While working as a chef, Michael Tashman, founder of Churn Foods, Culver City, Calif., marveled over the possibilities for flavored butter as he better understood butters’ role in fine cuisine and home kitchens. Through those insights, Churn Butter was born. The company offers nine flavors in 5.5-oz tubs. They are black garlic, Bruschetta, Cacio e Pepe, everything, garlic and shallot, maple cinnamon, miso, pesto and truffle. Other competitors entering this space offer flavor combinations such as bacon blue cheese, cranberry orange, jalapeño lime and lemon peppercorn.

While working as a chef, Michael Tashman, founder of Churn Foods, Culver City, Calif., marveled over the possibilities for flavored butter as he better understood butters’ role in fine cuisine and home kitchens. Through those insights, Churn Butter was born. The company offers nine flavors in 5.5-oz tubs. They are black garlic, Bruschetta, Cacio e Pepe, everything, garlic and shallot, maple cinnamon, miso, pesto and truffle. Other competitors entering this space offer flavor combinations such as bacon blue cheese, cranberry orange, jalapeño lime and lemon peppercorn.

Cheese spreads historically have had a negative connotation, as many of them were outlets for cheese trim from cutting operations and formulated with emulsifying salts and stabilizers. Today, that reputation has evolved. One company in the category is family-owned Pine River Cheese, Newton, Wis., which is debuting a limited-edition anniversary cheese spread, 60-Month Cheddar.

Other concepts in the category include feta and gouda cold pack spreads. There is also three cheese dips from DeLallo, Mount Pleasant, Pa. Jalapeño artichoke features marinated artichokes and hot jalapeño peppers in a whipped blend of sweet cream cheese and sharp aged white cheddar. Pepperazzi pepper is a sweet and spicy cream cheese dip formulated with peppadew peppers along with red-hot jalapeño peppers. Three-cheese pepperoncini features briny, spicy Greek pepperoncini peppers in a blend of feta, blue cheese and cream cheese. The perishable dips come in 7-oz containers and retails for about $7.99.

Cheese spreads historically have had a negative connotation, as many of them were outlets for cheese trim from cutting operations and formulated with emulsifying salts and stabilizers. Today, that reputation has evolved. One company in the category is family-owned Pine River Cheese, Newton, Wis., which is debuting a limited-edition anniversary cheese spread, 60-Month Cheddar.

Other concepts in the category include feta and gouda cold pack spreads. There is also three cheese dips from DeLallo, Mount Pleasant, Pa. Jalapeño artichoke features marinated artichokes and hot jalapeño peppers in a whipped blend of sweet cream cheese and sharp aged white cheddar. Pepperazzi pepper is a sweet and spicy cream cheese dip formulated with peppadew peppers along with red-hot jalapeño peppers. Three-cheese pepperoncini features briny, spicy Greek pepperoncini peppers in a blend of feta, blue cheese and cream cheese. The perishable dips come in 7-oz containers and retails for about $7.99.

Historically selling fresh cheese in a liquid solution is not common in the United States. One may find packaged feta in brine in the specialty cheese department. In recent years, marinated goat cheese has been gaining traction. Chevoo, Healdsburg, Calif., for example, offers olive oil-marinated goat cheese cubes. Herbs de Provence is its newest offering, joining Aleppo-Urfa Pepper and Lemon, California Dill Pollen and Garlic, Italian Black Truffle, Tupelo Honey and Lime, and Smoked Sea Salt and Rosemary. And Belgioioso Cheese, Denmark, Wis., now offers single balls of burrata — fresh mozzarella filled with shreds of mozzarella soaked in cream — in a 4-oz cup of brine.

In Good Hands Foods, Visalia, Calif., made its debut at the Winter Fancy Food Show. The company developed Protein Puffs in nacho and white cheddar flavors. One serving delivers 12 grams of milk protein and only 1 gram of sugar, which is promoted on the front label of the 1.1-oz bags, available individually and in boxes of 12.

Responsible Foods is a food startup company founded in 2019 in Reykjavik, Iceland. The company’s first offering — Næra Icelandic Snacks — debuted in the United States about a year ago. Varieties include garlic and herb premium aged cheese Crunch, sour cream and onion, strawberry skyr and gouda jalapeño. The company is now adding fish jerky in buttery herb and cheesy chili varieties to the line. Both include fish in order to boost the protein content and include omega-3 fatty acids.

Natural cheeses are probably the last dairy category to enter the limited-edition offering trend. But they have arrived. Black garlic and hot honey are some of the recent launches.

Refrigerated premium dairy-based packaged desserts have been gaining momentum in the United States, after long being an important decadent segment in Europe. Petit Pot, Emeryville, Calif., is introducing original and strawberry cheesecake, and a crème brulee. The single-serve (3.5-oz) desserts come in glass ramekins with foil seals and have multiple layers of ingredients that one can see through the package. Wonder Monday, Boston, is taking a better-for-you spin on cheesecake, in terms of boosting protein content and eliminating all added sugars. Its refrigerated, keto-friendly, gluten-free mini cheesecakes come in five varieties. They are classic New York, chocolate, Key lime pie, salted caramel and strawberry.

In the freezer, 40 Below Joe, Carbondale, Ill., is introducing The Fruity Whey. The company uses whey that has not been dried or processed, in essence, the company upcycles fresh whey, and adds fruits to give this frozen dairy dessert product a bright, fresh and full-bodied flavor.

Refrigerated premium dairy-based packaged desserts have been gaining momentum in the United States, after long being an important decadent segment in Europe. Petit Pot, Emeryville, Calif., is introducing original and strawberry cheesecake, and a crème brulee. The single-serve (3.5-oz) desserts come in glass ramekins with foil seals and have multiple layers of ingredients that one can see through the package. Wonder Monday, Boston, is taking a better-for-you spin on cheesecake, in terms of boosting protein content and eliminating all added sugars. Its refrigerated, keto-friendly, gluten-free mini cheesecakes come in five varieties. They are classic New York, chocolate, Key lime pie, salted caramel and strawberry.

In the freezer, 40 Below Joe, Carbondale, Ill., is introducing The Fruity Whey. The company uses whey that has not been dried or processed, in essence, the company upcycles fresh whey, and adds fruits to give this frozen dairy dessert product a bright, fresh and full-bodied flavor.