Cookhouse Creamery

Cookhouse Creamery was purchased by the Just Milk Group in 2018 out of the Dairybelle liquidation. Historically, the Just Milk Group provided all of its milk to Dairybelle, who in turn provided whey from the cheese making process to the Golden Valley and Cookhouse Piggeries, owned by Number Two Piggeries who are a key partner in Just Milk. The piggeries were situated on the Just Milk dairy farms and the manure from the piggeries was spread on the dairy pastures as a natural fertilizer. This system worked well for all parties involved until Dairybelle went into default on their way to liquidation. Production re-commenced in July 2018 with many Dairybelle’s ex-staff, including Elize de Vos who had worked at the Cookhouse Plant for 24 years. Cookhouse Creamery produces bulk blocks of cheddar and 2.5kg mozzarella loaves. The factory also used to produce traditional Dutch rounds of Gouda which it will start producing again once market and space conditions allow. Cookhouse Creamery market their cheese into bulk and value-add markets via strategic partners, Sundale Free Range Dairy, who are based in East London. The Cookhouse factory can process litres a day and is currently supplied by four Just Milk farms, being Riverside, Riverview, Dalfreuch and Leeway. The Just Milk Group, through their three farms within 5km from Cookhouse and the factory, have become a key provider of jobs in the small town of Cookhouse, and hope to continue growing with assistance from the Blue Crane Municipality. Drink milk. Eat cheese.