What Whitestone Cheese Co. does

Whitestone Cheese Co. (legal entity Whitestone Cheese Ltd.) is a privately held, family-owned New Zealand artisan cheesemaker founded in 1987 by Bob and Sue Berry in Oamaru, North Otago, originally established as a farm diversification during the 1980s rural downturn. The company produces a portfolio of more than 25 handcrafted cheese varieties from a single Oamaru factory, spanning blue cheeses (Windsor Blue, Highland Blue, Moeraki Bay Blue, Oamaru Blue, Shenley Station Blue, Lake Pukaki Blue Brie, Vintage Windsor Blue), bries and camemberts (Lindis Pass Brie and Camembert, Mt Domett Double Cream Brie, Benmore Brie, Waitaki Camembert, Probiotic Brie/Camembert), cheddars and vintage (Totara Tasty, Mount Kyeburn Smoked), fresh styles (Ferry Road Halloumi, Fuchsia Creek Feta, Creamy Havarti), and specialty varieties (Monte Cristo sheep milk, Vintage Five Forks, Duntroon goat milk). Production uses traditional artisan methods — open vat production, hand-cutting, hand-ladling, and traditional pressing — combined with proprietary biological assets including the 45 South blue mould strain discovered in Fairlie baleage and a proprietary sweet blue culture. Milk is sourced daily from North Otago Fonterra dairy farms and a single Ashburton goat farm, and the Whitestone Food Safety Programme performs double pathogen testing at curd and wrap-off stages exceeding MPI NZ standards.

The business operates five distinct revenue streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via a Shopify storefront with NZ-wide NZPost delivery; the Cheese Club subscription service (Everyday Gourmet $50/month and Entertainer $75/month tiers, with 3- and 6-month gift subscriptions); wholesale distribution through retail and food service stockists throughout New Zealand plus export to Pacific Islands; the on-site Diner & Deli restaurant at 469 Thames Highway, Oamaru; and Qualmark Gold-certified guided factory tours priced at $35 per person. Gift products include the Wooden Giftbox ($65), Cheese Tin ($45), Survival Pack ($140), celebration cakes, and gift cards ranging from $25 to $120. The company is Toitū carbon reduce certified and partners with Meridian Energy for 100% renewable electricity. Customer segments are horizontally distributed across NZ retail consumers (primary), retail stockists, food service operators, Pacific Islands export markets, and tourism visitors to Oamaru. The company holds 19 employees, no external investors or parent entity, and a multi-decade award record including Supreme Champion (2006), Champion of Champions (2025), Commercial Champion (2025 and 2026), a 98.95% score at the 2016 World Championship Cheese Contest, and multiple Gold Medals at NZ Cheese Awards across 2024-2026.

Name

Whitestone Cheese Co.

Legal name

Whitestone Cheese Ltd.

Website

https://whitestonecheese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Whitestone Cheese Co. is a family-owned New Zealand artisan cheese maker founded in 1987, producing over 25 handcrafted cheese varieties at its Oamaru factory for NZ consumers via e-commerce, subscriptions, wholesale stockists, an on-site Diner & Deli, and Pacific Islands export.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Cheese Manufacturing

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Special Food Services (7223), Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese production
• Cheese subscription service
• Wholesale cheese distribution
• Blue cheese varieties
• Artisan dairy products

Headquarters

HQ city

Oamaru

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Online sales through Shopify storefront for individual cheese products, gift boxes, and merchandise with NZ-wide delivery.
2. Cheese Club Subscriptions: Monthly or bi-monthly recurring deliveries of 650g+ of hand-cut artisan cheese with condiments and tasting notes. Multiple tiers from Everyday Gourmet ($50/month) to Entertainer ($75/month).
3. Wholesale Distribution: Supply to retail stockists throughout NZ and internationally to Pacific Islands, plus food service operators.
4. Diner & Deli Restaurant: On-site dining experience at Oamaru Diner & Deli with lunch service, cheese-focused menu, and factory tours.
5. Guided Factory Tours: Educational tours of the cheese factory in Oamaru, priced at $35 per person.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Whitestone Cheese Co. is an artisan cheese producer headquartered in Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand, handcrafting over 25 cheese varieties since 1987 using traditional open-vat and hand-ladling methods. The company sells these cheeses through direct e-commerce, a recurring Cheese Club subscription, wholesale to retail and food service stockists, plus an on-site Diner & Deli restaurant and guided factory tours in Oamaru.

Product overview

Whitestone Cheese Co. is an artisan cheese company based in Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand, producing handcrafted cheeses since 1987. Their product portfolio centers on over 25 distinct cheese varieties including Cheddars (Totara Tasty, Mount Kyeburn Smoked), Blue cheeses (Windsor Blue, Highland Blue, Moeraki Bay Blue, Oamaru Blue, Shenley Station Blue), Bries and Camemberts (Lindis Pass Brie, Mt Domett Double Cream Brie, Benmore Brie, Probiotic Brie/Camembert), Feta and Fresh (Fuchsia Creek Feta, Ferry Road Halloumi), Semi-soft (Aged Airedale, Vintage Five Forks, Creamy Havarti, Livingstone Gold), and specialty cheeses (Monte Cristo sheep milk, Duntroon goat milk). The company also offers gift products (Wooden Giftbox, Cheese Tin, Survival Pack), subscription services (Cheese Club with The Everyday Gourmet and The Entertainer tiers), a Diner & Deli restaurant, factory tours, celebration cakes, and complementary products (crackers, fruit pastes). They hold Toitu carbon reduce certification and operate from their factory with milk sourced from North Otago Fonterra dairy farms and goat milk from Ashburton.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Label Range: Premium cheese collection featuring specialty aged and unique varieties including Vintage Five Forks and Lindis Pass Brie.
• Cheese Club

Products and services

• Totara Tasty Cheddar Aged 18-24 months vintage cheddar with hard, crunchy texture from crystals; sharp, punchy with savory aftertaste. Named after the Totara settlement near Oamaru.
• Windsor Blue Flagship blue cheese, distinctive in both flavour and colour. Full-bodied and savory with sharp, lingering aftertaste. Named after Windsor township 19km inland from Oamaru on the 45th parallel south.
• Highland Blue Classic traditional blue style cheese with strong full-bodied, punchy flavour and sharp finish. Named in honour of Otago's high country and Scottish roots.
• Ferry Road Halloumi Fresh cow's milk halloumi-style cheese; salty in flavour, crispy and firm with squeaky texture. Award-winning with golden colour from full cream milk. Named after Ferry Road near Oamaru on the Waitaki Plains.
• Livingstone Gold Sharp-flavoured cheese made in traditional open vat with rich, savory taste and lingering finish. Vibrant golden colour from annatto, a natural plant-based colouring. Named after North Otago's historic Livingstone goldfields.
• Vintage Five Forks Premium Black Label cheese made from 50/50 blend of goat's and cow's milk. Develops pineapple nutty flavours with sweet crunchy finish through long maturation. Named after the rural community of Five Forks, 20km inland from Oamaru.
• Monte Cristo Sheep's milk cheddar pressed and matured for approximately fourteen months. Complex, nutty, fruity flavours that become stronger and more complex with age. Named after the Berry family farm at Maheno, south of Oamaru.
• Lake Pukaki Blue Brie Combines creamy texture of Lindis Pass Brie with delicate tang of Moeraki Bay Blue. Custardy, decadent texture with mild blue veining. Named after Lake Pukaki.
• Oamaru Blue World class blue cheese innovation using production techniques from Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, Emmentaler, and Whitestone's own Windsor Blues. Soft buttery cow's milk cheese with corrugated rustic rind.
• Probiotic Camembert Camembert cheese with additional natural Bifidobacterium (BB-12) probiotic. Whitestone was the first NZ cheese maker to produce cheese with natural probiotics. Delicate texture with rich milk flavours and mushroom finish.
• Lindis Pass Brie Premium brie described as 'New Zealand's greatest ever cheese' by Michelin-starred chef Josh Emett. Rich, decadent, smooth, creamy with earthy mushroom flavours. Developed from historic 774 AD 'Brie de Meaux' recipe.
• Aged Airedale Whitestone's first semi-soft style cheese, unique to the company. Full-bodied flavour profile with strong to sharp acidic finish. Red wax applied at five days old to help mature; aged minimum six months.
• Mount Kyeburn Smoked Cheddar Aged cheddar smoked with natural maple smoke. Created from Totara Tasty aged cheddar (18-24 months) then smoked for strong, distinctive smoky flavour. Waxed to maintain flavour profile.
• Mt Domett Double Cream Brie Smooth, creamy, earthy cheese with rich flavour that strengthens with ageing. Made from full cream cow's milk with extra cream added. Un-stabilised natural ripening style brie.
• Moeraki Bay Blue Premium high cream blue cheese, smaller log with shorter maturation than Windsor Blue. Creamy, smooth, soft with mild blue flavour and rich full cream finish. Made using same recipe and mould as Windsor Blue.
• Farmhouse Original first cheese launched by founders Bob and Sue Berry in 1987. Unique NZ cheese covered in fine bloomy penicillin candidum rind; only pressed cheese with white rind. Semi-soft with fresh lemon-grass aroma and springy elasticity.
• Waitaki Camembert Delicate, smooth and creamy with light mushroom flavours. Captures quality of Whitestone's premium whole milk. Soft ready ripe texture produced by stabilising curd with higher vat temperatures.
• Shenley Station Blue Exclusive original NZ blue cheese using New Zealand's own blue mould strain discovered in Fairlie baleage. Soft white in colour with totally different unique flavour compared to other Whitestone blues. Complex, savory flavours.
• Fuchsia Creek Feta Cow's milk feta; mild, fresh and slightly salty with tangy aftertaste. Fresh low salt feta, smooth and just a little crumbly.
• Creamy Havarti Premium milk produces rich full flavoured Havarti-style cheese with soft and sticky texture. Subtle, creamy, buttery and sweet with light acidic finish.
• Benmore Brie Living cheese that ripens with ageing. Soft, delicate, smooth, and creamy with young delicate flavour that strengthens with ripening to a hint of mushroom.
• Lindis Pass Camembert Premium Black Label cheese using historic centuries-old hand craft techniques. High moisture, full flavoured, rapid-ripening cheese with smooth, velvety texture that runs when ripe. Hand wrapped in black cheese paper.
• Vintage Windsor Blue Made with low moisture curd matured 2-3 months longer than Windsor Blue for intensified rich complex flavours. Rich and bold blue with spicy luxurious sweet finish and soft buttery texture.
• Probiotic Brie Camembert-style cheese with additional natural Bifidobacterium (BB-12) probiotic. Rich milk flavours with mushroom finish. Part of Whitestone's probiotic cheese range.
• Duntroon Goat Milk Cheese Goat milk cheese from a single Ashburton farm north of Oamaru. All milk delivered fresh and raw to be pasteurised at the factory.
• Stoney Hill Sheep Feta Sheep milk feta cheese.
• Round Hill Artisan cheese variety in Whitestone's product range.
• Chef's Brie Brie cheese variant in Whitestone's artisan cheese range.
• Cheese Club Subscription Seasonal selection of factory hand-cut artisan cheese delivered monthly or bi-monthly. The Everyday Gourmet (650g+ per delivery, $50/month) and The Entertainer (1kg+ per delivery, $75/month), available as ongoing or gift subscriptions in 3 or 6 month terms. Includes tasting notes and condiments.
• Diner & Deli Restaurant located at 469 Thames Highway, Oamaru. Lunch service with a cheese-focused menu featuring Whitestone's cheeses. Open Tuesday-Sunday 8am-5pm, Monday 9am-3pm for cheese and coffee sales.
• Guided Factory Tours Behind-the-scenes tours of the cheesemaking factory in Oamaru, priced at $35 per person. Qualmark Gold certified visitor experience.
• Celebration Cakes Custom cheese cakes made from a wide range of Whitestone's award-winning cheeses. Customers can create their own bespoke celebration cake.
• Wooden Giftbox Original wooden gift box containing six award-winning varieties of cheese: Totara Tasty cheddar, Aged Airedale, Mt Domett Double Cream Brie, Windsor Blue, Waitaki Camembert and Livingstone Gold. Priced at $65.
• Cheese Tin Classic selection cheese tin featuring Whitestone's award-winning cheeses, priced at $45.
• Survival Pack Bulk cheese selection pack for extended supply, priced at $140.
• Online Gift Card Digital gift card for cheese purchases, starting from $25.
• Whitestone Cheese Diner & Deli Gift Card Physical gift card for Whitestone Cheese Diner & Deli experience. Available in $50, $75, $100, and $120 denominations. Redeemable at 469 Thames Highway, Oamaru.

Quantifiable outcome

• Toitu carbon reduce certification achieved
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Meridian EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with New Zealand's only 100% renewable energy company to power operations with renewable electricity sourced from local hydroelectric power plants.
• Fonterra Dairy Farms (North Otago)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFresh cow's milk sourced from North Otago Fonterra dairy farms, delivered daily and fresh to the factory. Clean water, rich limestone soils, quality pastures, and temperate climate create premium milk for artisan cheese production.
• Ashburton Farm (Goat Milk)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoat milk sourced directly from a single Ashburton farm just north of Oamaru. All milk delivered fresh and raw to be pasteurised at the factory.
• NZPostcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery partner for Cheese Club packages nationwide. Overnight courier delivery with tracking, non-signature required for residential addresses.
• Stripe / Shopify PaymentscoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment gateway for online credit card transactions for Cheese Club subscriptions. Provides safe and secure payment processing via Internet.
• Big Chill DistributorsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUsed for bulk orders of 2 or more gift boxes to the same address. Bulk orders typically shipped via Big Chill rather than overnight courier.
• Planet ProtectorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEco-friendly packaging supplier for Cheese Club deliveries. Wool liners and ice packs keep cheese chilled during transit in recyclable cardboard boxes.
• Local Farmers (Whey Recycling)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhey collected and returned as stock feed to local farmers, creating a sustainable by-product cycle.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Meyer Gouda Cheese: Family-owned NZ artisan cheesemaker producing gouda and other specialty cheeses, similar in scale, heritage, and premium positioning. Comparable as a NZ family-operated artisan producer targeting gift, retail, and food-service channels.
• Cypress Grove: US artisan cheesemaker known for distinctive blue and fresh cheeses (e.g., Humboldt Fog). Comparable to Whitestone as a specialist artisan producer with strong brand identity and innovation pedigree.
• Kapiti Cheese: New Zealand's most prominent premium cheese brand, producing a wide range of cheeses including blues, bries, cheddars, and aged varieties. Directly comparable to Whitestone as a NZ artisan cheesemaker competing for similar retail and food-service shelf space, though now owned by Fonterra with broader distribution.
• Vermont Creamery: US artisan cheesemaker producing fresh and aged cheeses with strong farm-to-table branding and award recognition. Comparable to Whitestone as a small-batch artisan producer using traditional methods, direct farm sourcing, and premium positioning.
• Origin Earth: NZ artisan dairy producer offering cheeses and other dairy products with an emphasis on provenance and sustainability. Comparable to Whitestone in product category, NZ origin story, and premium positioning.
• Rogue Creamery: US artisan blue cheese producer with award-winning international reputation and export presence. Comparable to Whitestone's Windsor Blue as a specialist blue cheese brand with global recognition.
• Neal's Yard Dairy: UK-based artisan cheese affineur and retailer specialising in British and European farmhouse cheeses. Comparable to Whitestone in its specialist cheese retail and aging expertise, though operates primarily as a retailer/affineur rather than producer.
• Barry's Bay Cheese: Long-established Canterbury-based NZ cheesemaker producing traditional cheeses. Comparable to Whitestone as a heritage NZ artisan producer targeting similar retail and food-service customers.
• Cranky Goat Cheese: Small NZ artisan goat cheese producer with farm-direct sourcing and premium positioning. Comparable as a NZ artisan cheesemaker with a similar single-origin, hand-crafted value proposition, though narrower in product range.

Broad incumbents

• Fonterra Brands (NZ): NZ dairy giant and Whitestone's own milk supplier via Fonterra farms. Relevant peer as a broad incumbent owning Kapiti Cheese and competing across NZ retail and food-service with much greater scale and distribution reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whitestone-cheese-co-

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Whitestone Cheese Co.