Breaking the Mould - the Shenley Station Blue story

June 29, 2018

Utilising our new 45 South Blue mould strain, Shenley Station is truly an exclusive original New Zealand blue.

Our new Penicillium roqueforti mould was found somewhere completely unexpected! Here is the story behind our discovery, as told on TVNZ1’s Breakfast.

Whitestone CEO Simon Berry and Head Cheesemaker Chris Moran spent many hours bio-prospecting for NZ’s own blue mould strain:

“The original blue mould strain we have been using is named after the Roquefort caves in the south of France, we started looking in our own limestone caves here in North Otago and sending our samples off to Christchurch lab, Plant Diagnostics, but after six or so samples we had no luck”, Simon recounted.

The lab told Chris they would keep a look out for any potential Penicillium roqueforti mould that was sent their way and after six months' time he received a call:
“You'll never guess what! I've got some Roqueforti in front of me, it's come in from a farmer's baleage up in Fairlie".

Luckily, the farmer had sent the mould to the lab for identification and when Pencillium roqueforti was found to be present, Whitestone Cheese was the lab's first port of call.

Now we're bringing it into the cheese world, “it's a totally different flavour - quite mild yet it boasts complex, savoury flavours”.

#breakingthemould

Available at limited deli outlets, or buy it online here.

Click below to watch Simon being interviewed on TVNZ1's Breakfast...