Pizza has always been a fan favorite. In any given week, nearly half (44%) of American consumers eat pizza from a restaurant at least once, Technomic found, and 3 in 10 consume frozen or take-and-bake/refrigerated pizza.

Consumers are hungry for mozzarella, and operators are ready to satisfy their appetite. According to Datassential, 76% of restaurants feature traditional mozzarella as a menu mainstay; another 11% offer it as a seasonal item or special. When it comes to fresh mozzarella, 41% offer it all the time, and 24% do so on a limited basis.

It’s interesting to know how mozzarella is made. For the industry, however, what’s even more compelling is how mozzarella is consumed.

Its history in Italy and the United States underscores an important fact about mozzarella cheese: Although they all share the name “mozzarella,” there are actually several different varieties of the beloved Italian cheese, each with its own unique characteristics.

What does it take to transform a knowledgeable cheesemonger into a Certified Cheese Professional^® (or CCP™ for short)? Three hours, 150 questions—and a whole lot of commitment. Before the fateful day when cheese experts of all stripes sit for the formidable Certified Cheese Professional Exam^® offered by the American Cheese Society (ACS), they spend months—or even years—preparing.