Punjab takes a bold bite into goat cheese

Cheese has long been the soul of pizzas, pastas, and gourmet platters, with mozzarella a household name. Yet, despite India’s cheese market growing at 20 per cent annually on the back of changing tastes and rising demand for exotic foods, Punjab has no dedicated cheese-making unit, with production concentrated in Delhi and the South. Against this backdrop, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, is scripting a new chapter — introducing goat cheese, or chèvre, to the state’s culinary and entrepreneurial landscape.

At the College of Dairy and Food Science Technology, the art of cheese making is being nurtured with scientific precision and creative flair. The varieties developed here include Mozzarella (from cow and buffalo milk), Bocconcini (buffalo milk), Feta (cow, buffalo, and goat milk), Ricotta (from whey), Manouri (sweet whey), whey cheese spread, and the star of the moment — chèvre, made from goat milk.

Dr Inderpreet Kaur, head of the Department of Dairy Economics and Business Management, explained the motivation. She said, “We did a survey and found that Punjab had no single unit dedicated to cheese making. Units are concentrated in Delhi or the South. We decided to take the plunge and recently held an open dialogue with dairy farmers, processors, retailers, QSRs and start-ups to explore Punjab’s potential in the $98 billion global cheese market.”

For the first time in Punjab, a company has stepped forward to champion goat cheese. GADVASU has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Green Pockets Private Limited for the development and promotion of chèvre. Under this collaboration, the university will provide technical know-how, hands-on training, consultancy and one-year incubation support. The product will be packed and marketed by Green Pockets, while GADVASU ensures quality and innovation.

Vice Chancellor Dr JPS Gill said, “Goat cheese has strong domestic and export potential. This initiative will open new opportunities for farmers and livestock entrepreneurs.”

Dr RS Grewal, Director of Extension Education, underlined the larger significance. He said, “The demand for cheese is very high today, with annual growth at 20 per cent. People now prefer exotic food, and cheese has become a common ingredient. In the international market, goat cheese sells at three times the price of the traditional cheese. Here in India, goat farming is neglected. Making value-added products from goat milk is the only way to uplift goat-rearing communities and improve their socio-economic status.”

Beyond economics, goat cheese carries nutritional promise. Dr Nitika Goyal, associate professor, dairy technology noted its digestibility and health benefits. She said, “Rich in protein, calcium, and probiotics, chèvre is lighter on the stomach compared to cow or buffalo milk cheeses, making it attractive for health-conscious consumers.”

Already, local restaurants, cafés and stores in Ludhiana are experimenting with GADVASU’s cheeses, and the products are also available at the university’s own outlet. With chèvre on the horizon, Punjab’s farmers may soon find themselves part of a global gourmet story.