US imports of Russian cheese and curd rise to 33.4 tonnes in five months

Russian dairy shipments expand in a niche US market

The United States imported 33.4 tonnes of cheese and curd from Russia during the first five months of the period reported, according to St. Petersburg Daily. The shipments were valued at $133,800. Although the volumes remain small relative to the broader US dairy market, the figures show that a commercial channel for Russian products continues to operate despite sanctions-era friction and wider constraints on trade between the two countries.

Imports increased in both physical and monetary terms. The value of deliveries rose by 39%, while volume grew by 24%. The faster rise in value suggests that the average declared value per unit increased compared with the corresponding earlier period, although the publication did not provide a detailed breakdown of prices, suppliers or individual transactions. The reported figures cover cheese and curd rather than the full range of dairy products.

Hard and semi-hard cheese leads the product mix

Hard and semi-hard cheese represented the largest category, accounting for approximately 27 tonnes of the total. Curd products contributed about 4.5 tonnes, while processed cheese accounted for around 2 tonnes. The three reported categories broadly match the total shipment volume, indicating that conventional cheese varieties, rather than a single novelty product, form the core of this trade flow.

American consumers can find several familiar Russian products in stores. St. Petersburg Daily reported that these include Druzhba processed cheese, Yantar processed cheese spread and Korall cheese with shrimp. Russian Maasdam and several types of cream or curd cheese are also available. This assortment gives distributors access to both recognisable packaged brands and more conventional cheese categories that can compete for demand among consumers familiar with Russian and Eastern European food.

Retail prices underline the premium positioning

A 90-gram package of Druzhba costs approximately $4.07 in the United States, equivalent to around $45 per kilogram, or about 3,500 rubles at the exchange rate cited by the publication. A container of Yantar costs almost $8, while Korall with shrimp is priced at about $7. St. Petersburg Daily noted that Druzhba is significantly more expensive in US stores than in Russia.

The price gap reflects more than the factory cost of cheese. Small shipment sizes can raise logistics, customs, compliance, storage and distributor costs per unit. Imported products sold through specialist retailers also tend to carry higher margins because turnover is lower and the customer base is narrower than in mainstream grocery channels. The available data do not establish how much each factor contributes, but the retail prices and the 39% increase in import value point to a market built around premium-priced, specialised products.

For Russian manufacturers, the United States remains a limited but measurable destination. The 24% rise in physical imports indicates expanding demand from a low base, while the concentration in hard and semi-hard varieties offers suppliers a clearer view of the products gaining traction. For US importers and specialist retailers, continued growth will depend on maintaining compliant supply routes and balancing high shelf prices against demand from diaspora consumers and other buyers interested in Russian dairy products.