Welcome to the Cheesemaking Business Information Bundle

Artisan cheesemaking, especially on a small scale, is gaining increasing interest from businesses and consumers. In recent years, reports on growth of sales in the specialty cheese category across Canada have been encouraging.

However, keep in mind that dairy processing is a highly regulated industry. In Ontario, all cheese must be manufactured in a licensed plant. There are extensive regulatory requirements, as well as national guidelines, that apply. And if you plan to make cheese from cow’s milk, you will need to deal with Ontario’s quota system.

This site serves as a one-stop website for information about starting a cheesemaking business. You’ll find information about the industry, an overview of regulatory requirements and the licensing process, and tips on accessing business advice.

A note on terminology:

“Farmstead” usually refers to a small-scale, on-farm cheese operation that uses milk solely from animals on that farm.

“Artisan” usually refers to a small-scale cheese operation that may or may not be located on a farm and may use milk from more than one farm. It views cheesemaking as an art, and often involves a time-honoured process or recipe.

To keep things simple, however, “artisan” is used throughout this website as a general term for any small-scale cheesemaking operation.