ARTISAN PRODUCTS
South Waikato is home to over 150,000 dairy cows. So where better to run a business dedicated to creating artisan cheeses?
The lush, undulating landscape has around 400 dairy herds, producing milk that’s known around the world for its quality. When Over The Moon Dairy’s founder Sue Arthur was
looking for a place to set up her cheese-making business, it made perfect sense to choose the town of Putaruru, right in the heart of the region.
Sue sources all of her products locally. And it’s not just limited to milk from dairy cows. Sheep, goats and even buffalo graze on the nutrient rich slopes of the region, providing the natural ingredients that go into Over The Moon’s famous cheeses.
“Being able to source our ingredients locally and work with our suppliers to ensure the final product is of premium quality is important to us,” Sue says.
A winner on the world stage.
Her logic can’t be faulted.
Since starting production in 2007, Over The Moon Dairy has garnered over 120 medals and trophies both locally and internationally.
The boutique factory produces the widest range of specialty cheeses in the country – over 27,000 kilograms a year.
The cheeses are found in top restaurants and delicatessens around the world. There’s always a healthy flow of customer traffic in their factory store too, thanks to its main highway retail presence.
In fact, thanks to Over The Moon Dairy and local businesses like it, Putaruru has established quite a reputation for its locally sourced pure artisan products.
Sue Arthur is proud of the the businesses “pasture to plate” approach, employing local people and producing real local food.
“Our cheese is truly a representation of the South Waikato.”
