How to organize your own cheese production. Cheese production as a business: a detailed development plan

Our regular readers often contact us with questions about how to implement this or that idea presented on the portal “1000 ideas”. Therefore, we decided to launch a new series of articles that talk about how, in Russian conditions, many projects that successfully work abroad can be implemented.

How to organize your own cheese production

Cheese production is considered a popular type of business in our country. Cheese, like many other products that are present in the diet of almost all people, will always be in demand. A cheese production plant is a profitable enterprise. Many entrepreneurs come into this business literally from scratch. Others have some experience or even their own business in the food and livestock industry.

It is, of course, easier for the latter, since they have an idea of ​​many of the features and nuances of such production. However, regardless of whether or not you have experience in this field, you need to start your business by drawing up the most detailed business plan. This will allow you to estimate the costs of opening your own cheese factory, the difficulties you will have to face, predict production and sales volumes, analyze demand, and think through the assortment. Do not forget also that food production requires obtaining a large number of permits, including the issuance of various certificates.

It is necessary to decide on the pricing policy and sales markets for your cheese products at the stage of developing a business plan. To do this, consumer demand in all market segments is preliminarily assessed. At first, you can sell your products in the region where production is located, and then, as volumes increase, increase the sales market at the expense of other areas.

Cheese production is quite profitable, but its organization requires large start-up capital. If you cannot find such funds, you can start small. As, for example, did Canadian entrepreneur Ella Kinloch, who launched DIY cheese making kits called "Make Cheese". So far, it offers two types of kits - Lotsa Motsa for making mozzarella and Proud Poutine - for making a traditional Canadian dish with cream cheese. An unusual product from the “do it yourself” series sells for about 750 rubles per set.

Cheese is a high-calorie protein product with great nutritional value, which is due to the content in it of all substances necessary for the human body in an easily digestible form, including proteins, fats, peptides, Ca and P salts, and amino acids. Based on technological characteristics, natural cheeses are divided into rennet and fermented milk products. Cheeses of the first type are made by coagulating milk with rennet, and fermented milk cheeses are made by fermenting milk with starter cultures. Cheeses that are presented in Russian stores are divided into four main classes:

• hard (rennet with a hard consistency: Russian, Swiss, Dutch varieties, etc.),
• semi-hard (rennet with a dense consistency: Roquefort, Latvian, savory cheeses, etc.),
• soft (rennet or fermented milk cheeses with a soft consistency: Slavic, amateur, etc.)
• brine (ripened in brine and containing a mass fraction of table salt: Sulguni, Imeretinsky, Adyghe, feta cheese, etc.).

Each of these groups can be divided into separate subgroups. Hard cheese is made from cottage cheese, which is separated from the whey, washed and pressed. Then the resulting cottage cheese in the required quantity is placed under a press, where some time remains until the taste appears. On average, it takes about a month to age cheese. Moreover, the longer it is aged, the higher its taste and the sharper the taste. The heavier the load that is placed on the cheese, the denser the structure of the finished product will be.

The highest quality varieties are considered to be those cheeses made from whole milk. Soft cheeses are produced using approximately the same technology as hard cheeses. The main difference is that soft cheese spends much less time under pressure. It is kept for a maximum of a week or not kept at all. This cheese is eaten immediately after production or in the coming weeks. It cannot be stored for a long time, unlike hard varieties, since it contains a large amount of liquid. Soft cheeses are made from whole or skim milk. There are other differences in the production technology of different types of cheeses, which will be discussed below.

Hard cheeses are in greater demand than soft ones. Moreover, according to experts, this demand will only grow over time. Enterprises that produce primarily hard cheeses are expanding their range by producing cottage cheese for sale, among other things. The production of the latter, unlike hard cheese, takes not a month, but a few days, which makes it possible to increase the profitability of the enterprise.

Cheese production technology is quite complex. This process occurs under the influence of enzymes and microflora. During the entire production process, low temperatures are maintained in the temporary and permanent storage chambers for ingredients and finished products, which allows for high-quality cheese ripening.

Regardless of the class of cheese and the volume of processed milk, cheese production consists of several main stages: receiving and preparing milk for curdling, producing cheese grains, molding, pressing or self-pressing, salting, ripening and storage. At the first stage, the milk is weighed, after which specialists carry out the necessary tests to determine its quality. If the milk meets the established requirements, it is cleaned, cooled, pasteurized and separated.

Cheese grain is produced in cheese-making baths and boilers. This equipment carries out various operations: normalizes milk (if this was not carried out at the stage of preparing milk for coagulation), heats it to the coagulation temperature, adds the necessary components (bacterial starter, rennet, calcium chloride). With its help, part of the whey is selected, the cheese grain is kneaded and the protein clot is cut.

In order for the milk to “ripen”, it is kept at a temperature of about 10-12°C for 12-14 hours. Depending on the recipe, lactic acid bacteria starters may be added to it. These additives change not only the properties, but also the composition of milk, which increases its coagulability and ensures the necessary processing of the curd. In this case, the release of whey from the grain occurs much faster, the acidity also increases and the time required for cheese ripening is reduced. According to the requirements, the maximum acidity of milk after this procedure should not exceed 20°T.

To make milk curdle faster, cheesemakers use enzymes of animal origin and preparations made on their basis. The drug is added as a solution to milk heated to 28-35°C, after which it is thoroughly mixed for ten minutes. This allows for an even distribution of enzymes in the liquid. The milk is then left until the protein forms clumps. Sometimes the temperature of the milk may rise. The duration of milk curdling depends on the type of cheese. For hard varieties this period is about half an hour, for cheeses with a low fat content - about 40 minutes, and for soft varieties - an hour and a half.

The specialist determines the readiness of the curd by its fracture strength and density. If the protein curd is ready, it undergoes additional processing: when kneading, the whey with milk particles dissolved in it is removed from the raw material. During this procedure, the volume of the grains decreases somewhat, but they acquire a more rounded shape, elasticity and strength, and stop sticking to each other. The kneading time depends directly on the temperature of the milk, which, in turn, is determined by the recipe for making a particular type of cheese.

When the grain is well kneaded, it is heated again using steam and hot water. These operations allow you to remove excess moisture from it. Heating occurs with constant stirring, since when the cheese grain is reheated, lumps begin to form, which prevent the mass from drying evenly. The grain is heated in two stages.

First, the temperature is set to 39°C, and upon completion of processing, each type of cheese is set to its own temperature. After reheating, the grain is kneaded and dried again, which is why this stage of production is called drying. The duration of kneading depends on the acidity (the higher it is, the sooner the grain dries out). As a result of drying, the grain decreases in size due to the removal of excess whey.

You can determine the degree of readiness of raw materials for the next stage of production manually. When compressed, the optimally dried grain sticks together, and when shaken, it crumbles into individual particles. If you rub them between your palms, the grains disintegrate. The finished grain is sent for molding, as a result of which it acquires density.

Cheese is formed in two main ways - in bulk and from a layer under a layer of whey. In the first case, large industries use so-called whey separators, and in the second case, molding machines with a horizontal or vertical design. In small enterprises, cheese from the layer is formed in cheese-making baths, and in bulk - using perforated ladles, without expensive equipment. When molding, the cheese mass must have a reduced temperature. Therefore, in the rooms where the cheese molds are installed, the temperature is always maintained at about 19-20°C, and the molding procedure itself is carried out very quickly (in 30-40 minutes).

Pressing removes excess whey from the cheese. For this purpose, presses are used with varying degrees of compaction, which is acceptable for a particular type of product. Presses can be horizontal, vertical, rotary, tunnel, etc. Self-pressing is carried out in conventional forms, which are turned over from time to time. In the latter case, the cheese is compressed under its own weight.

The cheese can be subjected to self-pressing as a preliminary step, and at the same time to subsequent pressing with increasing pressure. This allows for almost complete removal of moisture, which is especially important for hard cheeses. The cheese is under pressure for an average of 15-20 minutes, as a result of which its surface becomes perfectly smooth and even, without cracks or pores. The exact time may vary depending on the type of cheese. At this stage it is also important to maintain the room temperature at 18-20°C.

After molding, the cheese is sent for salting. The most common way to salt cheese is in salting pools (with or without special containers) using brine. Brine is a solution of table salt with an average concentration of 20%. In it, cheeses are kept at a temperature of 8-12°C. The time required to salt cheese depends on its specific surface area (the brine must be evenly absorbed into the cheese), the composition and properties of the products, as well as the exact concentration and temperature of the brine. Salting soft cheeses takes a few hours, while hard cheeses are soaked in brine for several days.

After removal from the brine, the cheese is placed on stationary racks or in portable containers in a salting room, where it is dried for 2-3 days at a temperature of 10-12°C. The cheese is then transported to chambers for ripening, which involves reaching a certain level of acidity and depends on the air humidity and the temperature maintained in the chamber. While the cheese is there, the temperature should be about 12-15°C with a humidity of 88-94%, and by the end of ripening these figures gradually drop to 10°C and 80%, respectively.

To ensure uniform sedimentation, the cheeses are turned over from time to time (once every one to two weeks, depending on various factors). If unwanted deposits (for example, mold) appear on the surface of the cheese, it is washed, dried and again sent for ripening. This can significantly reduce production losses.

In order to further preserve the integrity of the top layer of cheese and prevent the development of mold on it, improve the quality of the product and avoid the need to constantly process cheeses during ripening, paraffin-based protective coatings are applied to their surface. For this purpose, so-called “paraffiners” are used. The surface on which the layer of molten paraffin wax composition is applied must be dry, and the temperature of the cheese should be about 10-12 ° C. Paraffin cheese does not require labor-intensive care - just wipe it regularly, every one and a half to two weeks, with a dry cloth. In addition to paraffin, polymer film is also used to protect cheese from spoilage.

The raw materials for the production of hard cheese are milk, cream and skim milk, food pepsin, bacterial and biological starters, enzyme preparations, table salt, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, calcium chloride, potassium nitrate, paraffin wax compounds or polymer film. Of course, both the raw materials and the preparations used must be of the required quality and comply with GOST, which is used for the production of cheese. Milk is the main raw material for cheese products, so cheese makers enter into agreements with dairy farms for the supply of products, which indicate all the requirements for the quality of raw materials, quantity, payment terms and delivery methods.

The cheese production line consists of several sections: a workshop, an area for fermentation, a salting section, and refrigeration chambers for storing finished products. The workshop will need the following equipment: horizontal cheese-making boilers, a buffer tank for the grounds, a column molding and pressing device (cheese molds, a press for final pressing, devices for servicing cheese molds, piping and fittings).

The starter room will require starters, an automatic dosing unit for the starter, a heating system, supply of skim milk or dairy-free base, steam sterilization of the upper bottom of the starter, and a control system. Centrifugal pumps are installed in the curing department, which ensure the flow of brine, curing basins and containers.

Refrigeration chambers and refrigeration units are used to store finished products. To organize a workshop you will need a room of at least 300 square meters. meters with a ceiling height of 3.5 meters. There will be a cheese production line, warehouse, and staff quarters here. The premises must comply with the requirements of SanPiN 2.3.4.551-96, have water supply and sewerage, as well as convenient access for transport.

Setting up a small-capacity mini-workshop will cost 5-7 million rubles. A line for the production of hard cheeses with a volume of 1400 kg per day costs 12-13 million rubles, depending on the manufacturer. Another 4-4.5 million rubles will be required for its delivery and installation. The equipment where finished products will be stored costs about 350 thousand rubles. The cost of renting premises for production can vary greatly, depending on the region and location.

Working capital (purchase of raw materials, monthly wage fund, etc.) amounts to about 7 million rubles. Add to this the cost of obtaining all necessary permits. Thus, a plant for the production of cheeses of the most common hard varieties will cost 30 million rubles. When purchasing an existing production facility, you can save several million this amount. With such costs, the payback period for a cheese factory is at least 3.5-4 years.

Sysoeva Lilia
- portal of business plans and manuals

Cheese is one of the most popular products among Russian consumers. Its production can be considered a true art, because the process is quite complicated. In addition to traditional recipes, it is worth experimenting in the production process. The best option is to create your own recipes and a personal brand, a personal brand. And there won’t be any problems with sales, because tons of cheese leaves supermarket shelves every day.

Cheese factories for home cheese making will begin to generate income only when a sales channel for the finished product is established.

Hard cheese is more popular than the same suluguni, and therefore, finding an interested consumer, according to practice, will not be difficult. But the key bet should still be placed on the sale of large quantities of manufactured products - both the income is higher and the warehouse will not be filled with goods.

Pay attention! Regarding the specific figures for the profitability of a mini-workshop, everything here directly depends on its capacity indicator and pricing policy in the region.

Calculation of annual income:

1. Output per month x price 1 kg of product = 500×250×12 months = 1,500,000 million rubles.
2. Gross annual income (profit - cost) = 940,000 rub.
3. Total costs, taking into account the initial investment in equipment - 720,000 rub.
4. Income before taxes (gross income - total expenses) = 220,000 rubles. Income after taxes (15%) - RUB 187,000. This will be the amount of net income.
5. The profitability ratio (net income/revenue) is equal to 20%.

It is better to create cheese making as a business at home in a private household. In an apartment, this is a difficult undertaking.

Cheese production at home as a business is formed from several stages. Failure to follow the rules of one may lead to difficulties in implementing the next. These stages must be taken with full responsibility.

Step No. 1 - choosing a legal form

The first step is to legalize your business idea for making cheese. For such a business, the most suitable variation is to open an individual entrepreneur - it will cost the owner only 800 rubles for paying the state fee.

You can think about opening an LLC, it will be somewhat cheaper, but it will take twice as long to complete it. It is recommended to open an LLC when the owner intends to seriously expand his own business, which means attracting third parties - investors to open large-scale production.

Important! For cheese making in the form of a home business, it is recommended to use the UTII taxation system; it is extremely simple and most transparent.

After registering the legal form, you need to sign a contract to rent the building for production (not required if you own the premises). At a further stage, permits are obtained from the SES and fire service authorities.

To open such a business you will need the following documentation:

1. Business license.
2. Company details.
3. Certificate of tax registration.
4. A contract for renting a place or premises (if the premises are your own, then this is not necessary).
5. SES permitting documents.
6. Permitting documentation from fire authorities.
7. Manufacturer's medical record.

Important!Cheese making at home is a type of business that will require a quality certificate. Similar requirements apply to all food products. Regarding cheese production, you must have the OKP declaration 92 2511.

Step No. 2 - select equipment

The set of equipment for the production of homemade cheeses depends on the quantity of products planned to be produced. If the production is small, then you can use a mini-cheese factory, the cost of which does not exceed the cost of a traditional multi-cooker. It is connected to a regular single-phase (220 V) electrical network, takes up minimal space, and therefore is an ideal solution for the home.

Such devices are usually designed for 15-20 liters of milk. The entire production cycle takes approximately 2 hours. In one procedure you can make 2-2.2 kg of homemade cheese. That is, one device is capable of processing 60-80 liters of milk at home. Mini-cheese factories allow you to produce not only cheeses, but also sour cream, yoghurts, homemade cottage cheese, butter and other dairy products.

The technological process of making cheese itself involves the purchase of other special equipment.

The auxiliary set usually consists of:

1. Stainless steel containers.
2. Filter elements for milk.
3. Coolers.
4. Mini-chamber for product maturation.
5. Molds for pressing cheese mass.
6. Pressing apparatus.
7. Brine bath.

Pay attention! Ready-made production lines for a specific type of product are sold on the market. Therefore, before opening a mini-dairy, you need to decide in advance on the range of products produced, and only then select equipment.

Step No. 3 - purchase of raw materials

Basically, a business of this kind is opened by farmers who have several dozen cows or sheep on their farm. But if you do not own your own herd, this is not an excuse to neglect the possibility of opening a personal mini-cheese factory. You can find milk importers and make homemade cheeses using purchased raw materials. You can also enter into a contract for the supply of milk with nearby farms. Labor costs in this case will be lower than when maintaining your own herd.

The most profitable option would be to purchase fresh milk from the population of villages and villages. But then you will have to constantly monitor the quality of the purchased products. It is on this indicator that the quality of the final product, and, accordingly, the image of the enterprise depends. Homemade cheese as a business is attractive to farmers.

To start making cheese at home, you need to master the basics of technology. In this case, a recipe for soft cheese, similar to Adyghe cheese and feta cheese, will help. This is the simplest recipe where you need to start.

Ingredients:

• fresh milk - 10 l;
• rennet enzyme - in accordance with the attached instructions;
• calcium chloride - half a teaspoon;
• salt - 3 teaspoons;

To make cheese we use the following algorithm:

1. Take the required amount of rennet and dilute it in a glass of water.
2. Take calcium chloride and dilute it in 50 ml of warm water. It is needed for the formation of clots.
3. Pour the milk into the bowl of the mini-cheese factory and carry out the pasteurization procedure. We wait for the milk to heat up to a temperature of 80 degrees, turn off the heating, and set the “water jacket” to cool.
4. Bring the milk to a temperature of 40 degrees.
5. We set the heating to a temperature of 39 degrees.
6. Add rennet and previously diluted calcium chloride to the milk. Mix the mixture thoroughly for 3 minutes.
7. Leave the resulting mass without intervention. for 45 minutes until we see the formation of clots.
8. Cut the formed clot with a knife into squares the size 3−4 cm. Then we cut these squares diagonally.
9. Mix the mixture thoroughly throughout 2 minutes and let it sit for 10 minutes so that all existing whey is separated.
10. We pour the whey into a clean container; it will be useful for making other products.
11. Transfer the settled mixture to a colander and strain, then place it in a cheese mold.
12. After the whey is completely gone, we salt the cheese.
13. Flavoring additives: herbs, spices, paprika, etc., are added as desired.
14. A wheel of cheese is pressed under its own weight within 2 hours.

Important! The cheese mass in the mold must be turned over every 20 minutes so that the liquid does not stagnate in one place.

Homemade cheese making does not have to be done on an industrial scale; it can be in mini format, that is, at home.

Equipment for home cheese making:

1. Mini cheese maker with a heating element with a power of at least 1.5 kW - the cost starts from 9,000 rubles. It is better to take a domestic manufacturer or an Italian brand. China will not help in this matter.
2. Milk sterilizer (if milk is purchased from the rural population) - from 3,000 rubles.
3. Colander for straining liquid from cheese masses - about 600-700 rubles. (price for stainless steel).
4. Molds for heads made of food-grade plastic - from 200 rubles. (head 1 kg) up to 500 rub. (head 5 kg).
5. Apparatus for pressing cheese masses - from 2500 rubles.
6. Bath for salting cheese (if necessary) - from 700 rubles. for plastic and up to 2300 for stainless steel.
7. Racks for storing the finished product (necessarily wooden - oak, linden, etc.) - from 1100 to 3000 rubles.

Purchasing the above equipment will not be difficult; many online stores supply such goods. Cheese making as a home business will be of interest to people who have their own farm.

If you want to purchase equipment from domestic brands, you can seek help from the company PK MOLEXPERT LLC, located in the city of Barnaul. The company has its own website where you can purchase any product online. Delivery is made throughout the country.

Among foreign brands, we can recommend the Italian manufacturer Sfoggia, which has been developing equipment for cheese factories for more than 10 years.

Even if you are planning to open a cheese factory at home, you still cannot do without a business plan. Only after calculating all the costs and possible options for developing your cheese business can you count on success. The advantage of a mini-cheese factory is that it does not require expensive equipment or highly qualified personnel to open it.

Formal part of the matter

To open a home cheese factory, it is important not only to register as an individual entrepreneur or legal entity. If you want to work officially without problems, you need to obtain all the licenses that are required to operate food production.

Products must be produced under special conditions. The room must have:

• cold and hot water supply;
• heating;
• natural light;
• sewerage;
• furniture made exclusively of plastic or metal;
• tiles on the walls;
• ventilation;
• fire safety equipment.

Only in this case can you obtain permits from the SES and fire inspection.

Equipment selection

The technical set for making cheese depends on how many heads of livestock you have on your farm. If you have a small farm, you can limit yourself to a mini-cheese factory, which costs no more than a bread machine or multicooker. It connects to a regular household network, takes up very little space, so it can be used at home.

She calculated about 18 liters of milk. The entire production technology takes approximately 120 minutes. One cycle can produce about 2 kg of cheese. That is, one worker can process 72 liters of milk at home per day. Using this setup, you can do business not only with cheeses, but also with yoghurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, butter, cream, and more.

However, only common popular products can be prepared using such equipment. The technology for producing premium cheeses will require purchasing a special cheese making kit. It usually includes:

• stainless steel container;
• milk filter;
• cooler;
• maturation chamber;
• mold for pressing cheese;
• press;
• brine pool.

On the market you can buy a production line already selected for a specific type of product. Therefore, if you are planning to open a relatively large-scale business, you need to think through the range of cheeses in advance and select equipment for it. The production technology for different types of cheese is not the same, so special equipment will be needed.

Raw material suppliers

As a rule, such a business is opened by those farmers who have a certain number of cows or goats on their farm. But if you don’t have your own small herd, this is not a reason to ignore the opportunity to open such a business. You can find milk suppliers and produce cheeses using purchased raw materials.

You can enter into agreements for the supply of milk with various farms that are located near your cheese factory. In terms of labor costs, it is even easier than maintaining your own herd. The simplest option would be to purchase milk from the rural population, but in this case the quality of the milk must be monitored very carefully. The quality of your products and your image in the market depend on it.

Cheese production technology

Business has its advantages over the production of other food products. First of all, it is absolutely waste-free. The whey that remains after cheese production is also readily purchased for various needs. Leftover milk can be sold along with cheese products. And from the leftover cheese and cottage cheese you can make processed cheese.

Their production technology is simple and straightforward. All residues are poured into a special melting tank, where they melt with constant stirring. While the mixture has not cooled, it is poured into packages and sent to refrigeration chambers.

The easiest way to prepare soft cheeses at home. To do this, milk is curdled, strained and compressed. This cheese is prepared in literally a couple of days, since it does not need to ripen like hard cheeses.

The technology for making elite cheeses, especially those with mold, is more complex. In this case, it is necessary to first ferment the raw material and keep it for several days, depending on the variety. Then a special fungus is added to it, and the product is left to mature. The period also varies and in some cases can reach 12 months. Only after this is the final shaping of the product carried out.

Staff

If your business is very small, then you don’t have to hire additional staff, but do it yourself or with the help of relatives. If you are planning to open a small workshop and purchase a separate production line, you will need assistants - no more than three people. At the same time, it is important that they understand the peculiarities of cheese production.

Cheese sales

Before starting a business, you need to think about where and how you will sell your products. Distribution channels depend on the size of your business. If you are organizing a small production, you can sell the goods at the nearest food market or drive a truck to the nearest city.

Larger-scale production will expand distribution channels to:

• wholesale resellers;
• retail chains in the city;
• shops in the city;
• catering establishments.

The ideal distribution channel is your own small store.

Approximate cost calculation

If we take as a basis a cheese factory in which approximately 100 kg of cheese will be prepared per day on a special production line, then the initial main costs will look like this:

• registration and other expenses – 100 thousand rubles;
• production line (including installation and delivery) – 300 thousand rubles;
• training of hired workers – 30 thousand rubles.

In total you will need approximately 430 thousand rubles.

Every month your production will require the following expenses:

• utility costs - 30 thousand rubles;
• salary for 2 people – 40 thousand rubles;
• other expenses – 50 thousand rubles.

In total, you will need to shell out about 140 thousand rubles every month.

With such production capacity, 2200 kg of cheese can be produced per month at an average selling price of 200 rubles/kg. Taking into account all related expenses, you can earn approximately 50 thousand rubles per month. and achieve payback in less than a year.

• Working with suppliers
• Business registration
• Cheese production technology
• Cheese cost calculations
• How much can you earn
• • • • Similar business ideas:

Opening a cheese factory is quite a promising project, considering that cheese consumption is only growing every year. The crisis, of course, has somewhat worsened the trend, but Russian residents still consume approximately 4 times less cheese than Europeans. This means that the market has enormous potential and new players will find their place here.

Meanwhile, organizing a serious cheese-making company requires millions of investments, which is practically unattainable for a small businessman in today’s conditions. But there is a way out - a mini-cheese factory. Using modern compact lines, you can open a small production workshop on an area of ​​100 square meters. m., spending no more than 1 million rubles. As sales volumes grow, the dairy can be equipped with new equipment and production capacity increased.

How much money do you need to invest to open a cheese factory?

It is impossible to find a clear answer to the question of how much it costs to open a mini-dairy. Many factors can influence the final cost of the project. For example, a premises may be owned or leased (we recommend reading “ How to conclude a lease agreement correctly"). If you find an option with ready-made communications and interior decoration in accordance with all requirements, you can save up to 300,000 rubles. and more. For example, a former dining room would be perfect for opening a mini-cheese factory. Also, the cost of equipment, which depends not only on productivity, but also on the manufacturer of the line, can have a significant impact on the amount of investment. An approximate breakdown of initial expenses might look like this:

• Line for the production of cheese, capacity up to 2000 l. processed milk per day - from 400,000 rubles.
• Auxiliary equipment (tables, carts, racks, etc.) - from RUB 80,000.
• Repair of the premises (if required) - from RUB 150,000.
• Deposit for rent - from 60,000 rubles.
• Purchase of raw materials (milk, enzyme) - from RUB 70,000.
• Certification, obtaining permits - from 100,000 rubles.
• Registration of a company and other expenses - from 50,000 rubles.

Total - from 910,000 rub.

Working with suppliers

Milk for cheese production is purchased from farms and SPK. The average price per liter of milk in the summer is 25 rubles. (2016). In winter, the wholesale price increases by 20 - 30%. Rennet, which helps separate proteins from whey, is purchased in specialty stores. For 500 liters of milk, approximately 100 ml of enzyme is required. The price in stores for such a volume is from 400 rubles.

Business registration

The best option for decorating a mini-cheese factory is limited liability company. Why not IP? The fact is that most large stores and retail chains prefer to work primarily with legal entities (for tax deductions), and the status of an individual entrepreneur, as you know, is an individual.

Which tax system to choose

As tax systems The simplified tax system is considered the best option. You can choose two options: pay 6% of revenue, or 15% of the cheese factory’s profit. What is more profitable will be shown by calculations. If the costs are too high, then you should definitely switch to 15% of the profit. Next, beginners may have questions about production certification. Certification is required for cheese production; you can read about this on the Rostest website. The issuance of a certificate for cheese is carried out by Rostest in accordance with technical regulations. The certificate allows the manufacturer to label its products in accordance with the law. Without this document it is impossible to get on store shelves. When obtaining a certificate, you may need the following documents:

• Certificate for raw materials (ask the supplier of milk and starter culture)
• Veterinary certificate for dairy raw materials
• Expert opinion of Rospotrebnadzor

What equipment to choose for cheese making

There are not many suppliers of equipment for mini-dairies. Mostly such equipment is purchased abroad. Among domestic manufacturers, one can highlight the company PC MOLEXPERT LLC, based in Barnaul. The most famous manufacturer of mini-cheese factories in Europe is Sfoggia. The company produces several models of cheese dairies for 120 and 360 liters. In this case, the equipment can operate both from electricity and from gas or diesel fuel. If you use the gas option, you can significantly save on electricity.

As for the technical characteristics, the 360 ​​liter model is capable of processing up to 1400 liters of milk in 16 hours. It is possible to produce not only cheese, but also yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, sour cream and pasteurized milk. The line includes:

1. The cheesemaker is the place where cooling, pasteurization and curd formation take place.
2. Bath - this is where the cheese heads are formed
3. Maturation chamber - designed to ripen cheese heads due to the required temperature and humidity
4. Dosing device - using this device, liquid products are poured into individual packaging

Cheese production technology

If you purchase equipment from a well-known company, you can produce cheese in a mini-dairy even without the help of an experienced technologist (but it’s better with a technologist than without). Because along with the line, as a rule, the manufacturer provides detailed instructions for making cheese and other dairy products. This is what the cheese production process looks like at the Sfoggia mini-cheese factory:

1. Raw milk is poured into the cheese maker. Milk can be pre-standardized for fat. Here the milk is pasteurized to 63 degrees. Then the milk is cooled to 40 degrees - at this stage the starter is added. Heating and cooling occurs automatically, without operator intervention. The fermentation time is on average 40 minutes and depends on the type of starter and the quality of the milk.
2. Next, rennet, previously diluted in water, is added to the milk. The enzyme helps all milk components (proteins, fats) stick together, forming a homogeneous dense mass - a clot. The curd hardening time at this stage is 20 minutes.
3. After hardening, the curd is cut with a special tool. Coarse cutting is done in the production of soft cheeses, and fine cutting is done in the production of hard cheeses.
4. Then the cheese mass is poured from the cheese maker into the cheese bath, where, due to special cheese molds, the grain is separated from the whey. The whey is poured into a separate container for subsequent use. In these forms, the cheese takes on its final form. The time spent in the bathroom is about 8 hours.
5. At the final stage, the cheese is placed in a salty solution, where the product remains from an hour to several days. From the salty solution, the cheese enters the ripening chamber, where the product can remain for up to several months, depending on the type of cheese.

Cheese cost calculations

Depending on the quality of the milk and the type of product produced, approximately 150 grams of cheese is obtained from one liter of milk. Accordingly, from 100 liters of milk you can get 15 kg of hard cheese. From here you can calculate the approximate cost of the product. First, some input data:

• Monthly production volume - 3000 kg
• The volume of purchased raw materials (milk) is 20,000 liters.
• The purchase price of milk is 25 rubles/l.

Expenses:

• Total costs for raw materials - 500,000 rubles.
• Sourdough and enzymes - 7000 rub.
• Utility bills (water + electricity) - 20,000 rub.
• Rent of premises - 100,000 rub.
• Staff salary - 120,000 rubles.
• Container and packaging - 25,000 rub.
• Fuel and lubricants - 20,000 rub.
• Other expenses - 30,000 rubles.

Total total expenses - 822,000 rubles. The cost of one kilogram of cheese is: 822,000 / 3000 = 274 rubles. Taking into account the trade margin of 30%, the retail price of such cheese is 356 rubles. Read more in the article “ Cheese production business plan».

How much can you earn

By opening a mini-cheese production, in the first year you can earn 850 thousand rubles per month, and in subsequent years 15-20% more, and net profit can amount to 1,000,000 rubles per year. To avoid problems and to avoid complaints about product quality, you need to constantly monitor products and equipment. See how to make a million at a cheese factory here.

Do you want to earn good money without any problems? Then you should think about investing. Not a bad option - investments in coworking centers and mini-offices. Here you can quickly increase your capital by making minimal investments.

Which OKVED code to indicate when registering a business?

Sometimes entrepreneurs doubt whether they have chosen OKVED correctly. Moreover, this year a new classifier of types of economic activity appeared. To open a cheese factory, you need to indicate the OKVED code 10.51.3. — “Production of cheese and cheese products.”

What documents are needed to open a cheese factory?

To open a cheese factory you will need package of documents for individual entrepreneur registration, conclusions from the SES and fire services, lease agreements, agreements with public utilities.

Do you need a permit to open a cheese factory?

To open a business you will need permission from Rospotrebnadzor. Mandatory permits from the SES, for which you need: state certificate. registration, taxpayer certificate, list of equipment, production flow sheets, premises rental agreement, confirmation of employees undergoing a medical examination, documents for ventilation, garbage removal agreement. An equally interesting option is investing in a car. To make good money on such investments, learn how to invest money in cars correctly. But if you are still determined to open a cheese factory, then you need to get started with the paperwork.

Cheese is one of the important food products. And making cheese at home is also a profitable business. This cheese turns out tastier and healthier. Therefore, before you know it, numerous customers will flock to you wanting to buy this product.

We will tell you how to start cheese production, what documents are needed and how to find a suitable location for a production workshop in another article. Here we will touch upon the issue of purchasing the necessary equipment.

So, in order to start making cheese you will need the following:

• Rennet or other leaven

  Equipment.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR PRODUCTION

So, in order to start the process of making delicious cheese, you will need:

Cheese mold

• Two large pots

  Thermometer

  Filter (colander)

  Long knife

  Spoon with long handle

  Two large pieces of gauze

  Bricks (6-8 pieces)

Let's take a closer look at each of these accessories.

CHEESE Mold

You can buy a special form, or at first you can use a tin can of the desired size, at the bottom of which you make a hole. The torn edges of the hole should extend outward to avoid deformation of the cheese. Line the inside of the mold with a cloth, then fill it with the cheese mass and cover it with a cloth on top. During spinning, excess liquid will escape through the holes.

The piston is a necessary part of the press and is a circle of plywood or a piece of board of a certain diameter that can easily move inside the mold. The piston is used to press the cheese mass to the bottom, getting rid of excess whey and forming sufficient density.

The press can be purchased from specialized companies, or you can use a press for salting lard, if you have one, or make it yourself.

You can use a colander or a small sieve as a filter.

THERMOMETER

It is best to choose a floating thermometer, as well as any other that can be immersed in liquid.

GENERAL TECHNOLOGY FOR CHEESE PRODUCTION AT HOME:

The cheese mass is placed in a container lined with fabric on the top board, which is then placed under a press. The ends of the fabric are closed at the top. The piston is inserted into the container, and bricks are installed on the top board. The piston, being under pressure, gradually compresses the cheese mass and squeezes out the whey. The more bricks, the higher the density of the cheese.

To make cheese, you will need cow's or goat's milk, starter culture, rennet and salt. If desired, you can add orange food coloring to the cheese.

Raw whole goat or cow's milk produces the richest cheese. You can also use skim milk. In order for milk to last longer, preservatives are added to it, but this worsens the curdling process. In this case, it is advisable to carry out pasteurization.

Never use powdered milk. It will make the cheese too “skinny”. Take only fresh milk from healthy cows and goats.

TYPES OF CHEESE

Hard cheese

It is obtained from washed, squeezed and separated from the whey cottage cheese. The curd obtained in this way is placed under a press and aged until a cheesy taste appears. It will take about a month to get well-pressed cheese. The longer the aging, the sharper the taste of the cheese; the heavier the load, the denser its structure. Hard cheese is best made from whole milk.

Soft cheese

The production technology is the same as for hard, except that the holding period under pressure is much shorter - about a week or without holding at all. Soft cheeses are best made from whole or skim milk.

Homemade cheese

Homemade cheese is made from separated cottage cheese with the addition of water in large quantities. It is usually made from skim milk, but whole milk can also be used. The process of making homemade cheese is the simplest compared to other types of cheese.

WE COUNT EXPENSES AND INCOME

Cheese making on an industrial scale requires significant investment. So, to organize a mini-workshop with average productivity, you will need about 5-7 million rubles. Production of hard cheeses in volumes of 1400 kg will essentially require 12-13 million rubles. Equipment for storing finished products costs about 350 thousand rubles. Don’t forget also that delivery and installation of units also costs money. Such a service will cost 4-4.5 million rubles.

The purchase of raw materials, wages and other working capital will require another 7 million rubles. Add to this the obtaining of the necessary permits and registration of the workshop. Thus, the cheese production business will result in a tidy sum - about 30 million rubles. You can purchase an existing production facility or start small - with small batches, using mostly home-made equipment (we talked a little about how to make it at the beginning of the article). Then you will be able to save several million.

Industrial equipment can be different:

Let's calculate the payback period for an industrial cheese-making workshop and the possible profit:

Capital investments: about 30,000,000 rubles

Average monthly revenue: about 8,000,000 rubles

Net profit: about 900,000 rubles

Payback: approximately 36 months.

If you want to become a cheese tycoon, but you don't have enough money for promotion, there are various options to solve this issue. You can take out a loan or invite an investor to invest this amount in your business by providing him with a business plan and proving the effectiveness of your production.

But there is another option. You can open a small enterprise based on an existing one with minimal investment. Thus, purchasing a simple set of equipment will cost 40-60 thousand rubles. You will also need to purchase rennet powder in sufficient quantities.

Simpler equipment for cheese production could be like this:

or even like this:

Understanding the costs required for the industrial production of cheese, it is logical to assume that a home cheese factory is a completely workable business idea. By simplifying the manufacturing technology and using homemade equipment, you can reduce the cost of cheese, and selling an environmentally friendly product made by yourself is always a pleasure.

The production of cheese curds can bring the owner a monthly profit of up to 100 thousand rubles. Think about it, if you have something to say, write it in the comments. Good luck!