Our Environment

Our cheesemaking relies on the health of our land and natural resources — so protecting them is at the heart of everything we do. We’re proud to have achieved Toitū carbon reduce certification, marking an important step in our commitment to a low-carbon future. This internationally recognised certification means our carbon footprint has been independently measured and verified, and we’re actively working to reduce it in line with global best practice.

Our First Year: Establishing Our Baseline (July 2023 – June 2024)

Our first year focused on comprehensively understanding and measuring our impact. This process gave us a clear picture of where our emissions come from and where we can make meaningful improvements.

Our Initial Steps and Ongoing Commitment

We’ve already taken proactive steps to reduce our footprint - partnering with Meridian Energy, New Zealand’s only 100% renewable energy company, and exploring solar installation at our Oamaru factory alongside converting more of our chillers to a glycol system as part of our move forward toward cleaner energy. While challenges remain, we’re committed to continuous improvement, empowering our team through training and awareness programmes to ensure sustainability is embedded in our culture at every level.

Looking Ahead: Our Journey Continues

This certification marks just the beginning of our sustainability journey. With our baseline now established, we’re setting SMART emissions reduction targets and developing concrete projects to make real progress. As a proud NZ owned & operated company, we’re dedicated to making conscious environmental decisions that protect our land, our people, and our future generations.

Our factory's heat treatment and hot water is all heated with liquid purified gas, emitting clean atmospheric water vapour.

Our electricity is sourced from our local hydroelectric power plants, a 100% renewable energy source.

Our whey is collected and returned as stock feed to local farmers. At the factory site and store we recycle our cardboard, paper, plastics and glass where possible.

We’ve adopted a digital accounting system which has significantly reduced paper usage and we operate with a paperless office policy. At the factory store we use BioCup takeaway coffee cups and are happy to fill keep-cups.

Our Diner & Deli also sell waxed cloth which is a great alternative to plastic wrap.

We are often approached
with community sponsorship opportunities and have donated cheese to various
community events and causes nationwide.

Click here to see the organisations we are proudly supporting. Those that are
looking for sponsorship are welcome to contact us via our Sponsorship Application Form. 

Whitestone Cheese stalls can be found at local Farmers Markets in Dunedin and Queenstown.

We are the seriously good cheese people.

Producers of world class cheese made from the sweet limestone grass fed milk of North Otago.

We aim to offer you an unmatched flavour experience at your table.

All of our cheeses undergo strict pathogen testing programme before leaving our factory, with additional testing that goes over and above the MPI minimum standards, therefore you can
rest assured that we have gone to great measures to make sure our cheese arrives to you safely and in optimal condition.

If you have any feedback or concerns regarding our products, please contact us on 0800 892 433 or email our Quality Control Officer at quality@whitestonecheese.co.nz.