Dear readers, today I will present you an unusual article. In our country, cheese enjoys well-deserved popularity and love among all segments of the population. This is a story that just came to us in the mail. What is he talking about? In short, about how a person left a good position for the sake of cheese, and what he eventually got out of it.

Half my kingdom for cheese, or how I opened a mini-cheese factory

Hello! Allow me to introduce myself - Andrew. I am in my early 30s, and until recently I worked as a commercial director of a large trading company in Moscow, he did not deny himself anything and lived in clover. But there came a moment when everything got to me. Here comes the crisis...

In general, I'm tired. There was a desire to quit work, home, car and take off for six months somewhere in Bali or Goa, or somewhere else, where the sea and heat, no work and headache. Fortunately, finances allowed me to do this, and my friends, who settled in warmer climes a few months ago, invited me to their place. And I almost made up my mind, even going to sell the car.

But then something inside sank. “Hey, wake up! Why do you need it? Hang out on sandy beaches for six months, and then? Back to Moscow, to the glass office and back to the job that you are now running from? But it's true! Six months of happiness and carelessness, and then... No, I don't want that. But what to do? “Andrey, turn on your brain,” my inner adviser whispers to me. Why don't you put your money to work. To your business." Here it dawned on me - I need to open a business, work for myself and for my own pleasure, then I will be happy.

But I faced a difficult choice. One acquaintance, having learned about my plans, immediately offered to become a co-owner of a new nightclub, another to go to restaurateurs, a third campaigned to invest in a newfangled Internet project, and so on. In a word, there were more than enough offers, but I felt that all this was not mine.

And then one day, when I was buying my favorite Italian cheese, an insight came. I'll be in the cheese business! All is decided. And not just to sell cheese made by someone else, I will produce this product myself, adored since childhood.

My business history

From that moment my business story began. First of all, I bought some land adjacent to a land plot with a house purchased a year ago in a village near Moscow. The next step was the selection of equipment for my mini-cheese factory and the search for a technologist.

Here the choice turned out to be quite difficult. But, after talking on the relevant forums on the Internet, as well as visiting several farms with cheese dairies in Italy, looking at equipment manufactured by large and small companies (Pietrobiazi, Marican, Sfogi) - thanks to my friends who organized excursions - I settled on the equipment of a small Italian company Sfogi. For half a century of its existence, it has learned to produce universal and inexpensive equipment for milk processing. Especially - cheese factories, where you can make hard and soft cheeses, cottage cheese, pasteurize milk. The equipment of this company bribed me with the perfect combination manual labor and automation technological process, modern technologies.

It is also important for me that the cost of equipment should not be exorbitant, while the equipment should be reliable, durable, well-proven. Also important is such a factor as after-sales service of equipment by the supplier (as the latter, I chose the company "Impulse Group").

After analyzing everything, I stopped, in my opinion, at the best option. Although it is possible that my choice will seem strange to someone, but, as they say, there are no comrades for the taste and color.

So, I'll continue. It took me a little more than fifty thousand euros for everything about everything. And this is a significant part of the savings I have. At that moment, I was still working at the same place, so I didn’t feel much embarrassment in money, but I wanted to start my mini-cheese factory as soon as possible in order to quit as soon as possible and plunge headlong into my favorite business.

Equipment installed

And now this day has come. The equipment is installed and ready for work, a technologist and a couple of service personnel have been hired, an agreement has been reached on the daily supply of 1800 liters of milk with a neighboring farm. In a word - everything is ready to work. Accordingly, I left the company where I worked for many years, got into the car and rushed to the village to start production.

Now I will talk a little about how my mini-cheese factory works and about the magical process of turning ordinary milk into wonderful cheese. But I will not reveal all the secrets, do not blame me.

First of all, we divide all the milk received into two parts. 600 liters are immediately sent to the cheese maker, and 1200 go to a special container, where they are cooled to plus four degrees Celsius. Milk that enters the cheese cooker is first pasteurized at a temperature of 65-72 degrees, and then cooled to 38 degrees.

In the cooled milk, we add the enzyme and rennet, mixing everything thoroughly. Soon the milk curdles, turning into a cheese mass. She breaks into pieces. If we are going to make quick-ripening soft cheese from the mass, then the pieces should be large, like a walnut. If we are talking about ordinary cheese, of the conditional type “Russian”, then smaller pieces are needed here, close in size to hazelnuts.

Then the broken mass is distributed by the automatic machine in the forms placed on the special warmed pallet. At the same time, whey, in which the cheese mass floats, flows into a special container.

Here comes the first pause in the production process. After all, the future cheese in the forms should be compacted. This can be done using a special press, or it can be done in a multifunctional bath, where the cheese mass flows from the cheese factory, filling the molds. When all the forms are filled, the lid of the bath is closed and the heating is switched on. Due to the high humidity and temperature, self-pressing of the cheese circles takes place, which after a couple of hours can be placed in a salt solution for salting.

Remember the whey that dripped when molding the cheese mass? So, I don’t pour it into the sewer, but put it into action, earning extra money on this, it would seem, waste. Ask how? It's simple, we make dietary cottage cheese out of it. To do this, the whey is again pumped into the cheese maker, mixed with two liters of milk and a small amount of apple cider vinegar. All this is heated to 92 degrees, and, voila, we get the freshest and most delicious cottage cheese.

And here the mini-cheese factory brings me the first money. This is, as you probably already guessed, the sale of cottage cheese. Interestingly, I did not have to look for consumers of this by-product for a long time. Firstly, a confectionery shop in a neighboring town buys it in large quantities. Secondly, I deliver environmentally friendly and natural cottage cheese, which is stored for just a couple of days, to a Moscow eco-product store, where it goes with a bang. And this alone brings in a good income.

Experts note that today cheese is one of the most sought-after products. Demand for it is steadily growing, and there are not so many small farms on the market. Therefore, a cheese mini-factory can turn out to be a highly profitable enterprise.

First step

Starting any business, cheese-making in particular, must be done with a clear definition of a development strategy. To do this, you need to compose detailed business plan cheese production. This will help you avoid unnecessary expenses in the future.

Your business plan should cover the following questions:

• Registration and other documentation.
• Determining the range and market needs.
• Equipment selection.
• Selection of suppliers of raw materials.
• Personnel selection.
• Formation of financial calculations.
• Sales and advertising.

Registration and other documentation

First of all, you need to officially register your company. Since the production is small, you can register as individual entrepreneur. But anyway manufacturing enterprises stop more often organizational form LLC, since they are more willing to cooperate with legal entities, they trust more. For taxation, they take a simplified system when 6% of revenue or 15% of net income is paid.

To open a mini-workshop, you will have to draw up a number of permits. Therefore, it is better to leave this issue in the hands of a competent lawyer.

Market research

While everyone is getting ready Required documents, it is necessary to study the market, its needs, its potential clients. Analyze the work of competitors, the range of their products, what is the average price in the market. Determine the level of solvency of the population of the sales region. This will help you form your pricing policy and product range.

The most popular are hard cheeses, but the technology of their preparation requires considerable time. Unlike cream and tea cheeses, the production of hard cheeses requires their pre-aging. At the same time, the production of hard cheeses of the premium segment will require at least a year for maturation. This level of cheese dairy is usually opened by experienced producers.

It is also important to decide on the assortment because the equipment for cheese production also depends on the type of cheese.

Cheeses are of the following varieties:

• rennet;
• solid;
• soft;
• brine;
• fermented milk;
• whey;
• smoked
• with Penicillium mold.

room

A mini-workshop for the production of cheese for about 100 kg per day should be located in a room of 20 sq. m. For rent, you need to find about 30-50 thousand rubles. But as a rule, any farm can allocate such an area on its territory. Cheese making equipment is quite compact, about 70 cm in diameter and 90 cm in height.

It is important that the room has cold and hot water supply, sewerage, ventilation, heating. In general, a cheese factory should meet the typical requirements for a food production facility. These include:

• daylight;
• metal or plastic furniture;
• the walls are tiled;
• counter equipment fire safety.

Cheese production equipment

During the preparation of cheeses, the equipment allows you to automate the coagulation of milk, the formation of cheese grain, mass molding, its pressing and salting. Cooling chambers are purchased separately for storage and maturation.

It is necessary to determine in advance what the production technology will be, because any changes in it require changes in manufacturing process and may require the purchase of new equipment in the workshop.

The main and auxiliary equipment is purchased for the cheese factory. The main one includes a capacity of 50 liters. from of stainless steel. Auxiliary:

• racks;
• milk filters;
• coolers;
• ripening chambers;
• press tables;
• cheese molds;
• several brine pools, etc.

Usually a ready-made production line of various capacities is offered. For example, in a mini-workshop of a small farming it is possible to put a line of 120 liters, which will process 500 liters of milk per day.

The choice of equipment must be approached carefully and not save on it, because the quality depends on it, and, accordingly, the demand for your product and the success of your business. Most often, cheese dairies are equipped with Italian equipment. They have not only an optimal price-quality ratio, but also versatility, the use of high technologies. Such a line will cost about 50 thousand euros. In any case, it is important that the equipment supplier provides further maintenance.

The domestic line will cost less - from 150 thousand rubles. with a capacity of 70-1000 liters of milk per day. On it at least you can make:

• 5 kg of sour cream (fat content 20%);
• 13 kg of soft cheese;
• 7 kg of hard cheese;
• 100 liters of drinking products.

Choosing raw materials

The technology of making cheeses allows the use of cow, goat, sheep and other types of milk. You can get it in several ways:

• purchase in private farms;
• purchase in farms;
• keeping your own herd.

The first option is the most risky, since it is difficult to trace the quality of milk delivered. But this is the most cheap way. Villagers will be happy to take advantage of the opportunity to earn extra money on milk, especially if you organize its transportation.

It is more reliable to buy milk for the cheese factory in farms that are forced to sell its surplus to factories for low prices. But best option is its own herd. Then the milk is obtained at cost, and you yourself can monitor its quality.

The technology of making cheeses is special in that it does not have production waste. Everything can be used for sale. You can sell not only hard, soft, rennet cheese, but also the whey that remains after cooking.

Cooking technology

For manufacturing, a typical technology for the production of hard and soft cheeses is used. It includes the following processes:

• preparation of milk for curdling by adding special substances and heating;
• formation and maturation of cheese;
• packaging and sales.

Manufacturing technology implies that the mini-workshop will be divided into production zones, warehouse and shipping space.

Suluguni cooking

For example, let's talk about a simplified technology for the production of Suluguni cheese. This is one of the most popular pickled Georgian cheese varieties. Classic suluguni is made from cow's milk or buffalo's milk. A combination of two types of milk in various proportions is also acceptable.

For the preparation of suluguni, fermentation enzymes and several rennets are added to the raw materials. At the same time, the dishes should not be enamelled, otherwise you will not succeed in suluguni. Then, at a temperature of 30-35 about C for half an hour, the mixture is boiled. Every 10 minutes, it must be gently and very slowly stirred until a clot forms. Suluguni is cooked in one boil. In the process of cooking, the clot is periodically gently turned over so that it boils well on all sides. At the end of cooking, the whey is pumped out, and the suluguni is pressed so that part of the whey remains in it. Under pressure, the cheese ripens for 2-5 hours, while it must be periodically turned over. The ripened suluguni is cut into pieces and sent for scraping. This process takes place in brine baths. The salting time of suluguni depends on the size of the pieces.

Processed cheese preparation

An integral part of the production is processed cheese, which is prepared from the remnants of raw materials. To do this, the raw material is cleaned, filtered, ground and mixed in the tank. In the same place, with constant stirring under the influence of high temperature, melting occurs with the addition of melting salts. Such cheese is packed hot, and then put into cooling chambers.

Making soft cheeses

The easiest way to prepare soft cheeses. In this case, it is important to curdle the milk, drain and compress the cheese into portions for sale. The main advantage of soft varieties - short term manufacturing. Such cheeses are prepared without aging in a couple of days, within a week, or using a long-term ripening technology (up to 45 days). They must be completed within two weeks. At the same time, the best taste qualities appear in the first week.

Production of elite varieties

As a rule, it requires a long time for the aging of the product. For example, for the manufacture of Brie cheese, after fermentation, the raw materials are kept for 18 hours, and after adding the mold, they are kept for about two more months. Mozzarella belongs to the elite varieties, but it is prepared relatively quickly and without the use of various additives. It takes no more than two days to make it. She keeps everything beneficial features rich in calcium content.

Elite varieties also include goat cheese, Feta cheese, as well as semi-hard cheeses. The latter are prepared according to the technology of hard cheese. But they are formed independently, without the use of a mechanical press.

Staff

The mini-cheese factory will need a little staff. The line will require 1-3 people for maintenance, depending on its performance. It is also difficult to open a mini-production without the help of a technologist. He knows all the intricacies of making the product and will help develop his own varieties of cheese.

The work will require the services of a manager for the supply of raw materials and sales finished products. These functions can be taken over by the owner of a mini-production. In general, the success of a business largely depends on the staff. Not surprisingly, in Italy, the Mecca of cheese making, most of these businesses are small family farms. They have a herd of 100 heads, a workshop for making cheeses and a small shop selling them.

Sales options

It doesn't matter what kind of cheese you decide to specialize in: soft, hard or rennet, first of all, you need to decide on the distribution channels. Ideally, if there is a more or less large city nearby. Then the product can be implemented in several ways:

• delivery to catering establishments;
• to small retail chains within the city;
• wholesale deliveries to retail stores;
• sales to wholesale dealers;
• trade from a car shop on the road;
• sales in the markets;
• sale through a branded small store.

Through your store, you can sell not only suluguni, hard, rennet and soft cheeses, but also excess milk, whey. This will increase the profitability of your production. It’s a good idea to arrange supplies to various eco-product stores. In restaurants and cafes, you can sell elite varieties of cheese or even cook it to order.

The only thing that needs to be clearly understood is that cheese production will not give a quick result. The production line alone costs a lot of money, which will not pay off in one year. Not to mention that the production cycle of some types of cheese takes more than one month.

Production calculations

The opening of production will require the following capital expenditures (thousand rubles):

• production line with delivery and installation - 300;
• repair of the premises - 200;
• employee training - 30;
• registration and other expenses - 100.

In total, approximately 630 thousand rubles will be required.

In addition to these funds, each month the following will be spent on production (thousand rubles):

• advertising - 20;
• utility costs - 30;
• salary for 4 people - 80;
• rent - 30;
• other expenses - 50.

In total, you will need to lay out about 210 thousand rubles every month.

In a month with 22 days of work and a productivity of 100 kg of product per day, 2200 kg of hard and soft cheeses can be produced. On average, their selling price will be about 200 rubles / kg. If we subtract the cost of raw materials, then the monthly revenue will be 286 thousand rubles. From this amount, subtract fixed costs, the amount of tax, and then the profit will be about 64 thousand rubles. per month. This means that if you sell completely all prepared products, you can reach a payback in 10 months.

You can download a detailed business plan for opening a cheese factory at

Anti-Russian economic sanctions and a retaliatory restriction of imports have created an imbalance between supply and demand in the Russian food market. Consumers in all regions complain about the lack of dairy products. The situation allows you to start a business with minimal risks. Cheese production for modern equipment, if there are raw materials and materials, it is not difficult. To master the technology and reach the commercial level is within the power of a team of several people. They need a small start-up capital and a room that meets sanitary standards and labor protection requirements. You will find information about all the nuances of a business, as well as a detailed business plan in our article.

Is it profitable to open a cheese production: demand analysis

Food products are always in demand. Food that meets the needs of customers is not stale on store shelves. Business in this area brings a guaranteed income. And profit depends on many components. First of all, from the readiness of the manufacturer to endure the period until stable production and sales are established. Rarely payback comes in a year. For cheeses, it will take a longer time, because there are varieties loved by gourmets that ripen up to six months or longer.

But when a cheese maker finds its niche in the market and its reputation is reinforced by the high quality of its products, it will acquire regular customers and a stable level of sales. Such is the psychology of consumers, who for the most part remain loyal to those manufacturers whose goods meet recognized standards.

Cheese is a product of milk processing. Technologically, you can use any, but commercial production needs the volumes that are obtained from the milking of the following domesticated animals:

• major cattle- cows, buffaloes, zebu;
• small cattle - goats and sheep;
• camels.

AT Russian realities milk of camels - exotic. A resourceful entrepreneur could draw attention to his brand with a small batch of camel cheese.

The milk of other animals (mares, moose, donkeys, deer, female marine mammals) is also used. But this is the lot of enthusiasts and scientists. It is not suitable for a novice businessman, although with established production, a small part of such milk can become a component for creating new varieties or single batches.

Mini-workshop in operation

The market in Russia is far from saturation. There are many cheeses on the store shelves made with the addition of soy protein and palm oil. It is enough to go to any farmers' market to see how quickly, even on a weekday, the products of small cheese factories sell out. Their prices are comparable to those of imported cheeses, but the buyer is willing to pay for natural product High Quality. Russia is not an exporter of cheese. It is not able to saturate its domestic market and will be among the main importers for many years to come.

In 2009, Russia was ranked 22nd in the world in terms of cheese consumption. With 5.9 kg per year per capita, it was almost 2 times behind Poland, which occupies 21st place, where the figure is 10.5 kg. And no comparison is possible with the average level in the EU countries - 20 kg / person or with the absolute leader Greece, where there are 31 kg per inhabitant. Since 2014, the gap has only widened. Before the imposition of sanctions against Russia, analysts predicted annual growth cheese production 4%. Now this is not enough. We need a qualitative leap: all hope is for small private cheese dairies and farms.

Business plan

It is not difficult to start a cheese production. Engineering and food industry provide a wide range of technological lines from mini-cheese factories to workshops, coupled with dozens of starters and enzymes for all types of cheese products. Banks readily provide loans, and regional authorities - subsidies and assistance in setting up business. It is not necessary to buy equipment: it can be rented or leased. Before investing, the future cheese maker needs to decide the following:

1. Select a registration form. Cheese production requires licensing. Entity should make appropriate adjustments to founding documents. Individual at the start, it may be limited to registering an individual entrepreneur or a farm with the prospect of re-registration as an LLC if the business begins to expand and goes beyond the scope of an individual entrepreneur.
   IP gives a sparing taxation regime. The choice of a businessman is 6% of imputed income, 15% on profit or a one-time purchase of an annual patent.
2. Find wholesale suppliers raw materials. Cheese is a dairy product. From 1 liter of milk he gets 100-120 g of cheese. To start at a mini-cheese factory, you need 25 liters of milk daily to produce 2.5-3.0 kg per day of young cheese, which still needs to mature.
3. Prepare two rooms. The first is production, it must meet the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor for food production and Rostekhnadzor in terms of fire safety and labor protection. And the second room with a microclimate favorable for the storage and maturation of cheese. Suitable basement or cellar. Young cheeses quickly disperse, but do not give a significant profit. Aged cheese with a savory taste is more expensive. Mature heads will give a good financial result.
4. Organize sales. Delicious cheese is not stale, but the buyer himself will not come. Can be sold by paying for a place in specialized markets or negotiate with trading networks and catering. While the cheese is ripening, you will have to run around with samples to attract future buyers.

An entrepreneur who has solved these four problems is ready for production. What kind of cheese to cook?

Cheese varieties

Despite all the diversity, the classification of cheeses is quite simple.

Table: classification of cheeses

True, if you dig deeper, then in each category their subcategories, species, subspecies, types and individual or regional varieties will begin to branch. It is impossible to grasp the immensity, it is better for a cheese maker to concentrate on 2-4 types and adjust his production as he moves on the market.

Soft, hard, brine, moldy - perhaps they are all made from the same batch of milk

An interesting observation from entrepreneurs working on Italian equipment. The Russian consumer was reluctant to buy up cheeses popular in Italy. But when changes were made to the recipe, making the cheeses saltier and harder, the problem with the implementation disappeared. The taste preferences of Russians, which do not coincide with Italian ones, have affected.

1. "Parmesan";
2. "Feta" and similar cheeses;
3. "Mozzarella";
4. "Roquefort", "Dorblu", "Gorgonzolla" and "Danablu";
5. "Camembert" and "Brie";
6. "Ricotta";
7. "Emmental";
8. "Gouda" and "Edam";
9. "Mascarpone";
10. "Cheddar".

Any of these cheeses can be made in Russia, subject to the technology, but it should be remembered that a number of names are patented trademarks. So, for your cheese you will need to choose your own name.

The most demanded and popular cheeses are made from goat's and sheep's milk. They are practically guaranteed 100% sales. They are not enough on the shelves of Russian stores. But, unfortunately, in agriculture there is still a bias towards meat and wool breeds of small ruminants. Breeding goats and sheep for dairy production- the fate of small farms or specialized enterprises that themselves are sharpened to make cheese.

A cheese maker definitely needs to plan the production of products from goat and sheep milk, but it is better to start a business and conquer the market with cow milk. In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the dairy population, and with it wholesale offers for the supply of milk.

Financial component

The business requires an initial investment. Depending on the scale of production and own funds for the production of cheese, it will be necessary to attract additional funding. Profit will not come immediately, and running costs are increasing every day.

Table: calculation of starting investments

Expenditure	Enterprise type
	homemade production (rub.)	Farm economy (rub.)	Mini workshop (rub.)	Plant (rub.)
Registration, licensing	5 000	5 000	15 000	30 000
Annual rental of premises	-	-	120 000	250 000
Equipment and materials	20 000	40 000	100 000	150 000
Salary fund	0	30 000	100 000	150 000
	20 000	20 000	40 000	60 000
Logistics and procurement of raw materials (starting)	5 000	5 000	50 000	150 000
Advance payments	-	-	10 000	20 000
Unexpected expenses	5 000	5 000	10 000	20 000
Total	55 000	105 000	445 000	830 000

For the mini-workshop and the plant, minimal sets of equipment were taken.

Not such big sums. Home and farm cheese production can be started at your own expense. It is assumed that the farm uses its own premises with minimal hiring of outside workers. To open a mini-workshop or a factory, you need funds comparable to a consumer loan. Favorable condition is that modern production lines do not require numerous personnel. In a mini-workshop, 2–3 people can handle it, at a factory, 5–6, and the automation will do the rest for them.

Compact and convenient: production room and pantry for storing and ripening cheeses

The most difficult for business will be the first months, when sales are limited, cheeses continue to ripen, and there is no escape from regular payments. Production should never be idle. Every day you need milk to load capacity. Its cost is not the same in the regions, in the calculations an average of 40 rubles / l was taken for direct purchases from manufacturers. For the farm, an assumption was made that part of the raw materials will be from their farmstead, but with the hiring of workers.

Table: monthly expenses

Monthly expenses	Enterprise type
	homemade production (rub.)	Farm economy (rub.)	Mini workshop (rub.)	Plant (rub.)
Logistics and procurement of milk	25 000	25 000	130 000	260 000
Utilities	5 000	5 000	20 000	50 000
Salary fund	-	30 000	100 000	150 000
Mandatory payments in PF and social insurance	20 000	20 000	40 000	60 000
Maintenance and repair of equipment	1 000	1 000	5 000	10 000
Loan payments	-	-	15 000	35 000
Unexpected expenses	5 000	5 000	10 000	20 000
Total	56 000	86 000	320 000	585 000

The table gives an idea of ​​how much you need to sell products in order to cover monthly expenses and partially offset the initial investment. You need at least 10-15% more revenue than your monthly expenses. That is, to a first approximation:

• Home production - 63,000 rubles;
• Farming - 97,000 rubles;
• Mini workshop - 360,000 rubles;
• Plant - 660,000 rubles.

These numbers, like beacons, will help to calculate in reverse how much milk needs to be processed in order to reach the specified parameters. The first sales of young and pickled cheeses will start from the second week. Whey will be an additional income. It is a valuable drink, as well as a raw material for cooking and the production of ricotta-type cheeses. From the third month, the sale of soft and semi-hard cheeses will begin. In six months, the hard ones will ripen and the enterprise will reach the planned capacity.

Let's take the average price at which the entrepreneur will hand over his products to retail chains and public catering, 600 rubles / kg, we will determine how much milk needs to be processed monthly. For the calculation, we use the proportion of 10 liters of milk \u003d 1 kg of cheese. In fact, more will be released, but the loss of finished products is inevitable and some part will not be sold.

• Home production (63,000: 600) x 10 = 1,050 l/m or 35 l/day;
• Farming (97,000: 600) x 10 = 1,620 l/m or 54 l/day;
• Mini shop (360,000: 600) x 10 = 6,000 l/m or 200 l/day;
• Plant (660,000 rubles: 600) x 10 = 11,000 l / m or 370 l / day.

Milk is often measured in 20 liter aluminum flasks. As you can see, home and farm production will need 2 and 3 flasks, respectively. The mini-workshop and the plant will have to order a tank.

When income exceeds expenses

The food industry does not give quick returns. But well-established production guarantees stable income. The cheese factory does not exist on its own, it provides sustainable sales to milk producers, who are equally interested in the continued development of cheese production. The cheese maker, until he returns the initial investment and reaches a net profit, has a difficult task. It depends on an uninterrupted supply of milk, which must be paid for immediately, and it needs the maximum sale of its products in order to avoid overstocking. The very existence of the business depends on the success of sales. The entrepreneur must feel the preferences of customers, but not blindly follow them.

A few hours ago, these cheeses were milk: now they are ready to be transferred to the pantry for ripening.

From 10 liters of milk you get 1 kg of cheese. It can be sold immediately young, immature, but relatively cheap. Or leave it for 3-6 months of ripening and the price will increase, but will it be sold at that price? If there are no long-term contracts for the supply of cheese to a specific consumer, it is necessary to be flexible and expand the product line. Part of the milk for young and pickled cheeses, part for hard and the rest for small elite batches that can be stored for a long time and wait for their buyer.

The main components of guaranteed profitability cheese production:

1. The solvent demand of the population.
2. Supplying the cheese factory with high-quality raw materials and materials.
3. Personnel qualification.
4. Products that meet the taste preferences of the region.
5. Sales organization on a long-term basis.
6. A room with a microclimate for storing and ripening cheeses.

Cheese making does not bring in millions either in the first or in the second year. According to analytical studies from open sources, having started a business, a conscientious cheese maker can calculate the payback period:

• Home production - 1.0–1.5 years;
• Farming - from 1.5 to 2.5 years;
• Mini workshop - 2–3 years;
• Plant - 2.5–3.5 years and longer.

To some, the wait will seem long, but the number of cheese makers in Russia is constantly growing. Perhaps they are inspired by the example of their Italian colleagues, who have up to 100 cheese factories in a city with a population of 10,000. One for every 1000 people. With such a density of production, everyone finds their buyer. Someone directly at the place of residence, someone delivers to other regions and countries. Good cheese is sure to be in demand.

How hard and soft cheeses are made

The modern technological process is designed to the smallest detail and is almost completely automated.

An unbroken chain from raw milk to maturing cheese heads

Pasteurized fresh milk is poured into a bath at a temperature of +35 ° C, where, with stirring, starter culture (rennet or mushroom enzyme) and 10% calcium chloride solution are added to it (optionally, at the rate of 1 g of CaCL 2 per 5 l of milk). Calcium chloride is optional, but its microscopic presence speeds up the clotting of the cheeseball, which turns out to be denser and gets rid of whey faster. After about 40-60 minutes, the mass is compacted, it is cut into small lumps and stirred, accelerating the process of curdling (coagulation). An hour later, the cheese mass begins to sink in whey, which means it's time to separate. The whey is partially scooped out, the remaining mixture is transferred to a settling bath or immediately transferred to sieve-like forms. At the same time, salting occurs. Salt directs the fermentation in the right direction for the cheese maker and stimulates subsequent maturation. Serum residues quickly depart, the mass is constantly compacted. In the molds, a curdled substance accumulates, which, after the press, turns into a young cheese, very young and not yet ready for sale. Although there are fans and such.

Video: Swiss cheese production technology

The next stage is ripening. The process is technologically controlled. Even at the stage of laying under the press, the ingredients are added to the cheese according to the recipes or, after being removed from the molds, they are subjected to special processing, as a result of which one head will be used to make cheese, the other will remain ripe and become hard cheese, the third will be molded, and it will become "Roquefort" .

A cheese maker is like a creator and, at his request, a head of young cheese, which was milk a few hours ago, can become either a mass popular product or a rare specimen, a dream of a gourmet or collector.

In home and farm production, you can do with the forces of one family. The mini-workshop and plant will require qualified personnel. If there is enough raw material, then round-the-clock production should be organized so that the equipment does not stand idle. In this case, each shift should have a foreman (foreman) and 2–4 workers who provide a full cycle from receiving milk and processing it to putting the cheese mass into molds and then transferring it to the room where ripening takes place. In addition to them, additional staff is needed:

• Milk Purchasing and Cheese Marketing Manager.
• Accountant.
• Room cleaners.

The latter are very important. A dirty room is a huge risk for production. Cheeses, like living organisms, are sensitive to external influences. Foreign mold, pathogenic bacteria, foreign matter and strong odors can spoil the entire batch, which will cause enormous losses to production.

Sales organization

The success of the entire enterprise depends on the sale of products. Even at the stage of registration and purchase of equipment, this issue should be addressed. The best option is long-term contracts for the supply to stores and points Catering. It is difficult to implement without support, because the consumer does not see the finished product and is often not inclined to trust the promises, but it is worth trying.

From the moment the production is launched, it is necessary to immediately actively enter the market. Including due to advertising, presentations and promotions. The cheese maker has many opportunities along the way.

• Rent trading place on the market.
• Opening an online store.
• Participation in weekend fairs, when free places of sale are allocated for consumer goods.
• Organization of tastings.
• Presentation of samples at exhibitions.
• Direct contacts with retail chains and catering.
• Participation in clubs and forums of cheese makers.
• Registration of pages in social networks and the creation of support groups based on them.

The main thing is the consumer properties of cheese, its taste, smell, color, structure. This is why millions love him. At high quality sales will increase every day until it reaches the maximum capacity of the cheese factory. Hard varieties have another wonderful property: they can wait for a buyer, and while waiting, their taste will only improve. With proper storage, of course.

Cheese production has an additional source of income - whey. Perhaps at first it will not be possible to use it, and most of it will irretrievably go to waste. But from the very beginning, you need to plan its processing for subsequent marketing. From whey get:

• soft cheeses like "Ricotta";
• raw materials for cooking and bakeries;
• beverages;
• feed raw materials;
• milk protein powder;
• raw materials for the production of biologically active additives.

This will require additional investment, but as a result - the expansion of production, reducing waste and increasing profitability.

Risks and prospects

Any production is fraught with problems and risks. If it is unavoidable, then you need to prepare in advance.

Table: possible problems and solutions

Situation	Solutions
Supply disruption. Poor quality raw materials.	Multiple supplier selection. Weeding out the unscrupulous. Quality control at the place of production of raw materials.
Equipment breakdown.	Warranty agreements.
Illegal actions of inspectors of Rospotrebnadzor and Rostekhnadzor.	Legal business. Publicity, openness. Legal protection in state and judicial bodies.
Low product quality.	Careful observance of technology, recipes, sanitary standards, rules of storage and delivery to consumers.
Non-payment for delivered goods.	Delivery on credit or with deferred payment only under executed contracts. Protecting your rights in court and in arbitration.
Low production discipline.	Personal personnel work. Recruitment through reputable agencies.
Force majeure circumstances.	Never happen suddenly. Monitor the situation on the market and control your own production.
Unsold products.	What can be stored is sent for subsequent ripening. The rest is for processing.
Seasonal fluctuations in supply and demand.	Market research. Gaining experience. Communication with business colleagues. Participation in community work.

In addition, we should not forget about such a reliable tool as insurance. It is impossible to compensate for any losses due to an insurance policy, but minimizing losses is the direct responsibility of a business person.

Development Forecast

The prospects for the cheese business in Russia are excellent. Even the lifting of sanctions and the resumption of imports will not make up for the shortage of cheese on the market. The excess of demand over supply is predicted for many years to come, until the average per capita consumption approaches the European one. This means that the cheese market will grow and expand following the improvement in the well-being of the population. The state import substitution program creates good starting conditions for any business in the field of processing livestock products, including the production of cheese and related products.

The cheese market in Russia is not saturated: supply is lower than demand. The success of production depends on a raw material base in close proximity to the cheese factory and a reliable marketing organization. To reduce risks, contracts with several suppliers should be concluded and quality control of raw materials should be carried out at the place of production. And insurance of losses will save from ruin and bankruptcy.

* Calculations use average data for Russia

PROJECT SUMMARY

The goal of the project is to organize a mini-cheese factory with a capacity of 20-24 kg/day. Products - high quality hard cheeses of premium price category. Location - Rostov-on-Don. The project has low investment costs and has a high investment attractiveness (Table 1).

Despite the general decline in the solvency of the population against the backdrop of economic crisis, the premium segment in almost any industry is highly stable and shows minimal decline rates. This also applies to food products. The high demand for the company's products is due to the food embargo imposed on Western food suppliers, including elite types of cheese. Retail trade is experiencing an acute shortage of premium segment goods; the existing offer has an unreasonably high price.

Table 1. Project performance indicators

Investments are aimed at the purchase of equipment for production, the purchase of the first batch of raw materials, as well as the formation of a working capital fund until the project reaches payback.

COMPANY AND INDUSTRY DESCRIPTION

Milk and dairy products are among the most consumed food products both in the world and in Russia. Under milk and dairy products, it is customary to understand liquid whole-milk and sour-milk products, cream, cheeses and cottage cheese, butter, milk powder (skimmed and whole), milk fat powder, whey, condensed milk products, milk protein concentrates, ice cream. Among fermented milk products, the most popular are kefir, curdled milk, acidophilus, yogurt (including Greek), tan, ayran, koumiss. Buttermilk, fermented baked milk, varenets, sour cream.

Experts suggest that in the next ten years, the consumption of milk and dairy products in the world will grow by 35-40%. Their consumption in Russia has been declining in recent years. In 2014, according to Rosstat, it amounted to 244 kg per person per year, which is almost 100 kg less than the consumption rate recommended by the Ministry of Health (320-340 kg). According to the results of a study conducted by the Dairy Market Index, most Russians note an insufficient assortment of dairy products in stores.

In 2016, there is an increase in demand for dairy products. According to the National Union of Dairy Producers, in the first quarter of 2016, the consumption of whole milk powder increased by more than 30%, cheese and cheese products - by 5.8%, whole milk products and skim milk - by 3%, butter - by 2% .

Table 2. Consumption of main dairy products per capita in Russia in 2010-2015*, kg

* Data for 2015 are estimates due to the lack of official market statistics

In the first half of 2015, Russian enterprises produced 1.4% more whole milk (5873 thousand tons) than in the same period of 2014. The growth leaders were the Central and Volga Federal Districts. In general, 6 regions produce 95% of the total volume of whole milk.

Figure 1. Shares of regions in the total volume of whole milk production

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In the first half of 2015, the volumes of production of fermented milk products (excluding cottage cheese and sour cream) slightly decreased by about 2%. In total, 1273 thousand tons were produced. More than half of the volume was produced by 10 regions.

Figure 2. Shares of regions in the total production of fermented milk products (excluding cottage cheese and sour cream)

The production volumes of cottage cheese (+9.7% compared to 2014) and sour cream (+5.6% compared to 2014) increased. The leaders in the production of cottage cheese are the Central and Volga Federal Districts - they each own 25% of the market. The most dynamic region in development is the Crimean Federal District, which increased its production volume by 56% over the year. The leaders in the production of sour cream are also the Central and Volga Federal Districts with market shares of 21% and 20%, respectively.

Prices for dairy products have recently had a steady upward trend. Experts consider this a delayed effect from the increase in raw milk prices in 2013-2014. However, the decline in demand is largely holding back this growth. In April 2016, the retail price of drinking milk increased by 0.3% and amounted to 35 rubles/kg, which, however, is 1.3% cheaper than in April 2015. The price of butter in April 2016 decreased by 0.7% (RUB 261.2/kg), while the annual cost growth was 4.6%. Experts attribute the decrease in prices in April to the growing volume of imports. The cost of hard cheeses rose to 308.8 rubles/kg (+2.2%), the annual appreciation was 4.2%.

The growth in demand for dairy products in Russia is provided primarily by imported products. In particular, in the first quarter of 2016, 30% more cheese and cheese-like products were imported than in the same period in 2015. Among the reasons for this growth, experts cite a decline in world prices for cheese, as well as some strengthening of the ruble against the dollar. The main increase was shown by: the Republic of Belarus - by 41%, Serbia - by 87%, Armenia - 2 times. The main importer of cheeses, cottage cheese and other dairy products is Belarus, whose share in total imports is 85%.

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According to analysts, an increase in imports leads to an increase in consumption and restrains price growth. Thus, in the first quarter of 2016, cheese consumption increased by 8.1%. On the other hand, it reduces the competitiveness and profitability of domestic producers. To increase competitiveness Russian enterprises will be forced to reduce the cost of production, which, according to experts, may lead to an increase in the proportion of counterfeit products.

Figure 3. Structure of cheese and cottage cheese imports (in natural terms) to Russia in 2015

The volume of exports of dairy products for the first quarter of 2016 also increased, exceeding the last year's figure by 29% (176 thousand tons). At the same time, in value terms, the volume of exports increased by only 5.9%, which indicates a decrease in export prices. In the structure of exports, the share of whole milk products increased - up to 12%, cheeses and cottage cheese - up to 23%, butter - up to 7%. The share of ice cream, condensed and powdered milk, cream has decreased. The main consumers of Russian dairy products are Kazakhstan and other CIS countries. At the same time, the share of Kazakhstan in the structure of exports is decreasing, and the share of Ukraine is increasing due to the supply of humanitarian aid.

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In 2016, the Ministry of Industry and Trade created a department for the development of the market for socially significant goods, which at the first stage will deal only with the markets for dairy and meat products, cereals, sunflower and butter, as well as a number of other products, the prices of which can be regulated by the state.

To increase the competitiveness of products of Russian manufacturers - both for domestic and for foreign markets– the introduction of innovative solutions in the areas of production technology and management of organizations is required.

Figure 4. Dynamics of the main financial indicators industries according to OKVED section 15.5 for 2007-2015, thousand rubles

In recent years, until 2015, demand in the Russian dairy market has been declining. At the beginning of 2016, there was some increase in demand, however, primarily due to imported products. The competitiveness of Russian products is at a rather low level. To increase it, it is necessary to master new technologies, as well as effective management. State support for the industry is sporadic, which also negatively affects its condition.

In order to implement the project, a new enterprise is being organized on a leased area in Rostov-on-Don. Rostov-on-Don is the largest city in the South of Russia, the administrative center of the South federal district and the Rostov region; the largest economic, industrial, cultural and historical center. The population of the city is 1.1 million people, the urban agglomeration is 2.14 million people.

The project is focused on target audience With high level income, sale of goods - wholesale deliveries to retail non-chain grocery stores cities located in elite residential areas. The production capacity of the cheese factory is 20-24 kg of finished products per day.

DESCRIPTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES

Cheese is one of the most popular dairy products both in Russia and around the world. It contains all the nutrients and vitamins that are part of milk, but in a concentrated form. Calcium contained in cheese has the greatest digestibility by the human body from this product. Cheese is rich in fats, in combination with which fat-soluble vitamins enter the body, which are necessary for normal human life. Fats also contain fatty acids that the body cannot produce on its own. The fat content of cheeses ranges from 20 to 50 percent.

In addition, cheese contains about 25% protein, 2.5-3.5% organic salts, vitamins A and B. All this makes cheese one of the most valuable and healthy food products. Cheese is part medical nutrition and all kinds of diets.

Despite the similar production technology, today experts distinguish from 500 to 5000 varieties of cheese, depending on the classification criteria.

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First of all, cheeses are classified according to the method of production - rennet (using rennet) and sour milk (lactic acid bacteria are used). In Russia, for the most part, the rennet method of production is used. Rennet cheeses can be classified into hard, soft and processed.

The project involves the production of hard cheese. This term is applied to cheeses with a moisture content of not more than 45%, having a relatively firm texture, allowing the cheese to be sliced. Hard varieties account for about 41% of total cheese consumption. The project is focused on a high price category and produces only one type of cheese - Swiss.

Swiss cheese is a variety of hard cheese belonging to the rennet group with a high temperature of the second heating. It has a strong, even rind (film) that adheres tightly to the surface with traces of the fabric used in the cheese making process. There may be a slight dampening of the surface. The consistency is plastic and homogeneous throughout the thickness of the cheese; as a rule, there are large, up to 4 cm, round or oval cavities (eyes), formed as a result of the release of carbon dioxide by bacteria. Eyes may be missing in some areas of the cheese. The cheese has a moderately pronounced spicy sweetish taste and pronounced aroma. Color from white to slightly yellow.

Swiss cheese is made from raw and pasteurized milk. Rennet, ferment from lactobacilli and propionic acid bacteria are added to the normalized milk mixture.

SALES AND MARKETING

Target audience men and women (mainly) aged 25 to 55, mostly family, with a high average income (from 40,000 rubles per month). As a result, non-chain food retail stores located in elite residential areas of the city are used as a distribution channel. Given the low productivity of the mini-cheese factory (up to 24 kg/day), it is required to involve no more than five stores in cooperation.

Supposed to be loaded production capacity at the level of 100%, which corresponds to the planned sales volumes. Given the small volumes of production, the organization of sales with high quality products does not cause difficulties. Approximate actual market volume is 3.3 million kg per month. Demand for the company's products has a weak seasonality, but in terms of sales, it can be neglected due to low production volumes. The planned sales volume is given in Table. 3.

Table 3. Planned sales volumes

	PRODUCT / SERVICE	AVERAGE PLANNED SALES VOLUME, units/month	PRICE PER UNIT, rub.	REVENUE, rub.	VARIABLE COSTS, rub.
	Swiss cheese, 1 kg
			Total:

The planned retail price of 1 kg of cheese produced under the project under consideration is 550-600 rubles. Prices for similar goods in retail chains today are 700-750 rubles/kg. Thus, the products of the project are highly competitive both in price and quality.

PRODUCTION PLAN

Production is organized on a leased area in the territory industrial complex. The total area of ​​the production premises is 30 m 2 , of which 15 m 2 is allocated directly for the placement of equipment, the remaining area is allocated for the warehouse of raw materials and finished products. Two people are required to operate the production line.

Equipment supplier - Russian manufacturer of food equipment; delivers mini-cheese factories on a turnkey basis, which includes equipment installation, commissioning and staff training. Delivery and installation time - 15 calendar days.

Raw materials for production are purchased from a Russian wholesale trading company specializing in raw materials for the production of dairy products. The supplier is selected based on a detailed analysis of the quality and cost of the products offered.

The cheese maturation period according to the project technology is at least 20 calendar days. Thus, the production plan is ahead of the sales plan by about three weeks. Sales in the first month of project implementation are not planned.

Delivery of goods to customers is carried out on the personal car of the project initiator.

ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN

The project initiator has higher education and years of experience in the food industry. He performs all organizational and management functions in the project. Secondary functions are performed by the son of the project initiator. Accounting outsourced.

The project team consists of two people who perform all the functions: management and administration, sales organization, production line maintenance, etc. Production with such small volumes is profitable only if the project initiator is self-employed and has minimal costs.

FINANCIAL PLAN

The financial plan is designed for a five-year period and takes into account all income and expenses of the project. Revenue from operating activities is considered as income. Investment costs amount to 671,387 rubles. Own funds initiator - 400,000 rubles. The lack of funds is planned to be covered by attracting a bank loan at 18% per annum for a period of 36 months. The loan is repaid in annuity payments, credit holidays are three months.

Table 4. Investment costs

	NAME	AMOUNT, rub.
Equipment
	Equipment set
Intangible assets
working capital
	working capital
	Purchase of products
	Total:	671 387 ₽
	Own funds:	400 000.00 RUB
	Required borrowings:	271 387 ₽
	Bid:	18.00%
	Term, months:

Variable costs per unit of production include the cost of raw materials, the cost of electricity and the delivery of products to customers of the enterprise (Table 5). Fixed costs include the cost of renting premises, advertising and depreciation (Table 6). The amount of depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method based on the useful life of the equipment in five years. A detailed financial plan is given in App. one.

Table 5. Variable costs

	PRODUCT / SERVICE	COSTS PER UNIT, rub.	TRADING MARGIN, %	UNIT COST, rub.
	Swiss cheese, 1 kg

Table 6. Fixed costs

EFFICIENCY MARK

Evaluation of the effectiveness and investment attractiveness of the project is carried out on the basis of the analysis financial plan, simple and integral performance indicators (Table 1). The discounting method is used to account for the change in the value of money over time. cash flows. The discount rate is 5%.

Revenue of the first year - 3.0 million rubles; net profit (after taxes) - 805.5 thousand rubles. Revenue for subsequent years annually - 3.6 million rubles, net profit - 1.0 million rubles. Net present value (NPV) - 776.8 thousand rubles. Internal rate of return (IRR) - 10.2%. Profitability index (PI) - 1.16. All these indicators speak about the effectiveness of the project. With relatively low rates of return, the project is expedient as a provision for self-employment of the project initiator, has a small expenditure side.

WARRANTY AND RISKS

The main risks associated with the implementation of the project include, first of all, production problems: poor product quality, equipment failure. To neutralize these risks, regular monitoring of product quality should be envisaged, as well as monitoring of the condition of the equipment and its regular routine maintenance.

Since the market capacity and the level of demand exceed the enterprise's supply by several orders of magnitude, the threats from competitors and existing players can be ignored.

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Reading 9 min. Published on 13.12.2019

In our country, consumers have a positive attitude towards such a valuable food product as cheese. Today this is one of the most profitable activities, so why not start creating and developing your own cheese factory.

Cheese factory from scratch: where to start?

The legal registration of production and the solution of all organizational issues is the first thing to do when opening a cheese factory. It should be understood that this is a food industry, so be careful to comply with all legal requirements in relation to this object.

Production registration

First of all, you need to register your business. You can choose the option of opening a farm (taxation of 6%), or organize a JSC - in this case, the enterprise will be on the simplified tax system with the payment of taxes in the amount of 15%.

The second issue is the choice of premises. It must fully comply with the requirements of fire supervision and sanitary standards. Of course, it is necessary to obtain documents for permission to conduct activities from fire inspection and SES.

Licensing and certification of products is the third and mandatory item that must be completed before you start marketing products.

Cheese certification

Cheese is food product, therefore, it is necessary to obtain a certificate for it, which is issued either for the manufacturer or for the contract. A declaration is issued indicating the batch number and the exact quantity of the product.

Documents for permission SES

The SES permit is the basis for opening a cheese factory, to obtain it, you must provide the following documents:

• Certificate of state registration organization (production).
• Taxpayer's certificate.
• Technological maps of production, list of equipment used.
• Lease agreement for premises (or certificate of ownership).
• List of employees, confirmation of their medical examinations.
• A plan of the premises, if reconstruction work has been carried out, it is necessary to provide a project of the work carried out.
• Passport or project documentation for ventilation.
• Certificate from the department of statistics with a seal.
• Contract for garbage collection and scheduled disinfection.

After obtaining all permits, licenses and certificates, it is necessary to conclude contracts for the sale of products.

Which cheeses are popular with manufacturers - the range of cheese makers in comparison

With the most pressing issue is the choice of cheese varieties. Indeed, what kind of cheese is better to produce in order to get the desired benefit faster? The answer to this question will help to give an analysis of the market in your region, as well as the presence and number of competitors.

Important Tip: do not try to start producing several varieties at once, start with 1-2, maximum with 3 varieties, and in the future you will already be able to evaluate the dynamics and pace of sales, and then decide to expand the range.

Today, domestic cheeses are popular in Russia, but foreign varieties continue to be in demand. Moreover, the technologies of imported products are already familiar to Russian cheese makers, so many well-known foreign cheeses are produced in Russia by analogy.

Table 1. The most purchased cheeses in Russia

Russian cheeses	Dutch cheeses	Swiss cheeses
Russian cheese The variety is semi-solid, the structure is plastic, the taste is slightly sour. Fat content 45-50%. Shelf life 30 days.	Dutch cheese The variety is firm, the taste is slightly spicy. The structure is plastic, the color is milky white or light yellow.	Gruyere Solid grade, without holes. The taste is pleasant, nutty-fruity. It melts easily, so it is recommended for soups.
Kostroma cheese The variety is semi-solid, easy to cut, the structure is elastic, the slices do not break when bent. Shelf life 45 days.	Gouda The structure is dense, soft, creamy taste without bitterness (its presence indicates poor quality), the slice does not break.	Emmental Hard variety, covered with a yellow-brown crust, spicy taste, sweetish shade.
Adyghe cheese The recipe is extremely simple, prepared on the basis of milk, enzyme and whey. Does not require maturation, but the shelf life is not more than 35 days.	Maasdam It has a characteristic nutty taste, the structure is oily, there are obvious large spherical holes.	Raclette The variety is semi-solid, pronounced milky smell, delicate, oily structure.

In general, any of these and other types of cheese can be produced not only in Russia, but also in other countries of the world, regardless of its origin.

What equipment is needed to make cheese?

The process of cheese production begins with the preparation of raw materials. Milk is the basis of any cheese, so it must always be of good quality, otherwise the reputation of your production can very quickly damage the business.

To check the quality of raw materials, the following conditions must be observed:

• Milk must be brought only from healthy cows (veterinary certificate and other supporting documents).
• The pH meter readings are at least 6.8.
• The fat content of the product is not more than 3.5%.
• Protein composition not less than 3%.
• Absence of antibiotics.
• The temperature of milk when taken is not higher than 12 degrees.

If it is planned to store raw materials, separate refrigeration equipment is required for these purposes.

Cheese production requires a set of instruments and equipment. With their help, there is a phased preparation of cheese. This complex includes the following equipment.

Long pasteurization baths

These are special containers in which the formation of cheese grain is carried out. During pasteurization, a coagulating enzyme is added, cutting and mixing of raw materials takes place. In large production, large-scale analogues of such baths are used. The principle of operation of such equipment has not changed much over the past few decades. You can only observe the improvement of the main nodes.

Main equipment items:

• Closed tank.
• Washing.
• Mixing and cutting tool.
• Automatic whey selection.
• Equipment management software.

Forming equipment

There are two types - horizontal and vertical. The main work is carried out with the layers under the whey layers. There is a less expensive way - molding the cheese in bulk. In this case, perforated ladles are required, and forming equipment and whey separators are not needed.

The molding equipment consists of a bottom, a pressing mechanism, and a unit for cutting a whole cheese board into bars.

Containers for curing cheese

These are usually large baths, with a capacity of at least 200 liters, made of stainless steel. Here the cheeses are aged in a special brine.

paraffiner

At this stage, the cheeses are covered with a special paraffin or polymer layer for further storage and maturation. The heated paraffiner packs the cheese bars tightly.

Cheese storage and ripening racks

Usually racks and containers are mobile, with free air circulation.

The principle of cheese making is identical in most industries in our country and abroad. The higher the level of your equipment, the less time it takes to make quality cheese .

Cheese production technology and its features. Cheese factory production scheme

A thorough study of all stages of production allows you to correctly draw up a business plan. The purchase of equipment directly depends on what kind of cheese you plan to produce and in what volume.

In general, in Russia all varieties of cheese are in approximately the same demand, but the study and analysis of the market in your region is still necessary, because. there may be a trend towards a shift in favor of a particular type of product.

The cheese production technology looks approximately the same and consists of the following steps:

• Purchase and preparation of raw materials . Milk must be cooled to 7 degrees, the manipulation is performed using a plate cooler. At the same stage, the necessary filtration and purification of raw materials is carried out.
• Obtaining a grainy consistency of the workpiece . The maturation of milk lasts from 12 to 24 hours, during this period the product also gains acidity. A special mixture of bacteria or calcium chloride is used as a starter. In recent years, rennet has been increasingly used, which allows to reduce the ripening time of cheese.
• Cheese molding.
• Product pressing.
• Salting process.
• Cheese ripening to the state of hard cheeses with a dense structure.
• Storage and subsequent marketing finished products.

Despite the fact that the technology seems to be a simple and not laborious process, it still requires compliance with special conditions, including the temperature factor. Therefore, at any cheese production, even at the most low-budget, there must be a technologist responsible for all stages of production.

Cheese factory production scheme

Your attention is presented to the main scheme of the technological process of the cheese factory .

Business - plan for the production of cheese - profitability and payback period of the cheese factory

For the production of a minimum volume of products (100 kg of cheese per day), capital one-time costs are required, and monthly, fixed costs.

One-time costs:

• Acquisition finished equipment, including delivery and full installation - 300 - 320 thousand rubles.
• Preparatory work in the premises (repair, general cleaning) - 200 thousand rubles.
• Staff training - 30-35 thousand rubles.
• Business registration, organizational expenses - 45-50 thousand rubles.
• Other additional expenses 50 thousand rubles.

Total: 650 thousand rubles ("+" "-" 20 thousand rubles).

Fixed monthly costs:

• Renting premises for a cheese factory with an area of ​​up to 50 sq. meters 30-40 thousand rubles.
• Staff salaries (for 4 people, including insurance premiums) 80 thousand rubles.
• Utility payments 30 thousand rubles.
• Advertising needs 20 thousand rubles.
• Other (unforeseen, additional expenses) 50 thousand rubles.

Total: 210-220 thousand rubles.

Expected income:

• Cheese production in 22 working days - 2200 kg (at the rate of 100 kg per month).
• The price of cheese for sale for sale is 200 rubles per kg.
• The cost of raw materials for the production of 1 kg of cheese is 70 rubles.
• The total cost of raw materials per month is 154 thousand rubles.
• Monthly revenue of 440 thousand rubles.
• Monthly revenue minus the cost of raw materials - 286 thousand rubles.

We subtract the amount of fixed expenses for the month from the revenue and get the result of 76,000 rubles (“+” “-” 10 thousand rubles). Tax must be deducted from this amount, if you have a JSC, then this is 15%. We get a net monthly income of approximately 65,000 rubles. Business return in this case will happen already after 10 months.

Risks associated with the development of cheese production: what should be considered when opening a cheese factory?

Risks are always present, so you should always be aware of them.

In the case of a cheese factory, they can be associated with the following factors:

• Sales market . Before starting production, it is necessary to conduct a market analysis, evaluate opportunities and alternatives, and draw conclusions. Particular attention should be paid to the demand for cheese in your region, the presence of a competitive base. The product must be sold in a timely manner, then there will be opportunities for development, and losses will be minimized.
• Goods storage . In the room where the production is located, there must be a place for storage with a certain temperature regime. Vehicles for transportation also need to be equipped with a refrigerator.
• It is important to choose a reliable milk supplier (raw materials). The optimal ratio of price and quality is an ideal tandem for production, but not always everything goes that way. Remember, the quality of your products and the reputation of the cheese factory depend on the quality of milk.

A competent approach to organizing a cheese factory allows you to get a really profitable business. Do not rush things, it is better to spend time on a project than to remain without profit for a long time.