Ashgrove Cheese is owned and operated by the Bennett families on their dairy farm located in the picturesque countryside of Elizabeth Town in central Northern Tasmania.
In 1993 the families established the cheese factory to value add to the milk being produced on the farm. Today the farming operation has expanded to milk over 900 Friesian dairy cows on two dairy farms supplying milk to both Ashgrove Cheese and Fonterra.
Ashgrove Cheese is the only cheese producer in Australia specialising in the production of English county styles of cheese such as Lancashire, Cheshire, Double Gloucester, Red Leicester and traditional style Cheddar.
Manager Jane Bennett spent two years making Farmhouse Cheese in England prior to the establishment of Ashgrove. Today Jane is assisted in the cheese making by her brother Richard Bennett and a team of dedicated staff. Both Jane and Richard studied Dairy Technology for two years in Victoria and have extensive experience cheese making overseas.
The cheese is all produced by hand using traditional recipes and techniques. These aspects accompanied by the family sourcing milk only from their own dairy herds ensures individual flavours and textures are achieved in every variety of cheese.
All the milk used in the cheese production is pasteurised to conform with Australian Government regulations. Specific strains of starter cultures are used for each different cheese variety to provide the necessary characteristics in flavour and texture. Non animal rennet is used in all varieties of Ashgrove Cheese.