ARTISANAL CHEESE INDUSTRY ON THE PLATE IN HURON COUNTY

Huron County, Ontario can be the world’s next great cheese producing region, that according to Richard Fitoussi, a local culinary expert with a passion for creating new business opportunities.

Mr. Fitoussi is well-acquainted with the specialty foods market. As the recently retired Innkeeper and current co-owner for The Little Inn of Bayfield, he has watched with great interest the growing market demand for high-end specialty food items like artisanal cheese. That, combined with renewed consumer interest in local food, has set his mind to thinking.

The province of Quebec produces innumerable cheeses, each with its own distinct characteristics and loyal market following. So why not here? “In Huron County, we have an abundance of dairy farms located within 2 hours of major metropolitan areas like Toronto, Hamilton, London and Windsor. These dairy herds produce a superior product with high butterfat and protein levels, perfect for rich, flavourful artisanal cheeses. We should be adding value to our raw milk by creating new products that are in demand” insists Fitoussi.

His persuasive arguments have convinced others he is on the right track, including the County of Huron Economic Development Services and the Huron Business Development Corporation. Each organization has anteed up some seed funding to explore the potential in more detail.

“The key”, says Mike Pullen, Economic Development Officer for the County of Huron, “will be to develop a range of cheeses that suit the unique terroire of Huron County and satisfy a broad spectrum of Ontario’s ethnic and local markets.” To that end, Fitoussi has prepared an investment prospectus detailing opportunities for production and marketing of 10 specialty cheeses – essentially what amounts to a new “cheese region appellation” for Huron County.

“These will not be traditional commodity cheeses like cheddars, goudas, or brie”, says Fitoussi. In fact, international trademark laws are making that increasingly difficult. Instead, the suggestion is to develop a suite of entirely new cheese appellations, named after the communities in which they are produced. Imagine a “Bayfield Blue”, an “Old Goderich”, or a “Creamy Exeter”.

The concept is already gaining some attention from potential cheese-makers. Paul Nichol, Manager for the Huron Business Development Corporation says their group is currently working with a number of trained cheese makers in the region who are interested in the opportunity.

“We think it would be great for the local economy” says Nichol, adding that “we’ve convinced ourselves it can work. Now we are ready to start sharing this information with potential entrepreneurs & investors who want to get in at the ground level.”

For More Information Contact:

Mike Pullen, Economic Development Officer, County of Huron

519-524-8394 x. 247

mpullen@huroncounty.ca