Lallemand partner since 2020, Les Ateliers Fromagers is a Canadian company that offers accessible courses to everyone to learn how to make homemade cheese.
Located in Québec, Les Ateliers Fromagers, founded by a professional cheesemaker, Philippe Kotula, and an expert in homemade cheese, Sylvain Puccini, started its collaboration with Lallemand Specialty Cultures in 2020.
Proud of this trustful collaboration, Sylvain Puccini shares some insights about the dairy industry and his Lallemand experience.
Sylvain, can you tell us more about Ateliers Fromagers?
“Created in 2016, Les Ateliers Fromagers offers courses, products, and equipment for home cheese making. We have given more than 200 workshops since then for the general public, the private sector, and catering schools. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been giving the courses 100% online and we have expanded our range of products and materials on our online store.”
What are the current cheese trends?
“Here in Quebec, cheese curds and cheddar remain unchallenged. We must admit that the large cheeses variety offers numerous possibilities. However, mild cheeses with a bloomy rind, such as Brie triple crème, are very popular.”
Is homemade cheese a big trend right now? Have you seen a resurgence of interest because of the pandemic?
“Absolutely. We teach classes but we also have an online store with products, materials, and kits for making homemade cheese. At the beginning of the pandemic, the demand exploded, so we had to adjust our stock accordingly. It’s also applicable for online courses although the demand was already there before.”
What is your experience with Lallemand cultures?
“Currently we work with the following Lallemand yeasts and molds; VELV-TOP® PC TN, FLAV-ANTAGE® GCA, and FLAV-ANTAGE® KL. The format of the sachet is ideal for our customers, which is mainly composed of individuals who make cheese at home. We use 2D formats for convenience and reduced cost on some of the kits we supply. We have some cultures and especially blends in test that should be available in 2022 to accompany some of our new recipes.”
Curious to know more about Ateliers Fromagers’ activities? Visit their website here