Ventimiglia Builds a New Plant and Maturation Cellar
Quesería Ventimiglia, based in Cipolletti in Argentina’s Río Negro province, is expanding its facilities while preparing for another appearance at the World Cheese Awards. The competition will be held in Córdoba, Spain, in November.
The business was started by the Couly family with a single cow. It now has about 50 Jersey cows in milk, more than 100 goats and roughly 50 sheep. Daily milk processing is close to 2,000 litres, and the family makes more than 12 types of artisan cheese. Production of several varieties has already been allocated for the coming months.
Expansion and maturation
Rising demand has led the family to build a higher-capacity plant and an additional cellar. The project is intended to increase cheese production and provide more room for maturation, which can take one, two or three years depending on the variety.
Cuatro Esquinas is one of the cheeses requiring extended maturation. Made from Jersey cow’s milk, it is sold in 26-kilogram wheels and must mature for at least one year. Mauricio Couly said the expanded facilities would allow the business to respond to demand while retaining its artisan production model.
Entries and transport
Ventimiglia plans to send Cuatro Esquinas, Toscano and Patagonzola to the Spanish competition. Its previous international results include a Super Gold award for Cuatro Esquinas in Brazil in 2023 and 2024. Patagonzola received Super Gold at the 2024 World Cheese Awards, while Toscano won a gold medal in 2025.
Preparing the entries requires the cheeses to travel from Cipolletti to Buenos Aires and then across the Atlantic to Spain. The family selects the batches for shipment and monitors their maturation so that they arrive in suitable condition for judging. Maintaining the characteristics of each variety during transport is particularly important for soft and blue cheeses, whose development can be influenced by the length of the journey.
Domestic sales
Most of Ventimiglia’s output is currently sold in Argentina. The family has received enquiries from Brazil and the United States, but it does not yet make regular commercial exports. The new plant and additional storage capacity are being developed as the cheesery expands its production and continues to enter international competitions.
