N.Z. CHEDDAR CHEESE

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 182, 30 April 1931, Page 6

N.Z. CHEDDAR CHEESE

South African Criticism TRIBUTE TO PACKING South Africa is evidently making a big bid for the cheese market in the Old Country. In an article in the “Cape Times” on the subject the head of a large produce firm in London is reported to have said that “South African Cheddar possesses in rare degree the quality the trade calls ‘meatiness.’ For the quality, English cheddar is probably its only rival." A reference to New Zealand cheese is of particular interest to the producers in this Dominion, for it indicates that the product of New Zealand is competing in price for the market in England, and in this respect is helping to reduce the cost of living. Having advised South African producers to “plump for cheese,” the “Cape Times” article * proceeds:— ■ “The point is that New Zealand has evolved a five-year plan for making Cheddar from standardised milk. This action means that the quality will be whittled down, and it has incurred the anger of every grocer, because it reduced the price to ns low as 7d. a lb recently. “South .Africa exports full-cream Cheddar, which sells at an average of 2d more than New Zealand. Grocers are now lauding Canada because that Dominion is still exporting full-cream. “If we can only drum into South African ; producers to blazon ‘Full Cream’ on every cheese, their trade will blossom even more than it is now. “The grocer is king of the cheese world and at present he would like to behead the New Zealand Minister of Agriculture. The New Zealand Prime Minister was harried so much on this point when in England for the Imperial Conference that he will probably change his country’s policy. But in the next two years South African cheese, which has already been chosen as the darling of some grocers, has the chance of a century. “The packing of South African cheese, however, is definitely bad; Some cheeses are suffocated; others are tossed about in the crates like dice; 30 per cent, of the crates are old and stained. “Now Zealand cunningly packs in a beautiful standard boxwood crate, which wins half the salesman's battle for him.”