Co-founder and cheesemaker at Killeen Farmhouse Cheese, Marion Roeleveld shares her rules for food safety and quality
Killeen Farmhouse Cheese was established 20 years ago by Marion Roeleveld and her business partner, Haske Knippels. “Haske had a goat farm when I moved to Ireland in 2001, and in 2004 we received our license to make cheese. At the time, we had a small farm with 120 goats, and we rented most of the land.”
In 2007, the company bought a bigger farm, building a new goat shed and dairy, and growing the herd to 200 goats. “When I started out, cheese made from goats’ milk was not that popular, so our first offering was cheese made from cows’ milk. Now, we use all our goats’ milk, and we buy in some cows’ milk.”
According to Marion, it is a small operation, and she shares the cheese production with two part-time workers. “We supply delicatessen shops and market traders and have a wholesale channel too. Our cheese is available in Dunnes Stores in the Simply Better range.
“Our main product is goats’ cheese, a semi-hard, gouda-style cheese. It has a very mild flavour, so it even appeals to people who do not traditionally like goats’ cheese. We also make a goats’ cheese with fenugreek seeds. The cows’ milk is transformed into gouda; gouda with cumin, and Kilmora, which has a sweet nutty flavour like Emmental.”
Killeen Farmhouse cheeses have proved popular, not just with consumers but with food judges. “We have won the Supreme Champion in the CÁIS Irish Cheese Awards three times, and this year, we won the award for Best Hard Cheese (flavour added) for our Killeen Goat’s Cheese with Fenugreek, and the best Retailer Class–Semi-Hard/Hard for our Dunnes Stores Simply Better, Irish Farmhouse Killeen Goat’s Cheese. We have been category winners in the British Cheese Awards many times and the highlight of those for me was winning the best goat cheese out of 145 goat cheese entries.”
Safety standards
Killeen Farmhouse Cheese uses pasteurised milk in the production of its cheeses which can bring its own challenges. “Pasteurisation kills not only pathogens, but also the good bacteria. If we accidentally introduce any bad microorganisms to the pasteurised milk, they will grow very fast as there is no competition. As a result, we are extremely careful. We are aware that anything that would appear in a laboratory test has been introduced by us, and we don’t ever want that to happen.
“Our rule is that everything that enters the cheese vat has been sterilised immediately beforehand and hands washed properly right before we touch the curd. I am always thinking about possible cross-contamination.”
Marion shares one simple method she has introduced to ensure this is observed. “I implemented a fixed step-over bench inside the entrance to our building. It makes it super clear that you cannot go past it without changing your footwear and wearing protective clothing. The decision for that came years ago after a courier driver walked into the production room to deliver a parcel, without reading the ‘no entry’ sign at the door.”
Maintaining food safety standards is a constant challenge, she says, particularly for SMEs. “Keeping up with the paperwork requests from large customers: as we are such a small company, we know our processes and how we maintain hygiene standards. We are very much in control. There is daily communication about potential issues and solutions. I sometimes find it hard to deal with forms and questionnaires that are designed for places with many employees. The dynamic in a small business is very different. We do not have a food safety department. I am the cheesemaker, quality controller and food safety department all in one. On top of that I am also the sales rep, financial controller and HR manager.”
Being a member of CÁIS (The Association of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers) has provided networking and education opportunities. “I have been on the committee of CÁIS for many years and was chairperson for two years. CÁIS has organised food safety training and seminars, and I learned a lot through the FACEnetwork, the Farmhouse and Artisan Cheese and Dairy Producers European Network, of which I am the Irish representative. We developed a European guide for good hygiene practices in small-scale dairy production and we discuss the issues and legislation around food safety.” Her advice to other cheesemakers on ensuring food safety and quality is to know your raw product and treat it carefully. “Our primary product is milk and if you have bad milk to start with, you will never make a good and consistent cheese. This starts with what the animals eat, how clean they are kept, and the way they are milked. Do the same thing every day and write down any tweak in the process, whether that’s depending on the milk or seasonal changes.”
ABOUT MARION ROELEVELD
Tell us about yourself.
I am from the Netherlands where I grew up on a dairy farm. I started working on a cheese farm at weekends and during holidays when I was 16 and continued until I finished college.
What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?
I love animals, and as well as goats, we have hens, horses, cats and dogs. I like horseriding, running and yoga.
What are you currently enjoying?
I am currently reading a book about exercising and nutrition for women in the menopause years. I listen to podcasts about health, nutrition and news.
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