Moon River Dairy using local ingredients to produce Indonesian cheese
As a farmstead cheesemaker, Moon River Dairy utilizes local produce, from the Margo Utomo Eco Resort complex in Kalibaru, Banyuwangi. Every morning, the cows in their in-house farm are milked and this milk is then processed in a cheesemaking facility just a few steps away. A tropical plantation nearby produces herbs and spices local to the region, which add a distinctive taste when added to Moon River Dairy’s cheese.
The company said sustainability lies at the core of its operations. Locally grown corn and grass are fed to the cows, while the manure and other dairy-processing waste are converted into biogas that powers the eco-resort and cheesemaking factory. The remaining waste is recycled into bioslurry fertilizers, enhancing the growth of corn and grass to feed the cows.
Moon River Dairy said it is trying to challenge the notion that cheesemaking is, largely, a European tradition. Currently, Moon River Dairy has produced two kinds of cheese: Anagata Cheese, the first Alpine-style cheese in Indonesia, and Amaya Cheese, which is a Cheddar-style cheese.
