STORY: Location: Fetri, Lebanon

Lebanese cheese makers are churning against U.S. import costs

by making local varieties of gournay, brie and parmesan

in addition to local cheeses like labneh and halloumi

Marie Georges Hatem and her family established their factory in 2017

They raise their own cows and goats for fresh milk

[Marie Georges Hatem, Agriculture engineer / Cheese maker]

“Due to the rise of the U.S. dollar towards the Lebanese pound, it has become very hard to import from abroad, so restaurants and supermarkets are trying to find local products as an alternative to things we used to import... because of the low purchasing power."

Hatem makes a Gouda variety which she calls ‘MGouda’

with different flavors including wine and beer