SL’s handmade Maia Cheese gears up for World Championship 2024

Maia Cheese Founder and CEO Maia Donadze

By Zahida Rizvi

“This is my dream, for me as a cheesemaker my goal is to win the Wisconsin World Championship Cheese competition by representing Sri Lanka, to be known for its own cheese flavor, and to introduce a cheese culture across the Island,” says Maia Donadze, an exquisite artisanal cheesemaker.

Having founded Maia Cheese in Goa, India in 2005 she relocated to Madipola and Matale in Sri Lanka ten years later.

Maia Cheese, the largest and most flavorful assortment of artisanal cheese making its rounds throughout the island is poised to compete in the Wisconsin World Championship Cheese event against another 2300 other cheese manufacturers in 2024.

Maia explains to Daily FT, over the next two years the Maia Cheese products are anticipated to be exporting mozzarella amounting to hundred tons and value-added cheese, which is made exclusively through a special technique, amounting to 20 tons of products that will be shipped.

With an investment of about Rs. 6 million, Maia Cheese Firm has established its flagship location at Cinnamon Lakeside in Colombo. The various handmade cheese companies plan to open a new factory over the next two years and increase cheese production from the existing 3,000 kg to 10,000 kg per month.

The well-renowned cheese brand had faced its challenging period as initially, the artisanal cheesemaker struggled to find dairy farmers to supply milk but now she has a community of reliable milk suppliers.

“In an initiative to uplift the farmers and the dairy industry, with the cheese company I settled the payments over every second or third day of supply, this profited me as the strong built network entrusted the Maia Cheese Company brand, that regardless of the economic crisis, the company had an adequate supply of milk,” Maia added.

Maia is confident that the handmade cheese products will reach consumers of all categories as she bags an experience as a cheesemaker for 20 years. She pointed out that imported cheese is given at a lower price with discounts whereas handmade locally produced is a fresh cheese with fewer chemicals.

“Handmade cheese in comparison to traditional and mass-produced will be served with better nutrient quality and with a lack of citric acid to benefit the end consumer,” she stated.

Maia Cheese recently joined forces as a supplier with Barista Cafes, the John Keells Group supplying cheese amounting to 1,100 kg, and Jetwing Hotels & Resorts and further collaborated with Good Market, Softlogic Glomark, Saaraketha Organics, and Aitken Spence PLC GPD (Global Parcel Delivery).

Maia Cheese cooperated with Barista Cafes, the John Keells Group, Jetwing Hotels & Resorts, Good Market, Softlogic Glomark, Saaraketha Organics, and Aitken Spence PLC GPD as a supplier. The John Keells Group provided 1,100 kg of cheese (Global Parcel Delivery).

The widest selection of artisanal cheese in Sri Lanka is now available from Maia Cheese, which provides the following varieties of soft and zingy fresh mozzarella and cold or melted cheddar that are devoid of artificial flavors or preservatives. The best approach to garnish Italian dishes with shredded mozzarella is to use smoked mozzarella, which has been smoked to improve the flavor of milk.

Goat Feta Cheese and Brie, a white, soft cheese that has aged, are used for salads. Queen Blue, a specialty cheese with delicate blue veins and a white tone, is another option. Cacciocavallo, a stretched-curd cheese, halloumi, a regional variety of the Cyprus-native cheese type, and other meals of a similar nature and delicious gourmet butter comes in salted, unsalted, and garlic-infused types, all available at Maia Cheese.

Pix by Lasantha Kumara