Peninsula’s years of tradition

Press, 6 September 1982, Page 27

Peninsula’s years of tradition

It is nearly 87 years since Barry’s Bay opened its dairy factory and. at that time, most of the Banks Peninsula bays had their own small cheese-making factories. Barry’s Bay was the last to survive and its closing, two years ago, was a shock to the local milk producers, and further afield in Canterbury, including sheep-milk suppliers. Barry’s Bay began making fetta cheese- from cheese milk in 1978. That was a new development for Canterbury darying. Now, there is no suggestion that fetta will reappear or that other peninsula factories will re-open; but the re-opened Barry's Bay factory is a boost to local farming and business confidence. In 1953, there were still six factories producing cheese but they closed gradually until only Barry’s Bay remained. ’ The peninsula cheeses were good quality”, and encouragement to maintain this was provided by the Lyttelton Harbour Board. It had a challenge cup awarded each year to the best cheese to pass through the Lyttelton cool stores. The

Barry’s Bay company had its share of successes until it was the only competitor left in the field, and the competition had to be changed. In its last year of work, it won the coveted Thomas Clement Memorial Trophy, awarded by the New Zealand Dairy Board to the factory producing the highest average grade of cheese in New Zealand. In the hey-day of Banks Peninsula cheese making, nearly all the output was cheddar. Few New Zealanders had acquired a taste for specialty cheeses, and those who did were wedded not just to the taste but also the place of origin. Today, New Zealand cheese makers not only produce a wide range of special cheeses which had their origin overseas, but also export to some of those countries of origin. Tastes have changed as new New Zealanders have wanted what they were used to, instead of a universal cheddar. New Zealanders themselves have become more adventurous at dinner tables and the new Barry’s Bay products will help to widen the choice.