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Cottage cheese makes a comeback as consumers call for cleaner labels

From ice cream to dips and ready meals, cottage cheese is experiencing a renaissance as a high-protein, clean ingredient for health-conscious consumers.

Cottage cheese was once synonymous with the 1970s, when the cheese curd product was a staple food for dieters and bodybuilders alike.

Now, trending TikTok recipes like high-protein pancakes, dips, and even pizza crusts and bagels, alongside growing consumer demand for cleaner labels and whole food protein sources, are putting cottage cheese back in the spotlight.

This renewed interest is reflected in data from food intelligence company Tastewise, which reported a 9.2% global increase in cottage cheese sales in 2024, alongside a 47.9% year-over-year rise in social media conversations about the product.

One example of this online popularity is a TikTok recipe for breakfast rounds posted in September which, as of October, had amassed over 12.5 million views, nearly 400,000 likes, and 300,000 bookmarks.

In this article, Ingredients Network explores how brands are incorporating cottage cheese into finished products, looking at trending formats and where opportunities may lie.

Protein-packed cottage cheese desserts

Smearcase FroCo, founded in 2023, is a New York-based brand offering a frozen dessert that blends cottage cheese, milk, cane sugar, and collagen into a pint. Smearcase currently features three flavours – peanut butter, mocha joe, and vanilla bean – and delivers between 39-44 grams of protein per pint.

Refrigerated cottage cheese protein bars are also making their mark. Lidl Poland, under its private label brand Pilos High Protein, offers curd bars in cappuccino and strawberry flavours. Each 40g bar contains 67% cottage cheese and provides 8g of protein.

Similarly, in July, Hungarian brand Mizo Prote!n launched a cocoa-coated curd bar with 35% cottage cheese, zero added sugar, and 8.2g of protein per 51g bar.

In Poland, Steiner's Lower Carb debuted its gluten-free protein cheesecake with a NutriScore of A in August. The brand claims the dessert contains no added sugar, 77% fewer carbs, and 88% less sugar than traditional cheesecakes.

Cottage cheese fuels healthier ready meals and snacks

Busy lifestyles and demand for healthier, convenient options are fuelling growth in the ready meals category. Nine in ten global consumers reported eating a ready meal recently, according to Mintel data from March 2024.

For those seeking high-quality ingredients and protein-rich choices, cottage cheese-packed ready meals are emerging as a popular option.

US-based brand Coun+er introduced a line of high-protein ready meals in July, featuring dishes like three-cheese chicken alfredo and taco mac and cheese. Both meals incorporate cottage cheese into their formulations, delivering 30-31g of protein and 350-370 calories per serving. Meanwhile, in Denmark, the brand The Food Court launched a leek and bacon quiche pie with cream fraiche and cottage cheese.

In October, Cotto, a cottage cheese dip startup, launched in the US. The brand introduced two cottage-cheese based dips – French onion and Garden Ranch – each providing 25g of protein and containing between 220 and 240 calories per 250g tub.

Cottage cheese brands championing clean and quality ingredients

Some cottage cheese brands are staying true to the basics, focusing on clean, high-quality ingredients to deliver freshness and authenticity.

Good Culture, founded in 2014, introduced its first cottage cheese product to the US market in 2015. A decade later, the brand remains committed to clean-label formulations, using a base of five ingredients: skim and whole milk, cream, sea salt, and live active cultures.

Good Culture now offers a diverse range of cottage cheese options, including 2%, 4%, and 6% milk fat varieties, lactose-free options, and flavoured selections like strawberry chia, pineapple, and pumpkin spice.

Alterego, which launched in Sainsbury’s across the UK in September, prides itself on being “confusingly good cottage cheese”. Made with four ingredients – 100% British milk and cream from grass-fed cows, live cultures, and sea salt – it contains no additives and has a shelf life of just two days.