South Africa’s thriving cheese industry

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South Africa’s thriving cheese industry

by | 6 December 2023

Our artisanal dairy scene is flourishing. Long gone are the days when luridly orange and bizarrely tasteless “cheddar” was the South African benchmark for cheese. While even supermarket cheeses have improved in recent years, the artisanal scene is streets ahead. Multiple small-scale producers around the country have turned their passion for cheese into highly successful businesses. Many of these intrepid producers started from the ground up, taking beginner cheese courses and purchasing a couple of cows.

From these humble beginnings, we now proudly produce internationally acclaimed cheeses delicious enough to rival those of Europe.

Some of these small-scale producers and micro dairies can be pretty tricky to find. I have assembled a list of my favourites to help you in your quest for excellent cheese.

Caitlin Kennedy

Caitlin Kennedy

Caitlin is a Capetonian chef and aspiring farmer with a deep love for the local food scene. When not cooking or eating, she can be found pottering about in a garden somewhere.

All views and opinions expressed in this article represent that of the author, Caitlin Kennedy, and do not represent that of Dineplan or the companies we work with. While we make every effort to ensure that the information we share is accurate, we welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.

2 Comments
  1. Tim Parsons

    Thanks Caitlin, it’s great to highlight the momentum in delicious cheeses that has totally changed this cottage industry in the last 5-7 years. We buy our cheese at OFM where there is a really well curated stall. Where else can you recommend to buy from a large selection featuring the cheeses you highlight?

    Reply
    • Caitlin Kennedy

      Hi Tim, thanks for your comment. The cheese stall at OZCF is fantastic – I recommend asking them about any of these cheeses as they definitely stock many of them and may be able to source others for you. Pepe Charlot cheese is available via WhatsApp only – the contact details can be found on their Facebook page. Wild Peacock in Stellenbosch do deliveries, and they stock many of the cheeses mentioned in the article. Shops that I like to visit to source cheese from are: Sans in Greenpoint and Olive Branch Deli on Kloof Street. Many of these cheeses can also be found at local Food Clubs – have a look at Food Club Hub to find out if there is one in your area. – Caitlin

      Reply
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