Cottage Cheese and White Cheese Shortages Resurface in Israel

Retailers report that cottage cheese and white cheese are again “nearly impossible to find.” Stores say they place large orders but receive only small quantities, if any. Food-industry sources attribute the renewed gap to a shortage of workdays during the recent holiday period rather than to the earlier computer malfunction at Tnuva’s Alon Tavor plant.

The Jerusalem Post

The shortage first emerged after a malfunction in the automated warehouse system at Tnuva’s Alon Tavor dairy plant. The glitch prevented pallets from being loaded onto distribution trucks, limiting the amount of cottage cheese that could leave the factory. The problem began in early July and persisted for more than two months. During that time, Tnuva employees operated parts of the system manually while technicians from the German firm Dematic provided remote assistance. Tnuva later announced that the system had been repaired and production had returned to normal.

The Jerusalem Post

A market source explained that Yom Kippur fell on Sunday and Monday, followed by Friday and Saturday, resulting in almost four consecutive days without production. In the subsequent week, only 3.5 production days were available, further reducing the ability to meet demand. Continuous production resumed only last week, but the cumulative loss of workdays has left shelves empty.

The Jerusalem Post

Industry experts estimate that the stock gaps will be closed and supply will normalize within the next two days as factories catch up on missed output. The expectation is based on the resumption of regular production schedules and the absence of further technical issues.

The Jerusalem Post

With cottage cheese scarce, shoppers have turned to white cheese, creating a secondary shortage of that product. The dual scarcity has prompted consumer frustration and heightened demand for alternative dairy items while retailers await the projected replenishment.

The Jerusalem Post