Making and selling goat cheese can be a profitable venture for goat farmers. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of making different types of goat cheese and help you understand the costs and pricing strategies to ensure profitability. Whether you're just starting or looking to expand your dairy product line, these recipes and business insights will help you succeed.

Getting Started with Cheese Making

Before diving into specific recipes, it's essential to understand the basics of cheese making and the equipment needed.

Essential Equipment and Supplies

To make goat cheese professionally, you'll need the following equipment:

• Basic Equipment (Initial Investment: $300-500):

  • Stainless steel pot (5-gallon) - $80-100
  • Digital thermometer - $20-30
  • Cheese cloth or butter muslin - $15-20/yard
  • Cheese molds (various sizes) - $10-20 each
  • pH meter - $100-150
  • Draining racks - $30-50

• Additional Tools (Initial Investment: $200-300):

  • Cheese press - $150-200
  • Curd knife - $20-30
  • Cheese wax - $10-15/lb
  • Storage containers - $20-40

Ingredients and Their Costs

For basic cheese making, you'll need:

• Fresh goat milk (from your herd or $3-5/quart if purchased)
• Cultures ($5-10 per packet, makes multiple batches)
• Rennet ($20-25 per bottle, makes 100+ batches)
• Salt ($1-2/lb)
• Herbs and spices (varies by recipe)

Fresh Goat Cheese (Chèvre) Recipe

The most popular and easiest cheese to start with is fresh chèvre. This recipe yields approximately 2 pounds of cheese from 1 gallon of milk.

Ingredients Cost Breakdown (Per Batch):

• 1 gallon goat milk (farm cost: $2-3)
• Mesophilic culture ($0.50)
• Rennet ($0.25)
• Salt ($0.10)
• Total Cost: $2.85-3.85 per batch

Process:

1. Heat milk to 72°F (22°C)
2. Add culture and let ripen for 12-18 hours
3. Add diluted rennet
4. Let set for 12-24 hours
5. Drain in cheesecloth for 6-12 hours
6. Add salt and herbs if desired

Market Price:

• Plain chèvre: $16-20/lb
• Herb-flavored: $18-22/lb
• Specialty flavors: $20-24/lb

Profit Margin: 70-80% depending on packaging and marketing

Aged Goat Cheese Recipe

Aged goat cheese requires more time and expertise but commands higher prices.

Ingredients Cost Breakdown (Per 2lb Batch):

• 2 gallons goat milk (farm cost: $4-6)
• Thermophilic culture ($0.75)
• Rennet ($0.25)
• Salt ($0.20)
• Aging supplies ($2-3)
• Total Cost: $7.20-10.20 per batch

Process:

1. Heat milk to 90°F (32°C)
2. Add culture and ripen for 45 minutes
3. Add rennet and set for 1 hour
4. Cut curds and cook to 100°F (38°C)
5. Drain and mold
6. Age for 2-6 months

Market Price:

• 2-month aged: $22-26/lb
• 4-month aged: $24-28/lb
• 6-month aged: $26-32/lb

Profit Margin: 60-70% after accounting for aging time and storage

Goat Milk Feta Recipe

Feta is popular and has a good shelf life.

Ingredients Cost Breakdown (Per 3lb Batch):

• 3 gallons goat milk (farm cost: $6-9)
• Mesophilic culture ($0.50)
• Rennet ($0.25)
• Salt ($1.00)
• Brine solution ($0.50)
• Total Cost: $8.25-11.25 per batch

Process:

1. Heat milk to 86°F (30°C)
2. Add culture and ripen for 1 hour
3. Add rennet and set for 1 hour
4. Cut curds and let rest
5. Drain and salt
6. Age in brine for 5-7 days

Market Price:

• Traditional feta: $18-22/lb
• Herb-infused feta: $20-24/lb
• Specialty feta: $22-26/lb

Profit Margin: 65-75% depending on packaging

Pricing Strategies and Marketing

Factors Affecting Price:

• Production costs (milk, cultures, equipment)
• Labor time
• Aging time and storage costs
• Packaging and labeling
• Market competition
• Location and customer base

Recommended Markup Formula:

1. Calculate total production cost per pound
2. Add labor cost ($20-25/hour)
3. Add overhead (20% of production cost)
4. Add profit margin (50-100% depending on cheese type)
5. Compare with market prices in your area

Marketing Tips:

• Offer sample tastings at farmers markets
• Create attractive packaging
• Develop relationships with local restaurants
• Use social media to showcase your process
• Consider cheese-making workshops as additional revenue

Storage and Shelf Life

Different cheeses have varying storage requirements and shelf lives, affecting your production schedule and pricing:

• Fresh chèvre: 2-3 weeks refrigerated
• Feta in brine: 3-6 months refrigerated
• Aged cheese: 6-12 months in proper conditions

Storage Costs (Monthly):

• Refrigeration: $30-50
• Aging room maintenance: $50-100
• Packaging materials: $100-200

Scaling Your Production

Small Scale (10-20 Goats):

• Weekly production: 20-30 lbs cheese
• Monthly revenue potential: $1,500-2,500
• Equipment needs: Basic setup ($500-800)

Medium Scale (20-50 Goats):

• Weekly production: 50-75 lbs cheese
• Monthly revenue potential: $3,500-6,000
• Equipment needs: Semi-professional setup ($2,000-4,000)

Large Scale (50+ Goats):

• Weekly production: 100+ lbs cheese
• Monthly revenue potential: $7,000-12,000+
• Equipment needs: Professional setup ($10,000+)

For more information about starting a goat farming business, see our guide on how to start a goat farming business. To learn about selling dairy products legally, check our guide on how to sell goat milk legally.