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Food
A small home-based dairy that turns about 100 litres of fresh milk a day into soft white cheese for families, grocers and dairy shops.
Where it fits:TürkiyeSyriaYemenMoroccoNigeriaThe GambiaIndonesia
Food
A small home-based dairy that turns about 100 litres of fresh milk a day into soft white cheese for families, grocers and dairy shops.
Where it fits:TürkiyeSyriaYemenMoroccoNigeriaThe GambiaIndonesia
Soft white cheese is one of the most widely eaten local cheeses, and its customer base is very large. Making it is a simple, traditional craft, and both the ingredients and the tools are easy to find.
This model processes about 100 kg of mixed buffalo and cow milk a day into roughly 25 kg of soft white cheese, without milk powder and without watering down the milk, which gives a better product than many competitors.
It suits someone looking for productive, profitable work with modest means: one person, helped by a family member, can run it from a spare ground-floor room or garage.
The daily output is small, so it is not hard to sell if quality stays steady. The closer the workshop is to homes and shops, the easier the sales.
About 100 kg of milk a day yields around 25 kg of cheese, according to the original study. Yield depends on the milk: cow's milk alone usually gives 15–20 kg per 100 litres (estimate).
Working 26 days a month, output is roughly 500–650 kg of cheese a month (estimate).
Dairy products usually need a health licence or food registration and health certificates for workers. Check the requirements of your local municipality, health authority and trade registry before starting. Printed packaging should follow local food-labelling rules.
| Equipment | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Floor gas burner | 1 | ≈ $60 (estimate) |
| Gas cylinders | 2 | One in use, one spare; ≈ $60 (estimate) |
| Stainless steel heating pots, 70 L | 2 | ≈ $220 (estimate) |
| Aluminium milk containers, 50 L | 2 | ≈ $80 (estimate) |
| Aluminium water-bath pots, 100 L | 2 | ≈ $160 (estimate) |
| Wooden whey-draining table | 1 | Can be made locally; ≈ $80 (estimate) |
| Fridge or chest freezer (10 cu ft or more) | 1 | ≈ $450 (estimate) |
| Milk testing kit (acidity, fat, density) | 1 set | ≈ $150 (estimate) |
| Wooden moulds or plastic baskets | 30 | ≈ $100 (estimate) |
| Scale, thermometer, strainers and cheesecloth | 1 set | ≈ $70 (estimate) |
Floor gas burner
Quantity: 1
≈ $60 (estimate)
Gas cylinders
Quantity: 2
One in use, one spare; ≈ $60 (estimate)
Stainless steel heating pots, 70 L
Quantity: 2
≈ $220 (estimate)
Aluminium milk containers, 50 L
Quantity: 2
≈ $80 (estimate)
Aluminium water-bath pots, 100 L
Quantity: 2
≈ $160 (estimate)
Wooden whey-draining table
Quantity: 1
Can be made locally; ≈ $80 (estimate)
Fridge or chest freezer (10 cu ft or more)
Quantity: 1
≈ $450 (estimate)
Milk testing kit (acidity, fat, density)
Quantity: 1 set
≈ $150 (estimate)
Wooden moulds or plastic baskets
Source: Nearby farms and milk traders
Cost: $0.40–0.55 per litre (estimate)
100 kg a day; test before accepting
Source: Dairy supply shops
Cost: ≈ $3 a day (estimate)
0.3 litre a day
Source: Local market
Cost: ≈ $3 a day (estimate)
10 kg a day
Source: Dairy supply shops
Cost: Under $1 a day (estimate)
0.02% of the milk
Source: Packaging shops
Cost: ≈ $5 a day (estimate)
50 trays a day
İktifa buys the equipment in the owner's name and presence, up to about $2,000. No cash changes hands.
The project starts working before any repayment, with mentoring through the first year.
Instalments follow a schedule agreed with the owner, based on the feasibility study.
Repayments, and 15% of profits to the local fund, equip the next skilled person.
Exact amounts and schedules are agreed for each project after the feasibility study.
Collect fresh milk from village livestock keepers, farms or traders.
Filter the milk, record its type and quantity, and test acidity, density and fat content.
Add salt at 6–12% and filter the milk again.
Heat to about 65 °C, cool to 45 °C and add calcium chloride at 0.02%.
Add 3 ml of rennet per litre, cover and hold at temperature for 2–3 hours until the curd sets.
Fill the curd into wooden moulds, turn them after 12 hours and leave another 12 hours.
Pack the cheese in branded tubs or foam trays with clear bags and keep it in the fridge until sale.
Applicable countries
White cheese is a daily staple and milk is easy to find; follow food-registration rules.
Widely eaten with local know-how; plan for power cuts and local milk supply.
Possible if fresh milk is available; adapt the cheese to local taste and cooling limits.
Fresh white cheeses are known; adapt the product to local preferences.
Needs checking of fresh milk supply and demand for this cheese type.
Needs checking of fresh milk supply and cheese-eating habits.
Fresh milk is limited in many areas and white cheese is not a staple; assess first.
Use this project model as the basis of your in-kind support application. Adapt it to your local market and capacity.
Soft white cheese is one of the most widely eaten local cheeses, and its customer base is very large. Making it is a simple, traditional craft, and both the ingredients and the tools are easy to find.
This model processes about 100 kg of mixed buffalo and cow milk a day into roughly 25 kg of soft white cheese, without milk powder and without watering down the milk, which gives a better product than many competitors.
It suits someone looking for productive, profitable work with modest means: one person, helped by a family member, can run it from a spare ground-floor room or garage.
The daily output is small, so it is not hard to sell if quality stays steady. The closer the workshop is to homes and shops, the easier the sales.
About 100 kg of milk a day yields around 25 kg of cheese, according to the original study. Yield depends on the milk: cow's milk alone usually gives 15–20 kg per 100 litres (estimate).
Working 26 days a month, output is roughly 500–650 kg of cheese a month (estimate).
Dairy products usually need a health licence or food registration and health certificates for workers. Check the requirements of your local municipality, health authority and trade registry before starting. Printed packaging should follow local food-labelling rules.
| Equipment | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Floor gas burner | 1 | ≈ $60 (estimate) |
| Gas cylinders | 2 | One in use, one spare; ≈ $60 (estimate) |
| Stainless steel heating pots, 70 L | 2 | ≈ $220 (estimate) |
| Aluminium milk containers, 50 L | 2 | ≈ $80 (estimate) |
| Aluminium water-bath pots, 100 L | 2 | ≈ $160 (estimate) |
| Wooden whey-draining table | 1 | Can be made locally; ≈ $80 (estimate) |
| Fridge or chest freezer (10 cu ft or more) | 1 | ≈ $450 (estimate) |
| Milk testing kit (acidity, fat, density) | 1 set | ≈ $150 (estimate) |
| Wooden moulds or plastic baskets | 30 | ≈ $100 (estimate) |
| Scale, thermometer, strainers and cheesecloth | 1 set | ≈ $70 (estimate) |
Floor gas burner
Quantity: 1
≈ $60 (estimate)
Gas cylinders
Quantity: 2
One in use, one spare; ≈ $60 (estimate)
Stainless steel heating pots, 70 L
Quantity: 2
≈ $220 (estimate)
Aluminium milk containers, 50 L
Quantity: 2
≈ $80 (estimate)
Aluminium water-bath pots, 100 L
Quantity: 2
≈ $160 (estimate)
Wooden whey-draining table
Quantity: 1
Can be made locally; ≈ $80 (estimate)
Fridge or chest freezer (10 cu ft or more)
Quantity: 1
≈ $450 (estimate)
Milk testing kit (acidity, fat, density)
Quantity: 1 set
≈ $150 (estimate)
Wooden moulds or plastic baskets
Source: Nearby farms and milk traders
Cost: $0.40–0.55 per litre (estimate)
100 kg a day; test before accepting
Source: Dairy supply shops
Cost: ≈ $3 a day (estimate)
0.3 litre a day
Source: Local market
Cost: ≈ $3 a day (estimate)
10 kg a day
Source: Dairy supply shops
Cost: Under $1 a day (estimate)
0.02% of the milk
Source: Packaging shops
Cost: ≈ $5 a day (estimate)
50 trays a day
İktifa buys the equipment in the owner's name and presence, up to about $2,000. No cash changes hands.
The project starts working before any repayment, with mentoring through the first year.
Instalments follow a schedule agreed with the owner, based on the feasibility study.
Repayments, and 15% of profits to the local fund, equip the next skilled person.
Exact amounts and schedules are agreed for each project after the feasibility study.
Collect fresh milk from village livestock keepers, farms or traders.
Filter the milk, record its type and quantity, and test acidity, density and fat content.
Add salt at 6–12% and filter the milk again.
Heat to about 65 °C, cool to 45 °C and add calcium chloride at 0.02%.
Add 3 ml of rennet per litre, cover and hold at temperature for 2–3 hours until the curd sets.
Fill the curd into wooden moulds, turn them after 12 hours and leave another 12 hours.
Pack the cheese in branded tubs or foam trays with clear bags and keep it in the fridge until sale.
Applicable countries
White cheese is a daily staple and milk is easy to find; follow food-registration rules.
Widely eaten with local know-how; plan for power cuts and local milk supply.
Possible if fresh milk is available; adapt the cheese to local taste and cooling limits.
Fresh white cheeses are known; adapt the product to local preferences.
Needs checking of fresh milk supply and demand for this cheese type.
Needs checking of fresh milk supply and cheese-eating habits.
Fresh milk is limited in many areas and white cheese is not a staple; assess first.
Use this project model as the basis of your in-kind support application. Adapt it to your local market and capacity.
Quantity: 30
≈ $100 (estimate)
Scale, thermometer, strainers and cheesecloth
Quantity: 1 set
≈ $70 (estimate)
Quantity: 30
≈ $100 (estimate)
Scale, thermometer, strainers and cheesecloth
Quantity: 1 set
≈ $70 (estimate)
Türkiye
Syria
Yemen
Morocco
Nigeria
The Gambia
Indonesia