Cheese Making Business – Plan, How To Start

How to Start a Cheese Making Business

Introduction

Making raw unpasteurized cheese is an art form that needs devotion, patience, and information about the craft. If you have them, then never think again to start a cheese making business. The best earning business with a simple process. However, several people achieve a good synergy.

There are two ways to begin cheese making. The easier and upfront way is to buy raw milk from vendors or the harder way yield the milk from dairy cows straight. Some farmhouse producers create cheese on a commercial basis and earn an enormous profit. Apart from trialing and familiarity with elementary cheese make skills the entrepreneur should acquire the trade.

A step-by-step guide to starting a Cheese Making Business in India

Business plan to start a cheese shop

guide to starting a Cheese Making Business in India
Guide to starting a Cheese Making Business in India (pic source : pixabay)

Research the trade

The process can be studied using books, online materials, formal or informal tutelage. The person can get a subscription for cheese making classes or become a trainee. Make sure you familiarize yourself with different cheese recipes and get an idea of the proper machinery needed to purchase.

Types of cheese

There are various types of cheese, hard cheese, semi-hard. More are fresh cheese, blue mold, white mold, and goat cheese. Fresh cheese is Feta, Mozzarella, and Cream cheese. White mold is Double crème white, Brie, and Camembert, etc.

Blue mold is Stilton, Roquefort & Danish blue, Gorgonzola. Semi-hard are Havarti & Gruyere, Cheddar. Hard cheese is Parmesan, Manchego & Grana-Padano, Pecorino while goat cheese is Blue goat cheese, and Chevre, etc.

  • Hard cheese
  • Semi-hard
  • Blue mold
  • Fresh cheese
  • White mold
  • Goat cheese

Market potential to start Cheese Making Business

Cheese is a natural dairy item that is healthy, rich in nutrients, and in great demand. Demand for organic cheese has crossed $6.5 billion in 2019 with a steady increase yearly.

The business is profitable and needs less capital, inexpensive ingredients, and basic machinery. Quality cheese demands quality control, proper equipment, and standardized protocols.

Reasons to start Cheese Making Business

  • Natural diary product
  • Huge demand
  • The business is money-spinning
  • Less capital needed
  • Inexpensive constituents
  • Basic machinery
  • Plan with your standards (quality control)

Equipment required for starting Cheese Making Business

The type of equipment depends on whether it’s homemade or procession line product. Procession line uses heavy industry fabricated equipment while home products demand basic machinery.

Equipment required for Homemade Cheese

To produce at home, acquire electric cream separators, electric butter churns, and milk pasteurizers. Few others are large stockpot, skimmer, thermometer, large bowl colander, cheesecloth, and butter Muslin.

Procedure to process Cheese

Commercial processing includes fresh milk tank, stretching, bending, and molding. Other processes are whey discharge, curd sterilizing, fermentation, and cooling.

Commercial grade equipment comprises homogenizing, milk storage, cheese pressing machine. Others are plate pasteurizer, storage tank, fermentation, vacuum degasser, milk cooling tank, and cheese.

  • Commercial equipment
  • Homogenizing
  • Milk storage
  • Cheese pressing machine
  • Plate pasteurizer
  • Storage tank
  • Vacuum degasser
  • Milk cooling tank
  • Cheese VatCheese
  • Milkplan bulk tank

How to start a Cheese Making Business

In case if you miss this: Ideas To Make Money In India.

How to start a Cheese Making Business
How to start a Cheese Making Business (Image credit: pixabay)

To begin a cheese-making business you must do a proper market analysis and get an idea of your target market. Then do a proper business plan and feasibility study. You can even begin from scratch, or join a franchise or overtake an existing business.

Next, get the information of the cheese-making process and distinguish different cheese items before composing your recipe. Register a business name, have insurance cover, and register the items.

  • Proper analysis of your target market
  • Craft an appropriate business project and feasibility study
  • Initiate from scratch or purchase an already existing business.
  • Get the knowledge about the cheese-making step
  • Differentiate the various cheese products
  • Design your recipe
  • Make sure you register the business name
  • Avail insurance
  • Register the product
  • Marketing ideas

Registration, license and permissions required to start Cheese Making Business in India

It is very important to consider this aspect of registration for your business no matter you plan for any size of your business. The process differs depending on your state’s laws. Additionally, as it comes under the food category, the Cheese manufacturing demands particular permission from the concerned government body. It is recommended to consult with a business consultant for operating the unit smoothly without any legal troubles.

Below is the list of licenses required before starting the Cheese Making Business in India

  • Registration of firm
  • GST registration
  • Trade license
  • Pollution certificate
  • MSME/SSI registration
  • EPI and ESI registrations
  • Trademark 
  • FSSAI registration
  • IEC code
  • FPO act

Business Entity: The first registration for any business is to register it as a business entity by knowing about the form of the organization. It could be as a sole proprietorship or a partnership or a limited liability partnership or a one-person company. This will help in availing a few benefits to the business and must, therefore, be selected carefully before registering the business at the Registrar’s office.

FSSAI registration: As Cheese is classified as the processing of food or food products and thus as per the definition requires an FSSAI registration. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is meant for protecting and promoting public health by regulation and supervision of food safety hence FSSAI is a mandatory registration/license for the business. The FSSAI registration process is entirely online and quite easy to follow, once the documents are ready.

Shop Act or Trade License: As the Cheese business for example in Maharashtra, India requires applying for a Shop Act License from the local municipal authority to run the business. This license helps manage the working conditions along with working hours, leaves, wages, holidays, etc. of the employees and supports the business to run smoothly.

Udyog Aadhaar Registration: As the Cheese is categorized as a small business and hence it must be registered under Udyog Aadhaar which is a registration and recognition for MSMEs- micro, small, and medium enterprises.

GST Registration: Every business, including the Cheese, should associate with taxes at some point and for monitoring a single uniform taxation structure, the business should get a common GST number which stands for Goods and Service Tax.

BIS certification: Apart from these registrations the business should get BIS certification as well as tax liabilities.

No Objection Certificate from State Pollution Control Board: Cheese doesn’t cause any pollution so no clearance is needed, however, it is recommended to check it with the State Pollution Control Board of the locality where the business is established.

Cheese Making Business set up

Generally, you can begin a small-scale Cheese making business plant in a 100-150 sq. ft. area. However, space is based on the business size and the expected production capacity or yield in specific.

Choose the location properly. It is better to have space near to the industrial area. Additionally, you must check for a good water resource and an uninterrupted power supply. Check the transport availability provision as well. If you wish to keep a goods vehicle for logistic purposes then make sure you allocate a safe parking place.

Packaging

The last stage in the manufacturing process of Cheese is called packaging. In this process, the packaging is automatically done by the machine which has a ribbon of flat packaging cardboard threaded into it.

Cost or investment to start a Cheese Making Business in India

If you are choosing any small-scale business in Cheese production then you must pay for raw materials specifically milk and other things such as packaging material and other things. If you are inaugurating a small-scale business then employees’ remuneration is also essential. The capital for small scale Cheese production business is Rs. 1 lakh. Additionally, on a large-scale basis, the equipment can be around 2.30 lakh rupees. The cost of raw material could be about Rs. 10,000. Therefore, the entire cost could be estimated to 1-1.5 lakh rupees.

For beginning the business, you must plan for the budget. You may charge around 150 to 200 rupees per kilogram in the market. Not only this, but you can also directly contact and have a network with restaurants and hotel industries.

Profit in Cheese Making Business in India

Because of the high demand, the profit margin in Cheese making business is high. One can gain up to 2000 rupees every day. The profit margin in the Cheese production business is much more for wholesale dealers. If you carefully follow the above-mentioned steps you can earn income through Cheese production business though you have spent less capital.

Marketing strategy to promote your Cheese product

Cheese products are having huge demand and thus marketing them is relatively simple. Sell the product in the farmers market, or supermarkets and grocery shops. Sell to hotels, top-class restaurants, delicatessens, food joints.

Another way is to initiate an artisan cheese shop and sell directly to people. Use electronic media, print, social platforms or you can even own a website to promote the products and publicize them to the target market.

As the Cheese is an FMCG product, it must have extensive advertising and product promotion methodology. And it is recommended to have an organized marketing team. Select a trendy and memorable name for your product. Prepare the label properly. Advertisements in the electronic media and FM channels are very essential in promoting this type of item. In addition to that, try to keep your product in retail stores as much as possible in your area. Supermarkets and malls are also the best choices for selling the product.

How to do branding for your Cheese product?

Register an easy and catchy name to remember the name for product branding. Add product brand name, product description, logo, content, net weight per kg, and preparation ingredients on the packet.

Conclusion of Cheese Making Business in India

Cheese making business is a perfect start to earn good profits with less investment. Plan your business accurately and get ready to earn more by establishing your brand in the market.

2 COMMENTS

  1. I would like to start cheese business in Rwanda/East Africa.Please your advice on machinery is needed. I like how you explain this business.

    Thanks

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