Canada’s Cheese Appetite Is Growing. Farmers With Extra Milk Are Looking For New Options

Canadian dairy farmers know the feeling of watching costs rise while margins stay tight. Many also know what it is like to have milk volume that does not map neatly onto existing sales channels. Excess milk is not always a problem, but it can become one fast when pricing shifts or demand changes.

At the same time, Canadians keep buying cheese. Statistics Canada reported about 14 kg of cheese available per person in 2021, up about 15% from 2011.  Canada also produces a lot of it. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Dairy Information Centre reported about 528,000 metric tonnes of cheese produced in 2024, and noted that Cheddar and Mozzarella remain the most common varieties.

That combination creates a real opportunity. If a farm has milk that could be used differently, cheese can look like a practical way to diversify. Still, “making cheese” is not a weekend hobby when it is a business. It is a regulated food process with tight requirements, and the equipment and workflow matter.

In this article, we look at what drives interest in artisanal cheese on farms, what tends to trip new producers up, and how we help farmers build a production line that matches both their milk supply and their business goals.

The Case For Diversifying With Artisanal Cheese Starts With Two Trends

The first trend is demand. Canada’s per-person cheese availability has risen over the past decade, and the product mix continues to widen.  Specialty and artisan varieties are now common in mainstream retail, not just boutique shops. Market research firms track that shift as a steady preference for “specialty” and “artisan” styles.  Those reports are not perfect, but they match what buyers see on shelves.

The second trend is farm economics. Many farms want more than one revenue stream. Cheese can stretch the value of milk in a way fluid sales often cannot. It can also offer a longer shelf life than raw milk, which changes the logistics conversation. That does not mean it is easy. It means the math can work if the operation is designed correctly.

Cheese can also open the door to direct-to-consumer sales. Some farms add a small retail area, a farm store, or a local distribution plan. That is not required, but it is a common pathway for artisanal producers.

The key point is simple. Diversification is not a slogan. It is a set of decisions about products, capacity, and compliance. Cheese production forces those decisions early.

The Hard Part Is Not The Recipe. It’s Building A Repeatable Process

Many people underestimate how technical commercial cheesemaking is. Each cheese style has its own sequence of steps, timing, temperatures, pH targets, and aging requirements. Small deviations can change texture, moisture, yield, and flavor.

Scaling adds pressure. A process that works in small batches may not hold up when volumes grow. Stirring speed, heat distribution, and curd handling become much more sensitive. Variability shows up in the finished product. Customers notice.

Then there is the plant itself. Dairy processing facilities have strict requirements for surfaces, cleanability, separation of flows, and food safety controls. Design choices affect everything. Staff traffic patterns matter. Ingredient receiving matters. Cleaning routines matter.

Canada’s National Dairy Code lays out production and processing requirements and applies broadly across dairy premises and operations.  It is not a marketing document. It is a practical reference for how dairy facilities and equipment should be set up and maintained.

Provincial licensing also matters. In Ontario, for example, the province outlines who needs a dairy plant licence, what exemptions may apply, and how to apply.  Other provinces have their own frameworks and oversight bodies.

This is where many early projects stumble. The equipment may be chosen before the facility plan is clear. Or the facility plan is drawn before the product mix is defined. That leads to rework and delays. It can also lead to operating routines that are harder than they need to be.

A sustainable cheese business is not built on enthusiasm alone. It is built on a repeatable process that fits the farm’s reality.

Where Automated Equipment Can Make The Biggest Difference

Cheesemaking has steps that reward consistency. Heat curves, stirring, and curd handling are good examples. When those steps vary from batch to batch, yield and texture vary too.

Our approach with CheeseProKit starts with process discipline. We build automated and semi-automated systems that support consistent heating and stirring and incorporate sensor feedback during production. The goal is not to turn farmers into factory operators. The goal is to reduce the “guess and check” moments that create variability.

Automation also helps with labor. Many farms do not have spare staff. Cheesemaking can be time-intensive, especially during make days. A system that streamlines repeated tasks can lower stress and reduce mistakes during long runs.

We design systems for different operation sizes. Smaller farms may want a more basic configuration with semi-automated additions. Larger or more advanced operations may want deeper automation and centralized controls.

Equipment selection should match the cheese plan. A cheddar workflow is not the same as mozzarella. A brined cheese has different handling and storage needs than a dry-aged style. When the product plan is clear, equipment choices become clearer too.

Just as important, the layout matters. Even the best equipment can be frustrating if the room flow is poor. Milk, cultures, curd, brine, and finished product all have different handling requirements. A good layout reduces unnecessary movement and lowers the odds of cross-contamination.

The Consulting Side Matters Because The Business Is Bigger Than The Vat

Most farmers do not need a motivational speech. They need a path from concept to operating business. That path includes regulatory work, facility planning, equipment installation, and market planning.

We provide consulting services alongside equipment supply because the hardest parts of the project are often outside the make room.

Here are the areas we focus on with new or expanding producers:

Facility and workflow planning

We help map an efficient flow through pasteurization, curd work, draining, brining, and aging. The goal is a plant that is easier to clean, easier to staff, and easier to expand later.

Permits, licences, and compliance planning

Regulatory requirements are not optional, and they vary by province. The National Dairy Code and provincial licensing guidance provide a baseline for what regulators expect in a dairy environment.  We help producers understand what applies to their facility and product plan, and what documentation is typically required.

Product selection and diversification strategy

Not every farm needs 12 cheese SKUs. Many do better starting with a small lineup that matches their milk supply, aging capacity, and sales channels. Then they expand.

Branding, marketing, and sales support

A good cheese does not sell itself at scale. Packaging, positioning, pricing, and distribution matter. Farm stores, local retailers, restaurants, and direct subscriptions each have different requirements.

This is not about “selling a dream.” It is about reducing avoidable mistakes that cost time and money.

What Farmers Should Ask Before They Commit

We encourage farmers to ask hard questions early. It saves time later.

Here are a few that tend to clarify the path quickly:

• How much milk do we realistically want to allocate to cheese each week?

• Which cheese styles fit our storage, aging space, and staffing?

• Do we plan to sell on-farm, wholesale, or both?

• What does licensing look like in our province, and what is the expected timeline?

• What facility changes will be required to meet dairy processing standards?

These questions are not glamorous. They are the difference between a smooth launch and a stalled project.

It is also worth looking at the market data with a clear eye. Canada’s cheese production volume shows the scale of the category, and it also shows competition.  Differentiation matters. Product quality matters. Reliability matters. If you cannot make the same cheese the same way, customers notice.

A Practical Path From Surplus Milk To A Cheese Business

Cheese diversification can be a strong move for the right farm. The demand trend is real, and the production base in Canada is substantial.  Still, success depends on execution.

We built CheeseProKit to support that execution. The equipment is designed to help producers run consistent make days with controlled heating and stirring and sensor-informed production steps. The consulting side is designed to help farms handle facility planning, compliance work, and go-to-market decisions with fewer missteps.

If you are exploring artisanal cheese production, start with a conversation about constraints. Milk volume, staffing, facility design, licensing pathway, and product mix should lead the plan. Equipment should follow that plan, not the other way around.

A good cheese operation feels calm when it runs well. That calm comes from preparation, layout, and repeatable process. If you want to build that kind of operation, we can help you map the route and choose the right system for your farm.