organic regulations, the wording on the label depends on what is in the product:

• "100 percent organic" for products made entirely from organic ingredients (not counting salt and water);
• "Organic" for products with at least 95 percent organic ingredients;
• "Made with organic" followed by specific ingredients, for products with at least 70 percent organic ingredients, which can't use the USDA organic seal.

Because the label wording follows the product, settle the organic question early, before your designer finishes the artwork. We can tell you which of our organic cheeses fit your line and how they would be labeled.

Writing a spec for each cheese

A short written spec keeps every delivery consistent and makes it easy to compare samples. For each cheese, write down:

1. The product name exactly as it will appear on the label.
2. Flavor and style: mild or sharp, white or yellow, younger or more aged.
3. Format: the loaf or block shape your slicers and case are set up for.
4. How it slices: test it on your own machines at the thicknesses you sell most. A cheese that tears or crumbles costs you in waste and in customer patience.
5. Packaging and label: how the piece is wrapped and where your label goes.
6. Organic or conventional, and any other wording you want on the label.

Taste with the people who slice and serve, not only the buyer. They will tell you quickly whether a cheese is easy to work with.

Pricing, yield and shrink

Cheese margin depends on the same few numbers as meat: what you pay, what you charge, and how much of each piece you actually sell. Cheese brings two things to watch:

• Ends and trim. Plan where they go before you order: cheese trays, grilled sandwiches, salads and prepared foods can all use them.
• Drying out in the case. Cut faces dry out. Order sizes that match how fast each cheese sells, wrap cut pieces properly and rotate carefully.

Our guide to private label deli margins shows how to put these numbers together, and the guide to store-brand vs. national-brand margins shows how to compare a private label cheese with what you sell today.

Launching the cheese line

• Pair it. Sample your store-brand Swiss on your store-brand turkey. Pairing makes both feel like one line.
• Put it on the menu. If you make sandwiches, name your cheese on the board.
• Use it on trays. Platters are a big showcase for cheese. Our guide to deli catering trays covers how to build a tray program around your private label line.
• Brief the counter. Everyone slicing should know what's new and how to describe it.

How Longview helps

Longview Trading has built custom private label deli programs for more than 25 years, for retailers ranging from high-end stores with as few as two locations to some of the nation's largest chains. Our deli cheeses include American, Swiss, Muenster, provolone and mozzarella, plus organic cheeses, and we can customize a single cheese or a full line alongside your meats and salads. Ask for a quote and tell us about your store. We will confirm minimums, timing and pricing for your program when we talk.