Swiss Cheese Technology in Mongolia

The Swiss Cooperation Office and Consular Agency in Mongolia has been permanently closed as of 31 July 2024. For any questions, please, contact the Embassy of Switzerland in Beijing. To learn more about the results of the twenty year cooperation of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and its Mongolian partners visit the SDC Regions Knowledge Capitalisation Hub.

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Cheese expert Carlos Marbach is making Friendship cheese ©SDC

Switzerland is renowned for its traditional cheesemaking methods, passed down through generations and known for exceptional quality and taste. In 2016, with the expertise of Swiss cheese expert Carlos Marbach, APU met consumer demand with the introduction of a new semi-hard cheese.

Carlos was first taught how to make cheese by his uncle at the age of 14. He continued to learn, develop himself, and try new things. Now 80 years old, he’s dedicated 66 years of his life to cheesemaking and has taught his techniques in more than 20 countries on five continents. He first came to Mongolia more than 22 years ago and successfully implemented the Cash Programme in cooperation with the National Emergency Management Agency and the local administration of Swiss Government Humanitarian Aid to help herders affected by the natural disaster known as dzud. His rich experience was important to advancing local cheesemaking methods and training for future generations.

APU began collaborating with Carlos in 2017. At that time, he told APU staff that Switzerland had five million cows and exported 250 million USD in cheese. Mrs. Orlomjav, an APU Project Manager, recalled, “In a slightly sarcastic tone, Carlos asked me about the number of cattle in Mongolia. This comment resonated with me and inspired me to research cheese import trends. This led to the decision to make cheese in Mongolia using environmentally friendly and sustainable practices. With 66 years of cheesemaking experience, Carlos' expertise is invaluable. A key goal of our partnership is to leverage this wealth of knowledge to educate and empower the youth in this field, paving the way for a promising future.”

The endeavour to reduce Mongolia's reliance on cheese imports, provide the domestic market with organic cheese, and drive significant economic growth is the collaborative achievement of industry creators and experts from Switzerland and Mongolia. Special thanks to cheese expert Carlos Marbach for his invaluable guidance and innovative approaches to creating cheese tailored to the milk of Mongolian cows and introducing new products to the global market.

For more information, please watch our video.