Cheese Factory

Cheese Factory Tour

In 1953 Quakers families from the United States founded the Cheese factory of Monteverde with 2 employees and 9 share holders. Nowadays it provides work for about 160 people. Since 1954 the factory is making cheese.

Gouda of Monteverde was the first pasteurized cheese made in Costa Rica. Starting with a production of 10 kg per day, but now the modern factory produces 1550 kg of cheese daily, which is sold throughout Costa Rica. The cheese factory is located in the middle of the Monteverde community.

The cheese factory makes about 17 different kinds of cheese such as Gouda, Cheddar, Edamer, Parmesano, Mozzarello, Emmentaler , Baby Swiss. One of the famous cheeses is the smoked Provelone, which is smooked naturally with coffee wood.

History of Productores de Monteverde S.A.

In 1953 the Monteverde Cheese Factory is founded by nine Quaker families, who moved to Monteverde from Fairhope, Alabama. Initially the company began with two employees and nine stock holders. After ten months of construction the plant is finished and the first cheese is produced, a Gouda cheese, the first pasteurized cheese to be produced in Costa Rica. The first year of production 76.000 liters of milk were processed.

Two years after being founded the company began to receive milk from Costa Rican families. This was very important for Monteverde, because a cash economy was created for this rural community.

Over the years more types of cheeses were developed, including Monte Rico, which is unique to Monteverde, a low fat cheese. Bon Salut was also created along with European cheeses, such as Emmentaler, Baby Swiss, Dambo, Parmesan, among others. The cheeses produced in Monteverde are now sold all over Costa Rica, and are exported to several countries in Central America.

In the 90's, conscience of it's roll in protecting the environment the Monteverde Cheese Factory established a waste management plant, which feeds the whey, which is the main by product of the cheese production, to hogs, as a way of sustainably treating the waste.

Cheese Factory Tour

It is a tour with a bilingual guide. During the stay, the visitor can understand the whole process of cheese production. From the milk receiving the pasteurizing process, quality control and the elaboration of different cheese kinds.

The Tour also includes an explanation with pictures, emphasizing in the Monteverde's story and the cheese fabrication. With a delicious taste of cheese types, you will learn about different kind of cheeses, old keeping and the smoked.

Join us for a personal tour of the history of Monteverde. During our slide show we will share how our community began and the origins of the Monteverde Cheese Factory.

Entrance fee