Yerbanís has made dairy tradition its economic mainstay
Yerbanís lies in Peñón Blanco municipality beside the road connecting the state capital, Durango, with the Comarca Lagunera. The settlement began as a stopping and supply point for drivers and other travellers crossing the semi-desert. Over several decades, its economic activity became closely associated with milk, cheese and prepared food.
Local production starts with the daily collection of fresh milk from nearby barns and corrals. Dairy farmers continue to supply family-run workshops despite the area’s arid conditions and prolonged dry seasons affecting northern Mexico. The milk’s fat and protein content is used in making cheeses with the elasticity, moisture and melting characteristics associated with the region.
Asadero is the principal product made in the village. Small dairies also produce Menonita-style, ranchero and pressed fresh cheeses. The customary method for asadero involves melting and stretching the curd. According to the report, the process uses no added starches or vegetable fats and relies exclusively on dairy solids. Producers present this method as a way to preserve the product’s established characteristics while distinguishing it from commercial substitutes.
The cheese trade extends to the restaurants, small eateries and food stalls lining the highway. Quesadillas are prepared fresh on griddles and sold to passing motorists. This activity provides direct work for cooks, servers and vendors, linking milk production in local corrals with consumers through a short supply chain. The businesses operate in an area where industrial employment options are limited.
Producers have called for access to financing for animal feed, veterinary technical assistance and water infrastructure. They identify water shortages affecting livestock holdings as one of the issues requiring investment. Support for farm productivity and wider recognition of the community’s culinary heritage are also cited in connection with the future viability of the local dairy economy.
The production of asadero and other cheeses, together with roadside food sales, supports dozens of families in the Durango semi-desert. The activities combine livestock production, artisanal processing and prepared-food retail within Yerbanís’s local economy.
