Business plan for opening a cheese production (mini-cheese factory) with a processing volume of up to 500 kg of milk per day.

Project indicators

• Monthly turnover (revenue): RUB 761,700.
• Net profit: RUB 174,845.
• Payback: 25 months

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

According to preliminary calculations, opening a cheese production enterprise will require an investment of about 4,315,000 rubles:

• Purchase and registration of a land plot - 335,000 rubles.
• Purchase and delivery of a ready-made module “Cheese factory KOLAX 501C” - RUB 2,500,000.
• Connection of engineering systems (electricity, water supply) - RUB 150,000.
• Purchase of a refrigerated Gazelle car—RUB 700,000.
• Commissioning works - 200,000 rubles.
• Purchase of raw materials and materials - 30,000 rubles.
• Business registration and other organizational work - 100,000 rubles.
• Reserve fund - 300,000 rubles.

Step-by-step stage of starting a business

According to the business plan, a cheese manufacturing enterprise should be opened in the following sequence:

1. Search for sources of project financing
2. Cheese market analysis
3. Business registration
4. Purchase of land
5. Coordination of the project with regulatory authorities
6. Personnel search
7. Purchase of a turnkey cheese factory
8. Installation of a cheese factory, production of a trial batch of cheese
9. Permit for production, approval of the cheese factory with the SES, fire inspectorate and local authorities;
10. Launching the enterprise at full capacity

Description of products and services

According to the plan, at the initial stage of its activity, our cheese factory plans to process up to 500 kg of milk per day (MW 3.7%). At the output, the enterprise will receive the following products:

• Adygei cheese (GOST R 5253379-2009), in vacuum film - 24 kg
• Mozzarella cheese, packaged in plastic cups - 24 kg
• Cream (MJ 20%) - 15 kg
• Whey - 437 kg

The wholesale selling price of Adyghe cheese will be 250 rubles/kg, Mozzarella cheese - 350 rubles/kg, cream - 150 rubles/liter, whey - 20 rubles/liter. Estimated revenue from product sales per day will be:

• Adyghe cheese - 6000 rub.
• Mozzarella cheese - 8400 rub.
• Cream - 2250 rub.
• Serum - 8740 rub.

Total - 25390 rub. It is planned to purchase milk for production from local agricultural enterprises and farms. The wholesale price will be 20 rubles/l. Milk will be purchased daily for a total amount of 10,000 rubles.

Production plan

To accommodate a mini-cheese factory, the business plan provides for the purchase of a land plot of 950 square meters. m. The site belongs to the municipal government. The purchase price will be 335 thousand rubles.

What equipment to choose for cheese production

As a premises, it was decided to buy a ready-made turnkey cheese-making complex from the KOLAX company. The advantage of this option is obvious. We receive a mini-cheese factory consisting of 7 fully factory-ready modules. The complex complies with all sanitary requirements of Rospotrebnadzor, fire safety and electrical safety standards, technical regulations of the Customs Union “On the safety of milk and dairy products” (TR CU 033/2013). The milk pipelines and equipment of such a cheese factory are made of stainless steel.

Layout of the cheese factory

Dimensions of the complex are 12,500x8,500x2,790, installed power, kW - 145, supply voltage, V - 380/220, ±5%, 5-wire electrical network - L1, L2, L3, N, PE, quality of supply water - in accordance with SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01, water consumption, m3/day - 3.

The advantage of purchasing a ready-made KOLAX complex is that the company offers free production of a trial batch of products, free development of packaging for cheese, free personnel training, installation and commissioning work with a team visiting the site of the cheese factory.

Recruitment

It is planned to employ an experienced technologist, cheese factory workers (3 people), general workers (2 people), an accountant, a sales manager and a cleaner as personnel. The staff will include 9 people, the wage fund will be 140,000 rubles. per month.

Which taxation system to choose for an enterprise

The organizational and legal form of the enterprise will be a limited liability company. It is planned to use the simplified tax system as a taxation system, 15% of the profit of the cheese factory. Licensing for this activity is not provided.

Marketing and advertising

Special attention will be paid to product sales issues. In order to ensure that the products do not linger in the warehouse, it is planned to employ a product sales manager. His responsibilities will include searching for new clients, working with the customer base, and monitoring the shipment of goods. The company's products will be sold primarily within the region, within a radius of no more than 100 km from the place of production. The production volume does not imply entry into larger markets. In close proximity to the enterprise there is a large city with a population of 600 thousand inhabitants, which will significantly increase the opportunity to sell the cheese factory's products. Potential distribution channels include the following:

• Local grocery stores;
• Small retail chains;
• Specialized dairy stores;
• Cafes and restaurants in the city.

A Gazelle refrigerated vehicle will be purchased to deliver goods to sales points.

Financial plan

Let's move on to calculating business performance indicators. The constant monthly expenses of the cheese factory, according to the calculations of the business plan, will be:

• Salary - 140,000 rubles.
• Insurance deductions - 42,000 rubles.
• Raw materials, ingredients, packaging - RUB 284,000.
• Utility costs - 45,000 rubles.
• Transport costs - 25,000 rubles.
• Other expenses - 20,000 rubles.

Total - 556,000 rubles.

How much can you earn from cheese factory products?

The net profit of the enterprise will be 174,845 rubles per month. The profitability of cheese production is 31%. With such indicators, you can count on the payback of the project within 25 months of the enterprise’s operation.

This is a full-fledged, ready-made project that you will not find in the public domain. Contents of the business plan: 1. Confidentiality 2. Summary 3. Stages of project implementation 4. Characteristics of the object 5. Marketing plan 6. Technical and economic data of the equipment 7. Financial plan 8. Risk assessment 9. Financial and economic justification of investments 10. Conclusions

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, customer 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 the 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 sent again 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

In order to open a successful cheese production enterprise, it is not necessary to build large production facilities and invest tens of millions of rubles. The capabilities of modern equipment make it possible to open a turnkey mini-dairy on a minimal area and with minimal investments not exceeding one million rubles. Let's take Italy for example. Most cheese factories in Italy are small farm complexes that keep their own livestock of up to 100 heads, a mini-dairy shop and a shop during production.

It is beneficial to start cheese production for those who already have their own farm raising dairy cattle. It turns out that we are opening the processing of our own milk, and accordingly, we will receive more competitive final products, in this case, cheese.

Although it is possible for novice entrepreneurs who do not own their own farm to open a mini-cheese factory. The main task will be to find inexpensive raw materials: milk. The required volume of daily supply is only 500 - 1500 liters per day. This volume can be provided by one or two farms in your region.

We start with sales...

Planning any business in the manufacturing sector begins with searching for channels for selling products. First we must think about who we will sell the cheese to, and only then where and on what equipment to produce it. Selling a quality product will not be difficult if there is a large city nearby and your prices will not be higher than those on the market. There are several options for selling hard cheese:

• wholesale resellers;
• through your own store;
• through food markets;
• outbound trade from a mobile shop;
• through wholesale deliveries to small retail grocery stores;
• through intracity retail chains (you won’t be able to get into federal chains with small volumes);
• supply to canteens, cafes and restaurants.

Take the time to study the domestic market, visit all possible enterprises, and offer them options for future cooperation.

Business registration

The organizational form of a small cheese production can be an ordinary individual entrepreneurship. Although very often manufacturing enterprises choose the LLC form, that is, a legal entity. The fact is that with LLC status it is easier to sell your products, since a legal entity is trusted more than an individual, such as an individual entrepreneur. The simplified tax system is most often chosen as a taxation system: 6% of revenue or 15% of profit.

Room

To organize the production of cheese in small volumes (up to 100 kg of cheese per day), a room with an area of ​​20 square meters is suitable. m. These are small areas that can be allocated in any farm or rented a separate room, the rent of which will cost about 30-50 thousand rubles per month. Equipment for a mini-cheese factory is quite compact in size. The height is no more than 90 cm, and the diameter is no more than 70 cm.

Basic requirements for the premises: availability of hot and cold water supply, heating, ventilation and sewerage systems. Otherwise, cheese factories are subject to the same requirements as other food production: the presence of natural light (no basements!), furniture only made of plastic or metal, the presence of fire safety equipment - fire extinguishers and fire shields. The walls should be covered with tiles up to a height of 2.5 m, and the rest should be painted with non-toxic paint.

Equipment for cheese factory

The complete set of any cheese factory consists of main and auxiliary equipment. The main equipment is a stainless steel container with a volume of 50 liters or more. The container can be heated using a heating element, gas, circulation of hot water or steam. Cooling occurs due to the circulation of cold tap water. Additional equipment includes racks, press tables, maturation chambers, cheese molds, milk coolers and filters, salting basins, etc.

The best suppliers of equipment for cheese factories are Italian manufacturers. For example, Sfoggiatech supplies turnkey mini-cheese factories for the production of semi-hard cheese. You can purchase a set for 120 liters and 360 liters. A 120-liter mini-cheese factory can process up to 500 liters of milk per day, and a 360-liter unit can process up to 1,200 liters per day. The processed milk can be goat, cow, sheep, etc. This cheese factory is ideal for small farms, restaurants and supermarkets.

There are also good cheese producers in Russia. For example, the company PC MOLEXPERT LLC. They produce dairies under the "Cheese-Master 150" brand. The quality of their equipment is at a fairly high level, and the prices are much cheaper than their Italian counterparts.

Thus, a cheese factory with a capacity of 70 to 1000 liters of milk per day will cost from 150 thousand rubles. From 100 liters of milk using this equipment you can get:

• 7-9 kg of hard cheese;
• 5-6 kg of sour cream (fat content 20%);
• 13-15 kg of soft cheese;
• 6-7 kg of sour cream (fat content 20%);
• 100 liters of various drinking products: kefir and snowball, yogurt and fermented baked milk, Varenets and ayran, tan, etc.

Business plan for organizing a mini-cheese factory with a production volume of 100 kg of hard cheese per day.

Capital investments:

• purchase of a turnkey Cheese-Master 150 mini-cheese factory + delivery and installation - 300 thousand rubles;
• preparation of premises (repairs) – 200 thousand rubles;
• personnel training – 30 thousand rubles;
• organizational expenses (including business registration) – 50 thousand rubles;
• other expenses – 50 thousand rubles.

TOTAL: 630 thousand rubles.

Fixed monthly expenses:

• rental of premises (50 sq. m.) – 30 thousand rubles;
• salary + insurance contributions (4 people) – 80 thousand rubles;
• utility costs - 30 thousand rubles;
• advertising – 20 thousand rubles;
• other expenses – 50 thousand rubles.

TOTAL: 210 thousand rubles.

• production volume per month (22 working days) – 2200 kg (100 kg per day);
• selling price for 1 kg – 200 rubles;
• cost of raw materials per 1 kg – 35% or 70 rubles;
• monthly revenue (minus costs for raw materials) – 286,000 rubles.

Hence, profit before tax will be: 286,000 – 210,000 (fixed expenses) = 76,000 rubles. From this amount we subtract the simplified tax system (15% of profit) and get a net profit of 64,600 rubles. The payback of the project, subject to 100% shipment of manufactured products, will occur after 10 months of operation of the cheese factory.

Many entrepreneurs noted great prospects in the cheese manufacturing industry a long time ago - when the domestic market began to experience an acute shortage of this product. And over time, many businessmen have been able to implement a business project for the production and sale of cheese. And not only is this area attractive due to the huge demand, but there are also no special difficulties to overcome when starting a workshop - the cheese production technology is simple, and the equipment is quite widely represented on the market. But there are some nuances here, since we are talking about a food enterprise. Therefore, an entrepreneur should still be prepared to resolve important issues.

Our business assessment:

Starting investments – from 50,000 rubles.

Market saturation is average.

The difficulty of starting a business is 6/10.

The best option for a novice entrepreneur is to open a mini cheese production plant, and not an entire industrial complex, because it will not be easy to get one on its feet. But a small workshop is not difficult to maintain - you can get by with a minimum of personnel. But there is another option for starting your own business - organizing a home business. Making homemade cheese, in terms of technology, will differ little from industrially produced products, but here there is no labor automation; almost all stages will have to be carried out manually. And it is absolutely clear that you cannot manually produce large quantities of goods, selling which you can get a lot of revenue.
A well-developed business plan for cheese production is almost half the success. The project analyzes the sales market and the level of competition, selects raw materials and technological processes, and provides calculations of capital investments and further profits. A business plan is needed not only to “present” it to the bank or investors, but also for yourself - in order to build a stable enterprise and its further development.

What needs to be taken into account in order to open your own hard cheese production in Russia?

Which cheese is more profitable to produce today?

The recipe for making cheese has been known for many centuries, and during this time many types of cheese have appeared. Each variety is characterized by an original composition and a special production technology. Therefore, even before purchasing equipment, it is important to think about which of the possible types of cheese will be produced within the walls of the plant.

There are several main groups of cheeses:

• hard cheeses,
• soft cheeses,
• pickled cheeses,
• smoked cheeses.

Also, there is a classification according to which all cheeses are divided into types depending on the milk used in the manufacturing process. So, for example, in addition to products made from cow's milk, we can distinguish goat cheese and cheese from buffalo milk.

Even a beginner in this business will be able to master the technology for producing any of the presented types of products. But it is the production of hard cheese that today is considered the most promising niche, since the products are in high demand due to their taste and variety of applications.

Having worked out the recipe, it will be possible to produce the following varieties of hard cheeses popular among the population:

The production of hard cheeses will relieve the manufacturer from many technological difficulties. For example, to obtain blue cheese, you will need to purchase expensive enzymes, and pigtail cheese will require the purchase of additional equipment.

So, within the walls of the workshop we decided to produce only hard cheese. Now we will take care of documenting the enterprise, purchasing high-quality raw materials and equipment.

Registration of a future enterprise

Since it is planned to launch an enterprise in the food industry, Russian-made cheeses must undergo quality certification. But you can receive certificates only after the workshop is registered with the tax service.

As an organizational and legal form, it is better to carry out your activities through an LLC.

In order to obtain permission for mini cheese production, the following package of documents must be submitted to Rospotrebnadzor:

• application,
• constituent documents of the enterprise.
• veterinary certificate for raw materials,
• phytosanitary certificate,
• ready-made samples of labels and packaging.

After inspections and quality analyzes of the sample product, the supervisory authorities will give permission to carry out activities.

Will cheese production at home require official registration? It all depends not only on the honesty of the entrepreneur, but also on his future plans. And if friends and acquaintances still buy uncertified products, then not a single store will sell such a product. Therefore, if you are planning to enter larger markets, all permits must be obtained.

Raw materials used and technology for producing hard cheese

Technological diagram for the production of hard cheeses

Recipes for cheese production are kept in the strictest confidence by all enterprises, since few of them work according to GOST - preference is given to specifications, when it is possible to change both the composition of the finished product and its technology. That is why it will be difficult to indicate any exact recipe for the cheese. To produce a high-quality, tasty product, you cannot do without the help of a qualified technologist.

Let us highlight only the main components that are necessarily used to obtain hard cream cheese:

• milk,
• leaven,
• salt.

Often, to reduce the cost of the final product, not only natural ingredients are added to the recipe, but also artificial ones - flavors, preservatives, dyes. If you are going to offer consumers only a high-quality product, it is better to refuse to use them.

And if processed cheese is produced mainly from the “residues” of cheese production, and many manufacturers do not pay special attention to the quality of the initial raw materials, then for the production of hard cheeses it will be necessary to carry out strict incoming control of all components arriving for processing.

You should enter into an agreement with suppliers for wholesale supplies of raw materials - this way you can minimize costs. The contract specifies all the requirements that all components must meet.

The technology for making hard cheeses involves complex biochemical processes.

But in general, the process can be represented as follows:

• Preparation of milk (pasteurization, cooling, aging, introduction of bacterial starter).
• Coagulation of milk to form a homogeneous mass;
• Maturation of the mass.
• Salting the mass and forming cheese heads.
• Pressing cheese and drying it.
• Coating the cheese wheel with a special paraffin-polymer composition.

And it is precisely the simple technological scheme for cheese production that makes it possible to carry out the process at home. But in order to obtain hard rennet cheese, all of the above operations will need to be performed manually. But in fairness, we note that a fully automated line will require human intervention - the technology has not yet reached such a high level when each of the stages would be carried out by machines.

The resulting Parmesan cheese must undergo internal quality control. And for this, in addition to a qualified technologist, it is necessary to hire laboratory technicians who can distinguish soft cheese from hard varieties, and know all the quality indicators that the final product must meet.

How to equip a workshop for the production of hard cheeses?

The next thing the entrepreneur has to do is buy equipment for cheese production. Thanks to the active development of this niche, a lot of technical equipment options for both mini-workshops and full-scale plants have appeared on the market.

Hard cheese production line

A standard cheese production line consists of the following equipment:

• pasteurization baths,
• soaking baths,
• press,
• shapes,
• paraffiner,
• desktops.

The price of cheese production equipment indicated in the list will depend on its power and degree of automation. For a small enterprise, a line costing 500,000-700,000 rubles will be sufficient for the next few years. But to the mandatory costs for technical equipment of the workshop, you must also add the cost of refrigeration chambers for storing raw materials and finished products. And this is at least another 300,000 rubles. You may also need additional cheese molds to be able to produce cheese heads of different diameters. But they are inexpensive. To expand the range of products, you should think about purchasing an industrial slicer that would cut cheese into layers, and a packaging machine that would pack cheese slices in a vacuum. Add another 300,000-400,000 rubles to expenses.

If such an impressive starting capital is not available, then a standard low-power line will be quite sufficient. In addition, purchasing used equipment will significantly reduce start-up costs.

Profitability of the planned enterprise

A mini workshop for the production of hard cheese will begin to make a profit when sales channels are established. Hard varieties are more popular than the same Adyghe cheese and Suluguni cheese, and therefore, as practice shows, it will not be difficult to find interested buyers. But the main bet should still be placed on the sale of large quantities of released goods - there will be more revenue, and the products will not sit in warehouses.

As for the specific profitability figures of the planned enterprise, it all depends on its capacity and pricing policy in the region. On average, cheese is sold at a wholesale price of 150-250 rubles/kg. And when producing about 400 kg of finished product per day, a mini cheese production business can bring its owner an income of over 1,500,000 rubles. And for a small workshop these are excellent financial indicators. After deducting all variable costs of operating, the net profit will be 50,000-120,000 rubles/month.

When the enterprise will pay off will depend on the investments made in the business. If we take the minimum, the cheese production process will require costs of 1,500,000 rubles. It is possible to start a home business without spending even 50,000 rubles. But you shouldn’t count on big profits here, since it’s physically impossible to produce large quantities of products manually.

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;
• daylight;
• 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.