La Vaquita produces artisanal cheeses in Tlaxco
La Vaquita has operated in Tlaxco for 36 years under master cheesemaker Pablo López. The family-run business processes about 5,000 litres of fluid milk daily and has expanded its commercial range to nearly 40 varieties of dairy products. Its asadero de tenate, first made 25 years ago, is listed among Mexico’s 100 most genuine cheeses, according to the source report.
Direct prices at the workshop are 70 pesos for pieces of panela and string cheese. Snack-sized products and traditional asadero cheeses cost 90 pesos per unit. The workshop’s output is supplied by fresh cow’s milk received each morning from Tlaxco and neighbouring municipalities.
Production combines manual work with standard hygiene procedures. The milk is subjected to enzymatic coagulation, curd cutting, mechanical whey removal and individual moulding, with the method adjusted to each recipe. For Oaxaca and asadero cheeses, the curd is heated and stretched before being placed in woven tenate moulds made from plant fibres.
Semi-aged and pressed cheeses, including manchego and cotija, are kept in controlled chambers for several weeks. Inventory is stored at 4°C. The range also includes versions flavoured with habanero chilli, chipotle, dried cranberries and herbs, as well as fresh cream, washed butter and natural drinking yoghurt.
The business serves gastronomic and tourism-related demand in northern Tlaxcala. The source report says visitors’ preference for products made entirely from cow’s milk can produce seasonal surges that quickly reduce stocks at the workshop’s counter. It also contrasts the products with industrial imitations and analogues made with modified starches and vegetable fats.
According to the report, processing 5,000 litres of raw milk a day into dairy products with regular turnover produces gross margins more than 35% above those associated with delivering milk in bulk to conventional collection centres. Immediate payment at the point of sale avoids the financing costs linked to credit sales and institutional purchasing delays, while cash flow supports continued investment in refrigeration equipment.
La Vaquita maintains stable purchasing arrangements with local dairy farmers and requires milk with suitable casein and fat levels for cheese production. The report says these arrangements reward hygienic milking practices and provide family farmers with a direct buyer during periods of abundant forage.
