Food union launches unique product in baltic countries – Rasa sweet cream cheese

Latvia’s leading dairy company, Food Union launches a unique product for the Baltic countries – RASA sweet cream cheese with cookie crumbs and raspberries, made of real milk and sour cream from Latvia with natural raspberry filling and real cookie crumbs. This is a completely new and unexplored niche for the company and Food Union hopes that the new product will make up at least 20% of RASA cream cheese portfolio, as well as foster the development of cream cheeses in Latvia and export markets.

“The new RASA sweet cheeses is the latest innovation of Food Union in the dairy market, offering Baltic customers an unprecedented combination of taste, recipes and great variety in which the new product can be applied. We are determined to continue investments in the development of the cream cheese category, popularising RASA cream cheeses and the ways they can be used in everyday cooking,” adds Nataļja Sidorova, Food Union Brands Manager.

The new product is made using production equipment the company acquired in 2012. Investments in the development of the unique recipe, technology and packaging have amounted EUR 30,000.

At the moment, RASA sweet cream cheeses are available in two flavours – cookie and raspberry – in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Russia. In Latvia, RASA sweet cream cheeses can already be purchased at malls and small local shops. HoReCa representatives in the said markets have also taken interest in the new product, and sweet cream cheese could also be supplied to hotels, restaurants and cafes in the Baltics and Russia later this year.

The new RASA sweet cream cheeses are good for making simple sweet snacks, various desserts, creams and glazes at home, giving the dish the creamy flavour of cookies or fresh raspberries.

“In terms of consistency, both new cream cheeses are what a cream cheese is supposed to be – creamy, light and soft, but this time they have two distinctive flavours. Both creams are perfect for making fresh and baked cheesecakes, various cream cheese desserts, glazes for cupcakes. Even if you have no fresh raspberries at home, the cream is perfect to attain pleasant, light and natural raspberry flavour. The cookie cream cheese will be a perfect addition to dessert with apples, berries, peaches and citrus fruit,” Signe Meirāne, editor in chief at the culinary magazine “Četras sezonas” and author of 3 books, comments on the new RASA sweet cream cheeses.

RASA sweet cream cheeses are the latest addition to the current range of RASA cream cheeses – classical cream cheese, cream cheese with yogurt, with sweet paprika and tomatoes, with herbs, spices and chanterelles. Food Union dairy products brand RASA offers customers milk products of the highest quality, all natural and made of Latvia-produced milk – without artificial additives and preservatives.

Food Union is the name of the merged AS Rīgas piena kombināts and AS Valmieras piens companies, which reflects the new entity’s philosophy and values, and is based on innovation, creative approach to product development the wish to be ever looking for new ideas and set ambitious plans.

Food Union is the largest dairy company in Latvia and one of the largest employers in the country. Food Union currently has a workforce of more than 800, the company’s annual turnover is over EUR 100 million. Food Union factories buy milk from more than 400 best farms in Latvia and the country’s five largest co-operative societies that combine around 500 farms.