Matt and Tracey Jones from Kirwee were so impressed by the difference sheep milk made for their daughter they embarked on their new venture and have since created a skincare range using the milk.
The farming couple are about to unveil a range of bottled pasteurised milk and farm-made cheese.
The Jones’ milk about 600 sheep on the property. Just across from the milking platform they have built a milk processing and cheese-making factory.
Farm manager Juan Cavallotti is also the head cheesemaker.
“The first day I was here I went to work on a farm and I met my actual partner. Twelve years later we have a couple of kids and we are getting married in February,” he said.
Cavallotti started working for the Jones’ three years ago. Prior to that, he was working on dairy farms.
“One of the things with the cow dairy industry is that even though you might be a great manager you’re just one more fish in the pond, but doing this is something new,” he said.
Cheesemaking is in his blood. His family, with roots in Northern Italy, started making cheese over a century ago.
“I have a very, very old Italian cheesemaking book that was what the Cavallotti used to use,” he said.
The Jones’ have recently teamed up with four other local sheep milk suppliers and Cavallotti says he expects to process up to 3000-litres a day at the peak of the season.
“All the milk will come to this factory here and I will be a busy man.”
Over the past couple of years, Cavallotti has developed a range of cheese. The first to go to market will be his Havarti and Gouda which will initially be sold in New World and Four Square supermarkets in the South Island.
The pasteurised sheep milk will be sold in 450ml bottles and will retail for about $5, Jones said.
“I don’t believe it’s going to take many years before people will buy this in preference (to cow’s milk) because of the goodness of the milk and the benefits to the environment.”
The cheese and milk will be sold under The Jones Family Farm brand.
The couple launched their Sabelle sheep milk skin and body care products last year.
