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Vallombrosa Cheese plans to increase market presence with Italian Mozzarella
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Wednesday, 14 April, 2010, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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M V Chandrashekar, Bangalore
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Vallombrosa Cheese is now gearing up to expand its reach in the domestic market.
The company is run by Vallombrosan Fathers, who are members of the Vallombrosan Benedictine Congregation, which is a part of the International Benedictine Confederation. The company headed by a team of Christian priests began operations in 2005.
The product line covers Italian fresh Cheese such as Mozzarella Cheese, Pizza Cheese, Burrata, Bocconcini, Ricotta Cheese, Mascarpone Cheese, Caciotta Cheese & Pecorino Cheese. These are manufactured in Bangalore at its production plant set-up at an investment cost of Rs 65 lakh. The science of cheese making was mastered by Fr Michael when he was in Italy. The product is handmade which is the traditional method of manufacture. The production unit has been certified by APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) and has acquired a food licence.
The cheese is prepared from buffalo milk and this gives the company an edge in the market. The product is major success in the 5-star hotel segment and malls. The product is also available at Namdhari outlets in Bangalore. Some of the leading hotel groups where Vallombrosa Cheese has been accepted are at all hotel chains of The Oberoi, The Leela Palace, The Park Hotel, The Grand Ashok, Olive Beach, Sunny, Herbs and Spice, Via Mialano, Toscano, Zuri Hotel, Taj Hotel, Taj President Mumbai, Trident Hotel Cochin to name a few.
The company is now working out options to have long-term contracts with its customers, including hotels and super markets.
There is also a growing interest for the cheese in leading domestic pizza outlets. However, Pizza Corner and Pizza Hut use cheese imported from their specific suppliers.
Efforts are on to increase its presence in the hospitality sector. Since pizza consumption in the country is on the rise, Vallombrosa Cheese has been now an indispensable ingredient, Fr Michael told F&B News.
The cheese available in India is usually from cow milk. But the buffalo milk cheese seems to indicate better texture, taste and higher nutritive value. Since buffalo milk has been advocated for its low fat, lifestyle disorder patients are recommended to have the same. This is where we are able to find a market in terms of quality and health benefits, said Michael.
This cheese is used in pizza and also in the preparation of salads. The shelf life is 15 days. The cheese is soft and fresh. Some ingredients used for the making of the cheese are procured from Italy. No preservatives are added in the cheese. Around 45 kg of cheese is produced daily. The capacity to manufacture is around 300 litres, plans are on to increase the capacity once they get a bigger market for the products in hotels and pizza outlets. Rates of the cheese vary from Rs 450 to Rs 700 per kg.
For this premium product, milk is procured from Hosur. Around 200 litres of buffalo milk is purchased at Rs 30 per litre. Goat Milk Cheese is the next product in the pipeline.
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