Cookhouse Creamery · Just Milk

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 220,000 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.

Updates 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 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 are situated on Just Milk dairy farms and the manure from the piggeries is 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. Cookhouse Creamery produces bulk blocks of cheddar, white cheddar and gouda as well as 2.5kg mozzarella loaves. In January 2021, the factory started utilizing cream from the milk standardization process to produce old-style churned butter, which is sold in 500g tubs and in bulk 18kg boxes.

Cookhouse Creamery market their cheese into bulk and value-add markets via strategic partners, Sundale Free Range Dairy, who are based in East London as well as Cheeseco based in Port Elizabeth.

The Cookhouse factory can process 220,000 litres a day and is currently supplied by three Just Milk farms, being Riverside, Dalfreuch and Leeway. These farms are all within 10km of the factory and produce high quality milk from a mixture of Jersey and Friesland cows which are free range and predominantly pasture-fed.

The Just Milk Group and Number Two Piggeries, through their three farms, two piggeries and factory, have become a key provider of jobs in the small town of Cookhouse and hope to continue growing their footprint and impact in the local community.

Drink milk. Eat cheese.