11:25 am today

Champion producers of Dutch cheese in North Canterbury

From Nine To Noon, 11:25 am today
Di Hawkins alongside some of Karikaas' rolls of Dutch and NZ original cheeses.

Photo: Supplied by Karikaas

With New Zealand cheese month starting tomorrow what better time to go to one of the country's top cheesemakers.

Di and Alan Hawkins have been making cheese out of their Loburn factory since 2004 when they bought the Karikaas cheese business from Dutch transplants Karin and Rients Rypma.

Their Dutch and New Zealand cheeses have won many awards - including this year where they took out prizes for best Dutch cheese and best NZ original cheese.

The factory was brushed by a wildfire earlier this year. Karikaas this year marks 40 years in business.

Di says the first principle for making good cheese, is having good milk.