Indezi River Creamery was a multiple winner at the 2021 Dairy Products Awards. We asked Kate Posthumus a few questions about their history and success.
Our family has been making artisan cheese in the KZN Midlands since 1992. Indezi River Creamery was established by dairy farmers, Jimmy and Wendy Harris, alongside their daughter, Barbara Robertshaw, in 2002. Goats were added to the farm in 1997, managed by their other daughter, Derryn. Barbara’s daughter and son-in-law joined the business in 2020 to continue the family legacy.
We are a farm to fridge company. We have direct oversight over our milk, through the production chain, and distribution to our wholesale and retail customers. This helps us deliver a distinctive product and a custom service.
We are also one of the largest milking goat herds in the country and are growing one of the few milking sheep flocks. We are motivated by a passion for cheesemaking, and doing other interesting things well.
Our speciality cheese range is an enormous asset to professional (and home) chefs wanting to offer their guests something unique. We want to challenge the idea that fancy cheese needs to be imported. Our local cheesemakers are excellent and should be appreciated.
Our goat's milk dairy range is a bonus for those who can’t or don’t eat cow's milk dairy. We work hard on building a range that ensures everything cow's milk can do, goat's milk can do too.
And our kefir range is top class. This is good news for your gut and a relatively new product for most consumers. We are thrilled to hear back from customers who have addressed severe or chronic health challenges using our kefir in their diet.
There is currently no certification body for free-range dairy in South Africa. Nor are there very tight legal definitions of what that might entail. However, our animals are free to range in grass pastures and receive no growth hormones or regular antibiotic treatment. We avoid unnecessary artificial additives and added sugar and want our dairy to be a wholesome and delicious part of your regular diet.
Our facility is also internationally certified for food safety. We will not compromise on the health and safety of our customers.
We have a wide range of products and a varied group of customers. Those looking for high-end dairy, whom they can trust along the production chain are some of our biggest supporters. People inspired by our range are glad to have a reason to enjoy locally sourced cheeseboards. Families who struggle with lactose and dairy allergies are grateful for the quality and diversity of our goat’s milk range.
We hear from kefir fans weekly about how easy drinking it is. They let us know how much they are enjoying it regularly and the support it gives during health challenges.
We’ve always had our focus squarely on building the South African cheese market and bringing new and distinctive cheeses to locals who might believe plastic-wrapped bulk orange Cheddar is the only option. However, we’ve also now got our eyes on an international market for our products, which will be a boost for the reputation of South African cheesemaking.
We are continuously innovating – it is our lifeblood. New kefir flavours are in development, and our cheesemaker has always got a ‘special project’ going on. Cheesemaking offers a rich outlet for creativity and innovation, and we are excited about what the future holds.
Contact person: Kate Posthumus
Email address: info@indezi.co.za
Contact number: 033 492 0571
Website address: https://www.indezi.co.za
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IndeziRiverCreamery
Instagram page: https://www.instagram/IndeziRiverCreamery