ITALIAN CHEESES LIMITED

What ITALIAN CHEESES LIMITED does

Italian Cheeses Limited is a privately held, New Zealand-based artisan cheesemaker producing handcrafted Italian cheeses using traditional techniques originating from the Puglia region of Italy. The company is operated by founders who are cheesemakers from Puglia and manufactures its products in Auckland from locally sourced New Zealand cows' milk, with no preservatives used. Production is run on a twice-weekly cadence to maximize freshness, with vacuum packaging extending the shelf life of certain varieties (e.g., Scamorza) to approximately 30 days.

The product portfolio spans four core cheeses — Mozzarella (marketed as Fior di Latte, the company's most popular line), Ricotta (Gold Award winner at the 2012 NZ Champions of Cheese Awards), Scamorza (a melting cheese available plain or smoked), and Marzotica (a grating cheese, also available smoked) — alongside a rare cheese line comprising Burrata, Provolone, Fagottino, and Manteca. All production is handcrafted in small batches at the Auckland facility.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer revenue is generated through weekend farmers' market presence at La Cigale Market in Parnell and Gulf Harbour Market in Whangaparaoa, supported by a website, recipe content, Facebook, and earned media including a 5-page Dish Magazine feature. A B2B channel supplies fresh cheese to Auckland restaurants twice weekly, with named customers including Pane & Vino. Additional orders are accepted via email. The company is privately held with no institutional investors, funding rounds, or parent company disclosed; headcount is approximately 5 and no revenue is publicly reported.

Name

ITALIAN CHEESES LIMITED

Legal name

Italian Cheeses Limited

Website

https://italiancheeses.co.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Italian Cheeses Limited is a New Zealand artisan cheesemaker producing handcrafted Italian cheeses (Mozzarella, Ricotta, Scamorza, Marzotica, and rare varieties) using traditional Puglian methods from locally sourced cows' milk, serving Auckland consumers via farmers' markets and restaurants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Italian Cheeses

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pasta Filata Cheese Manufacturing (Mozzarella, Provolone, String Cheese) (AFAHABAC), Fresh/Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Unripened & Soft) (AFAHABAA), Grated, Shredded & Sliced Cheese Manufacturing (Value-Added Cuts) (AFAHABAF), Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)

Keywords

• Artisan cheesemaking
• Italian cheese production
• Handcrafted mozzarella
• Fresh ricotta cheese
• Specialty dairy products

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Farmers' Market Retail Sales: Direct retail sales of handcrafted Italian cheeses at farmers' markets around Auckland, including Gulf Harbour Market and La Cigale Market in Parnell.
2. Restaurant B2B Supply: Fresh cheese delivery to Auckland restaurants twice weekly. Direct B2B relationship with hospitality sector.
3. Direct Email Orders: Orders placed via email contact, with expressions of interest collection for future ordering.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Italian Cheeses Limited is an artisan cheesemaking company that handcrafts traditional Italian cheeses (Mozzarella, Ricotta, Scamorza, Marzotica, Burrata, Provolone, Fagottino, and Manteca) in New Zealand using cheese-making techniques from Puglia, Italy. Production occurs twice weekly from locally sourced New Zealand cows' milk, with all cheeses made without preservatives. Distribution is direct through Auckland farmers' markets (La Cigale Market in Parnell and Gulf Harbour Market in Whangaparaoa) and twice-weekly fresh delivery to Auckland restaurants.

Product overview

ITALIAN CHEESES LIMITED is an artisan cheesemaking company producing handcrafted Italian cheeses in New Zealand using traditional Puglian methods. Their core product lineup includes Mozzarella (their most popular cheese), Ricotta (their most versatile cheese, Gold Award winner 2012), Scamorza (their melting cheese), and Marzotica (their grating cheese). They additionally produce rare Italian cheeses including Burrata, Provolone, Fagottino, and Manteca. All cheeses are handmade without preservatives using locally sourced cows' milk, with products made fresh twice weekly. The company supplies restaurants and sells at farmers' markets around Auckland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mozzarella (Fior di Latte)

Quantifiable outcome

• Gold Award for Ricotta and Bronze Award for Mozzarella at 2012 New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Kapiti Fine Foods: Premium NZ cheese brand producing a range of specialty cheeses for retail and foodservice. Comparable on product category, premium positioning, and broader NZ distribution presence.
• That's Amore Cheese: Australian artisan Italian-style cheesemaker producing mozzarella, burrata, and other Italian varieties. Direct comparable on Italian cheese specialization, artisan positioning, and foodservice/DTC dual channel.
• Puhoi Valley Cheese: NZ-based artisan cheesemaker producing a range of handmade cheeses sold at farmers' markets and specialty retail. Comparable in product category (artisan cheese), GTM (DTC + specialty retail), and target customer (foodie consumers and foodservice).
• La Casa del Formaggio: Australian manufacturer of Italian-style cheeses including mozzarella and ricotta for retail and foodservice. Comparable on Italian cheese category and B2B foodservice focus.
• Whitestone Cheese: New Zealand artisan cheesemaker based in Oamaru, producing handcrafted cheeses with multiple award wins. Comparable on artisan positioning, award recognition, and DTC/specialty retail distribution model.
• Meyer Gouda Cheese: NZ artisan Gouda producer sold at farmers' markets and specialty retail. Comparable artisan positioning, NZ-based DTC farmers' market model, and small-scale craft production.

Broad incumbents

• Mainland Cheese: Fonterra-owned mass-market NZ cheese brand offering mozzarella, ricotta, and cheddar across grocery. Comparable on product category but competes on price and scale rather than artisan positioning.
• Fonterra: New Zealand's largest dairy cooperative, producing commodity and branded cheeses domestically and for export. Comparable on dairy product category and NZ origin, though vastly larger and more diversified.
• Tatua Dairy: NZ specialty dairy manufacturer producing cream products, mozzarella, and dairy ingredients for foodservice and B2B. Comparable on dairy manufacturing and B2B foodservice supply, but at a much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Karika Cheese: NZ artisan cheesemaker producing specialty cheeses in small batches. Comparable on artisan positioning and limited distribution footprint, though smaller product range.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/175393152545929
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/italian-cheeses-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ITALIAN CHEESES LIMITED