Presenting our market research report!

Finally part 1 of the project! Presenting our findings about Dutch raw milk cheese in Italy. We are very contented about the final result and curious what you think of the market research report! Hope you like it so enjoy reading it!

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B5Xq6-Xvl2wrSkl4SDNQeG5yUVU   

Impressive video about a project of Slow Food in Africa

Deadline last Friday!

Hi dear blog readers,

Last Friday we had to hand in the project before 4 pm. Normally it is a bit of a stressful day, but we only had to finish some small points. The project was almost finished the day before the deadline. This was just part 1 of the whole project. Now we have delivered the market research, next period we have to deliver a marketing communication plan. We put our effort in it and we hope it turns out in a good grade. And of course most important that this report will hopefully help small Dutch farmers in promoting their cheese in Italy!

Greets, group 3

And the best cheese in the world is...

The Netherlands produces the world's best cheese

09 March 2012, by James Shaw

On Wednesday night, the World Champion Cheese Contest produced a shock winner in their search to discover the best cheese in the world. They crowned a low-fat Gouda named Vermeer, from Friesland Campina, as champion, which fended off strong competition from traditional winners Switzerland.

Friesland Campina didn't even send a representative to the competition, such was their surprise, and the cheesemaker's plant manager, Piet Nederhoed, had to be woken up at 1am to be told the good news.

Critics lavished compliments on the Dutch entry. Dan Konz, a cheese grader from Minnesota, said the winning Vermeer stood out for its "nice, smooth, clean flavour. It had nice body and mouth-feel. A very clean taste."

The contest is held once every two years in Madison, USA, and features 2.500 entries from over 20 countries. There are subtle variations in cheese based on their region of origin, year of creation and the techniques employed by master craftsmen. Cheeses are judged for their flavour, texture, body and colour by world experts.

The Netherlands is famous for its Gouda cheese, a position that will only be enhanced by winning the world's top spot.



Other finalists

Of the finalists, seven were from the US, and five were from Switzerland, including the two runners-up; second-place Kaserei Grundbach, a company in Wattenwill that entered a smear-ripened semi-soft winner kase; and SO Appenzeller Kase of Appenzell which took third place with its Appenzeller cheese.

Source: http://www.iamexpat.nl/read-and-discuss/expat-page/news/the-netherlands-produces-the-worlds-best-cheese 

Serious Cheese: On Raw-Milk Cheese

By Jamie Forrest

A few weeks back, J. Gordon left a comment on my post regarding France's raw-milk cheese war: "Could someone explain the difference between pasteurized cheeses and raw milk cheeses? Does pasteurization just destroy the flavor of cheese?... Despite the near-illegality of raw milk and its rare consumption, several hundred people a year become ill from drinking raw milk, with the occasional death. Is cheese safer, or is the taste difference very significant?" The raw-milk debate isn't going away anytime soon, so I thought it would be a good time to answer questions like those above and lay down my take on the matter.

Raw Milk vs. Raw-milk Cheese

Drinking raw milk is a public health issue. Milk can contain some seriously dangerous bacteria, including Listeria, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella. Before pasteurization became the norm, raw milk consumption was linked with even more serious diseases like typhoid, scarlet fever, and tuberculosis. But making cheese out of raw milk is really a separate issue. For various reasons, raw-milk cheese produced under strict standards of cleanliness is far safer than raw fluid milk.

And yes, raw-milk cheese does taste better--dramatically so. The complex mix of organisms naturally occurring in raw milk leads to a depth of flavor that pasteurized cheeses can't really approach. That's not to say that there aren't any pasteurized cheeses that are excellent, nor are all raw-milk cheeses revelations, but the trend is undeniable.

Factors that Influence Bacterial Growth

As explained by UVM Professor Catherine W. Donnelly in Chapter 9 of the book American Farmstead Cheese, there are a number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence how hospitable a given cheese is to bacterial growth. High salt content, high acidity, and the presence of antimicrobial substances in the cheese are all factors that can influence the number of bacterial pathogens. How the milk and cheese are handled both on the farm and in the processing plant also affects bacterial growth.

It's all Relative

Given that, certain cheeses are less risky than others: semi-firm and firm, aged cheeses like the blues, Swiss, cheddars, and most Italian cheeses are considered safer than soft cheeses like ricotta, Brie, Camembert, etc. Moreover, cheeses made at small operations are less risky than those from bigger plants. (Incidence of Salmonella is much lower among farms with fewer than 100 animals than those with more than 100.)

Pasteurization Not a Magic Bullet

There is a theory that pasteurization can in some ways actually be more problematic than using raw milk. Pasteurization kills off any beneficial bacteria that are naturally present in raw milk. These beneficial bacteria could be an important defense against pathogenic growth, especially in a medium such as milk whose high water-content, relatively low acidity and high sugar levels make for a bacteria-friendly environment. Pasteurization also has the appearance of a magic bullet technique, which could lead producers to cut corners by using inferior milk or accepting shoddy procedures with regard to cleanliness. The science hasn't been done yet to bear all this out, but the theory is compelling.

Cleanliness is Next To Godliness

So ultimately Dr. Connelly recommends an approach to raw-milk cheese that involves stricter manufacture along with better bacterial testing throughout. I tend to agree because it would be a shame if the FDA decided to shut down raw-milk cheeses altogether. What about you? Where do you stand in this debate? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/03/serious-cheese-on-raw-milk-cheese.html

Why Slow Food defends raw milk cheese

Slow Food Manifesto

in Defense of Raw Milk Cheese

Raw-milk cheese is more than a wonderful food, it is a deeply embedded expression of our finest traditions. It is both an art and a way of life. It is a culture, a heritage and a cherished landscape. And it is under threat of extinction. Under threat because the values it expresses are in opposition to the sanitation and homogenization of mass produced foods.

We call - on all food-loving citizens of the world to respond now to the defense of the unpasteurised cheese tradition. A defence of a food that has for hundreds of years inspired, given pleasure and provided sustenance but is now being insidiously undermined by the sterile hand of global hygiene controls.

We call - for an end to all discriminatory regulations from the European Union, World Trade organisation, United States' Food and Drug Administration and other government institutions that needlessly restrict citizens' freedom of choice to purchase these foods, and threaten to destroy the livelihood of the artisan craftsmen who produce them.

We deplore - attempts by regulatory authorities to impose unattainable standards of production, in the name of protecting human health.

We believe - that such impositions will have the adverse effect of that intended. The bacteriological health of our unpasteurized dairy products is destroyed by over-zealous sterilisation procedures. So will the health of human beings be destroyed through a diet of sterile food. Without any challenge, our immune system will fail and our medication become ineffective.

Moreover the unique flavor and aroma of the cheese are conserved by non-pasteurisation.

We therefore call - upon those who have it in their power to safeguard the diversity and complexity of our regional foods and the health and stability of our rural communities to act now and ensure a flexible, fair and appropriate regulatory framework; sensible controls and a positive disposition concerning the future.

Be aware - that once the knowledge, skills and commitment of this culture have been lost, they can never be regained.

Source: http://www.slowfood.com/rawmilk/eng/36/manifesto

Whether or not raw milk is good for your health...

Benefits

Raw milk is a complete food that has not undergone any treatment like skimming, homogenization, pasteurization or ultrafiltration. It is a live food, and if stored properly and consumed within two to three days, it maintains all of its original nutritional properties: nutrients, vitamins, provitamins, enzymes and probiotic bacteria.

High-quality raw milk is rich in vitamins and bacteria that help improve the immune system of children and adults. Specifically, it contains vitamin A, important for sight, cellular development, antitumoral activity and immune defenses; and vitamin D, necessary for cellular activity, brain development, prevention of cancer and immune system development.

When milk is pasteurized, the vitamin content is partially reduced, especially in the case of vitamins B6, C and folic acid. Proteins are also altered, as are the fats, compromising the milk's biological value. In one study, pasteurization of mother’s milk in preterm infants resulted in a reduced fat absorption, a reduced bone growth, and a reduced protection of neonatal infection. 

A European study (PARSIFAL), conducted in 2007 by a team from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine in Basel, looked at 14,893 children aged between 5 and 13 living in rural areas of Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, comparing the consumption of farm milk (raw or boiled) versus pasteurized shop milk. It showed that farm milk consumption was associated with a reduction in asthma (-26%), hay fever (-33%) and food allergies (-58%).

Furthermore, a more recent study published in 2011 (GABIREL) investigated whether raw milk could make a difference versus boiled milk in the frequency of asthma and allergies. Selecting and analysing of 800 farm children the study shows that there is an additional protecting effect within the group of farm children who have been given raw milk. The strongest reduction was found in the risk of hay fever and asthma among the ‘exclusive raw milk drinkers’ (any unboiled milk). Just the boiling of the milk leads to a loss of the protective effect found in the exclusive raw milk drinkers.

The biodiversity of microflora present in raw milk also brings beneficial effects to raw-milk cheeses, which contain higher quantities of probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lb. casei, Lb. plantarum) than cheeses made with pasteurized milk. Other studies have shown how cheese made from the milk of pastured animals, particularly those grazing in hilly or mountainous environments, contains many more "good" fats than cheese made from milk from intensively farmed, indoor-raised livestock. These good fats (like conjugated linoleic acid and omega-3s) help prevent cardiovascular disease and even arteriosclerosis. During pasteurization, these fats are almost completely destroyed. Omega-3s are often added to milk after pasteurization, but the result is significantly inferior than with raw milk from pastured animals.

Finally, in addition to the safety and healthiness of raw milk, it is worth remembering that raw milk is synonymous with respect for the environment and biodiversity, and is the best way to promote the work of small-scale herders and artisans who work mostly in marginal rural areas (mountains, hills, etc.).

Supporting raw-milk production means moving value from distribution to production, helping to differentiate supply and protecting consumers' right to choice.

Source: http://www.slowfood.com/rawmilk/eng/17/Benefits

Interesting article about delicious Dutch cheeses!

Say Cheese!

By Karin Engelbrecht

It is hard to imagine Holland without its lush green pastures and gently grazing cows. They are as much part of the national identity as clogs, windmills and tulips. Not surprising, when you consider that the Dutch have been making cheese since 400 AD. Nowadays, Holland is the largest exporter of cheese in the world. Its dairy industry as a whole has a turnover of around Euro 7 billion.

Cheesy Sights

Cheese markets are still held in Holland. Some are just for tourists, such as the Alkmaar, Hoorn and Edam markets, but they are still worth seeing. The traditional cheese market trade is re-enacted in these towns every summer in front of the gorgeous old cheese weigh houses. The ritual features cheese bearers donning straw hats, brightly colored wooden stretchers and lots of cheese. The Cheese Museum in Alkmaar is also worth a visit.

The cheese markets at Woerden and Gouda are the only remaining functioning commercial markets. Farmers from the area have their cheese weighed, tasted and priced here. Cheese has been traded on the Gouda cheese market for over three hundred years. Buy some Gouda cheese there, or peruse the many exhibitions related to cheese production surrounding the market. At Woerden, you can buy boerenkaas, delicious artisanal raw milk farmhouse cheese. Some farmers also open their farms up to the public for tours and tasting sessions.

Also worth a visit is Reypenaer's Tasting Room on the Singel, one of Amsterdam's old city center canals. Foodies the world over have long embraced Reypenaer cheese, an artisanal Gouda and a two-time Supreme Champion winner (best European cheese out of all categories) at the Nantwich International Cheese Show, the world's largest.

Dutch Cheese Varieties

·  Gouda

Gouda is a semi-hard cheese with a 48 % milk fat content and a mild to piquant taste. Ageing intensifies the flavor and hardness.

Graskaas is made from the first milkings after the cows return to the grassy polders from a winter spent inside. The fresh spring-time grasses lend the 1 month old cheese a rich, creamy texture and naturally yellow color. When graskaas is only aged for up to 1 week it has a milky color and is called meikaas. Jonge kaas (aged for 4 weeks) and jong belegen kaas (2 months) are well-suited for sandwiches. Other Goudas are fantastic for cooking; try extra belegen (aged for 7-8 months) if you're looking to substitute Jack or Cheddar cheeses. The oldest varieties, such as oude kaas (aged for at least 10 months) and overjarig (1 to 2 years), are excellent for eating in crumbly shards with a nice, sharp mustard or slick of apple syrup.

About 50% of the cheese production in Holland is devoted to this iconic cheese, making it our most important and best-known cheese. Gouda usually comes in cheese wheels weighing 26.5 pounds (12 kilos) and Baby Goudas of half a pound to a pound (250 g to a kilo). Beemster, Reypenaer and Old Amsterdam are popular commercial brands.

·  Edam

Edam cheese is the second most important cheese in the Netherlands, making up 27% of our total cheese production. Edam is semi-hard, with a fat content of 40% and a very mellow, salty taste that appeals to all ages. Ageing intensifies the flavor and hardness. The cheese has a typical round shape and weighs 4 pounds (1.7 kilos). Baby Edammers weigh half a pound (1 kilo). Export versions often have a red paraffin coating. Westland exports good Edam cheese, but whatever brand you buy, make sure it is from Holland. Cheap imitations that taste nothing like the original abound, unfortunately.

·  Maasdammer

Maasdammer cheese represents 15% of Dutch cheese production. It has large holes, a domed shape and a sweet, nutty taste. The shape, typical taste and holes are created by special bacteria that release gases during the maturation process. Leerdammer and Maasdam are the best known brands of Maasdammer cheese.

·  Boerenkaas

Boerenkaas (literally, farmer cheese) is a raw milk cheese, i.e. unpasteurized. By law, at least half of the milk used in the production of boerenkaas should come from the farm's own cattle. The other half may be purchased from no more than two other dairy farms. This ensures an artisanal product.

·  Goat's cheese

Dutch goat's cheese is available as the familiar fresh, soft goat's cheese we all know and in the semi-hard Gouda style. The advantage of this goat's cheese is that it needs a shorter maturation process than cheese made from cow milk. Semi-hard goat's cheese is pale, with a slightly piquant taste, but a creamy melt-in-the-mouth texture. Look out for aged Bettine Grand Cru, which was chosen 2006 Best Cheese of the World during the annual Nantwich International Cheese Show in England.

·  Smoked cheese

Smoked cheese is melted and smoked, and then reconstituted into sausage-like shapes. It is usually sold in slices and has a distinctive brown rind and a smoky taste.

·  Frisian clove cheese

This cheese is made with low fat milk, cumin and cloves. The cheese is quite firm in texture and comes in a wheel with sharp edges. A long ripening process creates a hard, dry and somewhat tart cheese.

·  Leidse cheese

The original cumin cheese from Leiden is dry, piquant and somewhat tart. It has a fat percentage of 40%. Ageing intensifies the cumin flavor. Boeren Leidse (literally 'farmhouse Leiden cheese') has a fat percentage of 20% and a dark red rind with the Leiden city crest (keys) on it.

·  Dutch blue cheese

While blue cheese is not strictly traditional in the Netherlands, the Dutch do make some delicious Gouda cheeses with powerful blue veins rippling through them. The most commercially available brand, called Delfts Blauw (also called Bleu de Graven) tastes rich and sweet, and not as salty as roquefort. There is also an organic brand, Bastiaanse Blauw (available at organic stores and Marqt supermarkets in the Netherlands). 

·  Herb cheese

This category includes cheeses (mostly Gouda or boerenkaas) that are flavored with herbs such as parsley and chives, but also more unusual ones such as nettles, mustard, onion or pepper.

Source: http://dutchfood.about.com/od/aboutdutchcooking/a/SayCheese.htm

Italian Business Etiquette, Culture & Manners

Italy Introduction 

Officially called the Republic of Italy, Italy is located in southern Europe, and has a population of roughly 61,0 million. Italy has much to offer its citizens and visitors. Surrounded by the four seas of the Mediterranean, Italy is famous for its coastline activities. Italy also has a mountain range with elevations over 13,500 feet for the skiing and hiking enthusiast. Italy has no official religion, though the majority of Italy's citizens are Roman Catholic.

Italy Fun Fact

Italy is currently the home of three active volcanoes; Stromboli, Vesuvius, and Etna. The Vatican City, the home of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church, is located within the city of Rome and is considered a separate state completely. The Vatican has its own currency, flag, and stamps, although the Euro can be used.

Geert Hostede Analysis for Italy

The Hofstede Analysis for Italy is very similar to Germany’s Analysis. Great emphasis is placed on individualism, masculinity, and uncertainty avoidance, while power distance is ranked considerately lower than the others. Italy’s lower power distance score shows that Italy is working to de-emphasize the differences between its citizen’s power and wealth.

Religion in Italy

In a country that has over 50% of its population practicing the Catholic religion, we found the primary correlating Hofstede Dimension to be Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI). There were only 2 countries out of 23 that did not follow this correlation, they were Ireland and the Philippines.

Italy Appearance

• Fashions and fashion design are trademarks of Italy. Therefore, in the business world, good clothes are a signature of success.
• Men should wear fashionable, high quality suits.
• Shirts may be colored or pin-striped, and they should be paired with an Italian designer tie.
• Women dress in quiet, expensive elegance.
• Slacks are generally not worn by either sex.
• Quality accessories such as shoes and leather goods will make a good impression with the Italians.

Italy Behaviour

• Italian history has played a crucial role in the modern business world.
• Some of their contributions include banking, insurance, and double-entry bookkeeping.
• "Time is money" is not a common phrase in Italy.
• Foreign businessmen/women should be punctual for business appointments, although the Italian executive may not be.
• Handshakes are common for both sexes, and may include grasping the arm with the other hand.
• Do not expect quick decisions or actions to take place, as the Italian bureaucracy and legal systems are rather slow.
• Italian companies often have a rigid hierarchy, with little visible association between the ranks.
• It is common for everyone to speak simultaneously at Italian gatherings. This applies to business meetings as well as social events.
• Do not exchange business cards at social occasions; but it is the norm at business functions and meetings.
• Italians often have two different business cards, one with business credentials for formal relationships, and another with personal information for less formal relationships.
• Italian cards are often plain white with black print.
• When entering a business function, the most senior or eldest person present should always be given special treatment.
• When invited to someone's home, bring gift-wrapped chocolates, pastries, or flowers. Flowers must be given in even numbers, except for a dozen (12) or half-dozen (6), especially if roses. 
• If you bring wine as a gift, make sure that it is of excellent vintage, as many Italians are wine connoisseurs.
• Avoid giving anything in a quantity of 17, as 17 is considered to be bad luck, or a doomed number.

Italy Communications  

• Italian is the official language, although there are many diverse dialects.
• English is spoken by many businesspeople.
• Avoid talking about religion, politics, and World War II.
• At social gatherings, it is considered insulting to ask someone you have just met about their profession.
• Good conversational topics include Italian culture, art, food, wine, family, and films.

Source: http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/italy.htm

Slow Food Netherlands

Slow Food is a global, grassroots organization with supporters in 150 countries around the world who are linking the pleasure of good food with a commitment to their community and the environment.

A non-profit member-supported association, Slow Food was founded in 1989 to counter the rise of fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

Slow Food is an international organisation for eco gastronomy. They believe that food, has to be tasteful, pure and honest. With that they mean that our food should taste good; without harming the environment, the animal welfare and healthiness and that producers should receive fair compensation for their work.

Today, they have over 100,000 members joined in 1,300 convivia (local chapters worldwide), as well as a network of 2,000 food communities who practice small-scale and sustainable production of quality foods. Slow Food has been supporting the raw milk cheese campaign for a very long time.

But the involvement of Slow Food members extends much further. They not only adore products of excellent quality but are also interested in its origin, in the production, economic and political context.  Besides the organisation also advocates for preservation of authentic varieties and species and biodiversity, which we seek for diversity in species and breeds.

Furthermore, they promote the formation of food communities, an economic model that advocates for a genuine and sustainable production and strengthen mutual connections within a community.

Source: http://www.slowfood.nl

Background information about Dutch raw milk cheese

The Netherlands is a country that historically is associated with cheese. Dutch soil was and is pre-eminently suitable for cattle-breeding and their remains have been found in the northern part of the Netherlands dating back to 1600 B.C. In Friesland in the north of The Netherlands, pots and vessels were discovered which indicate that as early as two centuries B.C., cheese was being made there. An extensive trade has existed since the Middle Ages.

Around the year 1100 Dutch bargemen paid their tolls in cheese at Koblenz in Germany. In bills of the city of Rotterdam dating back to 1426, mention is made of the profession of ‘caescoper’ (cheesemonger). In 1266 the City of Haarlem obtained the right to hold a dairy market. In 1303, Leyden was next, Oudewater in 1326 and Alkmaar in 1365.

For centuries cheese making was a craft usually undertaken by women. Using only raw milk from their farm and other natural ingredients. Thanks to industrialization and innovations in the cheese making process nowadays over 98% of all Dutch cheese is produced in modern creameries. To be able to produce vast quantities of bulk Dutch cheese they pasteurize  and homogenize the raw milk from the farm before using it in cheese production. The advantage is an enormous quantity of cheese of predictable quality against affordable prices. The economies of scale of producing cheese in large factories allows the use modern marketing techniques to brand their cheese . Distribution is usually via supermarkets. The disadvantage of bulk production of cheese is that the taste quality of cheese is disappearing.

Dutch raw milk cheese farmers

Luckily there are about 400 small Dutch farmers who still produce real artisanal cheese on their farm. Using only natural ingredients which are not treated like unpasteurized raw milk. The cheese of these small farmers often has an excellent taste quality.  Unfortunately the scale of their operation is too small to be able to afford marketing expertise. Most farmers sell their cheeses locally. They do not have the resources to investigate the export possibilities.

International aspects of raw milk cheese production

Raw milk cheese production is mainly a market niche of small scale farmers. The situation is more or less the same in each country. Thanks to the resistance of a few concerned consumers, Raw Milk production in Europe is still allowed.

Source: http://www.visitholland.nl/index.php/Typical-Holland/dutch-cheese.html