Mention Maffra Cheese to any serious Aussie gourmand and they’ll say you’re in for a slice of something special. Founded over 40-years ago by master cheesemaker Ferial Zekiman, this thriving Gippsland farm put Maffra on Australia’s foodie map. Secure water, green grass, happy cows and great talent is the formula behind their success.
Google Ferial and you’ll find an extensive back catalogue of her cheese making adventures and awards. We’re talking international awards where she’s been up against the best of the best and outshone them. Recently, she’s added three more prestigious awards to her collection at the 2024 International Cheese and Dairy Awards. Her aged cheddar earned a gold medal, her farmhouse brie also took home gold, and her vintage club cheddar won bronze.
These international awards highlight her success against some of the top competitors in the industry. However, in conversations with Ferial, you get the sense the journey to culinary stardom hasn’t been easy.
“I arrived in Maffra in 1980, and due to financial difficulties decided to set up a small cheese facility on the farm I’d bought,” she said.
“It was a bit of change from running several successful pharmacies in Melbourne, but I had to adapt quickly to changed circumstances and my chemistry background gave me an advantage.”
Cheesemaking is a technical craft that requires getting moisture content, pH and salt concentration just right for each style of cheese.
Ferial says understanding the science of farming is crucial for creating standout products.
“From breeding to feeding of the cows to milking, curding and cheddaring the cheese we have complete control over the whole process,” she said.
“We source our milk from our Friesian-Holstein cows. These cattle breeds provide milk with the distinct fat and protein profiles we want to produce the unique flavours that make our cheese so good.”
Ferial’s farm yields around two million litres of milk per year, and of which goes into her cheese range. This translates to an annual production of around 200 tonnes of cheddar cheese and 50 tonnes of soft cheese.
While she says the Cheddar is her personal favourite, there’s a range of flavours for every palate.
“We specialise in all the English territorials that include Cheshire, Cheddar, Wensleydale, Red Leicester, Sage Derby. We also do a Normandy Brie and a Glenmaggie and Tanjil Blue,” she said.
Ferial thinks you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere better than Gippsland to produce high-quality food.
“We’ve got a beautiful cool climate, great soils and secure water and results in means lush pasture and happy cows. And happy cows mean great milk and excellent cheese,” she said.
“All the water for our irrigation comes from Lake Glenmaggie via the Macalister irrigation network and our stock water comes from a bore on the farm.”
She says well-managed, secure water is the lifeblood of her business and on her farm, they collect the run-off from their paddocks in a spoon drain that feeds into a six megalitre reuse dam.
“Every drop of water is precious. It’s a finite resource we must look after and use sustainably if we want the business to keep thriving into the future,” she said.
“Southern Rural Water are extremely helpful in explaining the regulations, how the irrigation network operates and what we need to do to when it comes to accessing water fairly.”
There’s a feeling of purpose and quiet optimism when you walk around Ferial’s farm, and it radiates from her team 22-strong team who believe in her vision and work together to create cheese Maffra can be truly proud of.
“I’m very positive about the future of farming and cheese making in the Macalister Irrigation District,” she said.
“We have consistent rainfall, a plentiful supply of water, a great team and a loyal and growing customer base in Australia and overseas.”
If all this talk of cheese has your mouth watering, we can confirm they are all delicious and need to feature on your next board.