Barrys Bay cheese factory a significant development

Press, 6 September 1982, Page 27

Barrys Bay cheese factory a significant development

The re-opening of the cheese factory at Barrv’s Bay is a venture that will be welcomed by many people. The factory, which closed about two years ago, was previously owned by the Barry's Bay Dairy Company Co-operative. ’ This ■ company amalgamated with the Tai Tapu Central Co-operative Dairv Company in 1981. The two shareholders in the new undertaking are the Tai Tapu company and Mr lan George, the factory manager. Mr George has worked for several years in the export field for the New Zealand Dairy Board. He is confident that within the next 10 years, Canterbury will become a boom dairying province and that Settlers will be a significant part of this regional development. Initially. Settlers will concentrate on supplying the local market. Once this is functationing smoothly,. subject to the agreement’ of the New Zealand Dairy Board, Settlers plans to export its products. An established factory and a sizeable population nearby were two influencing factors in the choice of Barry's Bay as a base for Settlers' Farmhouse Products. But the most important criteria was the high quality of the milk, Mr George said.

“Dairy farmers on the Peninsula had traditionallysupplied milk for cheesemaking." he said. "This is extremely important because a higher number of quality requirements are placed on milk used for cheese," Mr George said. It is one of the few factories in New Zealand still practising traditional cheesemaking and because of this is a tourist attraction. As a result a viewing gallery has been included to allow visitors to see at close range cheese-making in progress. The factory has a staff of 12. many of whom have had long experience in cheesemaking on the Peninsula. Cheese is made from September to May under the control of the cheesemaster. Mr Don Walker. When the milk arrives it must be sterilised and then it has a substance called bulk starter added which converts the milk sugar to lactic acid. Milk is then pumped into a long, low stainless steel vat and rennet added. After some time, the milk sets and produces one-tenth of curd and nine-tenths of whey. The whey is drained and' the -curd sliced into blocks and left overnight to mellow in a vat. The cheese is then vacuum-sealed and left to mature.