Guatemala cheese market

Guatemala consumed more than 43,000 tonnes of cheese in 2025, according to Zenith, or around 2.4 kg per person.

Guatemala is the fastest-growing cheese market in the Americas in the database. Consumption grew by more than 7% a year between 2020 and 2025, and Zenith expects growth of around 5% a year to 2030, taking the market past 55,000 tonnes.

Imports supply close to three quarters of Guatemalan consumption, and fresh cheese is the largest category. Formal domestic production is small relative to demand, which leaves the market open to suppliers from the USA and the rest of Central America.

The Zenith Global Cheese Database 2026 covers Guatemala with production, imports, exports and consumption for 39 cheese types, actuals from 2020 to 2025 and forecasts to 2030. Volume data covers totals, broad categories and separately measured cheese types, in tonnes. Consumer retail value covers total cheese only, in local currency and USD; import and export trade values cover HS 0406 total only, in USD. Monetary values are not broken down by individual cheese type or broad category. Retail shelf prices cover total cheese and five broad categories: hard and semi-hard, fresh, mould, processed, and other non-specified cheese, in local currency/kg and USD/kg, not individual prices for all 39 cheese types. Import and export unit prices cover HS 0406 total and available HS subheadings, in USD/kg. Retail value is estimated retail volume multiplied by regular shelf prices, including sales tax. Trade values are customs values, using CIF for imports and FOB for exports. Production is measured as formally manufactured cheese.