Cyprus is struggling to meet the heightened demand for halloumi as fans of the famous white cheese in the UK brace themselves for going without it during fears of a summer shortage.
UK halloumi lovers and journalists have called up producers in Cyprus to get the word on whether the Cypriot traditional cheese may soon disappear from the shelves of supermarkets in Britain.
John Pittas, export director for UK’s biggest halloumi supplier Pittas Dairy Industries, said that they have been bombarded over the past week with phone calls from halloumi aficionados asking what’s going on with the supply.
“I had the BBC asking me whether we will be able to cope with demand from Britain,” said Pittas.
He said his firm was in a tight spot as indeed halloumi stocks were running low in supermarkets in the UK.
However, the crisis seems to have been avoided for now as Pittas said that most of the major supermarkets, such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco’s and Morison’s are stocked up with halloumi.
The shortage was avoided as exporters sent emergency supplies by road instead of by sea, with supplies sent to Greece before heading for the UK through the Balkans.
The leading halloumi exporter for the UK, said that they had to fly over emergency supplies to one of Britain’s biggest supermarket franchise after a consumer outcry for their halloumi fix.
Pittas said that one of the reasons for the near shortage is that a halloumi byproduct sold by one of the big chains in Britain, Aldi, has caused a frenzy amongst halloumi eaters.
“Aldi stores have started selling a product called ‘halloumi fries’ which has caught on quite well, pushing halloumi sales even higher,” said Pittas.
Pittas Dairy sent large quantities to Spain, where they are grinded in order to make the halloumi fries sold by Aldi.
Pittas also noted that the semi-hard Cypriot cheese is on the menu of a series of restaurants throughout the UK.
“Halloumi has become a popular addition on restaurant menus such as Nando’s and burger places.”
Pittas said that halloumi is gaining in popularity since by-products have hit the market and the cheese being included in restaurant menus in countries like Sweden and Denmark.
He said that that demand from Scandinavian markets has been on the rise for the past two decades. “Twenty years ago, we would be sending a few hundred kilos per week, whereas we now are sending a couple of containers.”
Demand in the UK and Scandinavian markets also rises with the temperature.
“Whenever temperatures go up, exports for the UK and Sweden fly through the roof”.
Pittas said producers find themselves in a tight squeeze every summer when temperatures are on the rise, and consumers start buying food for barbeques.
As the Cypriot cheese is easily grilled it’s perfect for barbequing.
Farmers in Cyprus have frequently said that they are under pressure as the continuous demand is outweighing the current milk supply, creating increasing pressure for producers.
“As we are a small island with limited supply of milk, it is only natural that we find ourselves in a squeeze when demand suddenly goes up,” said Pittas.
Problems looming over Halloumi exports do not seem to end with demands rocketing during the hot summer months.
Pittas said that the EU’s Protected Designation of Origin file put forward by the Ministry of Agriculture may endanger exports as it will put more strain on halloumi producers.
The traditional semi-hard, salty cheese is made from a combination of milk and sheep and goat’s milk.
Currently the ratio between cows’ milk and goats or sheep’s milk is 80:20, but the PDO file, goat of sheep milk will outweigh cows’ milk.
The Halloumi PDO file presented before the European Commission, foresees that halloumi has to be produced with a ratio of 49:51 cows’ milk and goats or sheep milk.
According to Pittas this will put a bigger strain on the already pressured halloumi makers as goats and sheep milk is produced at much smaller quantities than cows’ milk.
Andreas Andreou, General Secretary of the Cyprus Dairy Products Manufacturers Association, said that the number of goats and sheep would have to triple in order to meet the new halloumi criteria and demand from abroad.
Halloumi exports are expected to touch EUR 200 mln this year, so getting the formula right is imperative for the Cyprus economy.
