# Pricing Hard Cheese



## debrad636 (Jul 17, 2008)

I'm ready to start selling my hard cheese. Does anyone have an idea, what I should charge? I get $5.00, per half pound for seasoned soft cheese. I also get $7.00, per gallon of milk. Just 50 miles away, in downtown St. Louis, they get $12.00, per gallon. I was kinda thinking .90 cents a ounce. What do you think?

Thanks Deb


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

http://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,3026.0.html

should give you an idea


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

You couldn't pay me enough to sell handmade hard cheese!
L~


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## debrad636 (Jul 17, 2008)

Thanks alot for info. Helps. My husband thinks I was high in pricing the hard cheese.

Good Cheesing
Deb


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## Leo (Mar 10, 2008)

.90 cents an ounce for a hard cheese seems to be on the middle to lower range from my research, but if that's the highest your market is willing to pay, then do it...When it comes into determining price of hard cheese, it's really important to not sell yourself short.

I would just ask myself first, how much did it cost to make that gallon of milk? Irregardless of how much one can get for it. 
Feed, medications, facilities, blood work, etc. cost per gallon. I would calculate the cheese yield value of each doe so you don't keep those who are dragging your dairy down.

Then I would ask myself, how much my initial cheese yield is, factor in size/shape of wheel(which determines loss of weight over the time of aging), 30% loss being average over the course of a few months, type of cheese(including rind, aging treatment, depreciation of equipment), now how much did it cost to make that cheese? And to take it to market? Packaging/labels/marketing in general, equipment to keep it at regs. while selling at market(cooler with ice and thermometer at most basic), how much is that per wheel?

Now value in perks...awards of recognition, quality, anything that can give you a value added edge.
Then you can get your price...
Megan


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Gosh Megan you almost make it sound sane to work that hard and give it away! 
seriously- you really thought about that and those are all good points.
I know you never get paid for your time but honestly I am plumb out of time to give away. It seems you would have to have a pretty sizable business to make it worth anything.

Deb- I am interested in how your public responds to your pricing. The market here supports about that same level but I know someone in the Ft Worth area that pays 18 a pound for ordinary unseasoned chevre and thinks nothing of it! Thanks!

Lee


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Lee send that gal my way I'll take less that $18


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## Leo (Mar 10, 2008)

> Ft Worth area that pays 18 a pound for ordinary unseasoned chevre and thinks nothing of it!


Wow! This area is a bit struggling to find a local cheese market like that. (N/Ctrl Florida had a more demanding market too, but not like that). I heard from some displaced Texans here that they miss all the high-end/gourmet/organic food they were used to over there. Anyway, that's why good marketing is essential, get your name out to those customers starving for some good stuff .

DH was kind enough to provide a spreadsheet so that I can more accurately calculate the cost and profit margins of the various hard cheeses, my girls cheese $ margin, there's a strong push here for Chevre, but the profit margins on that compared to hard cheese is astronomical, ditto for yogurt.



> Megan you almost make it sound sane to work that hard and give it away!


 LOL, with some cheeses it does seem that way. But then I eat them and smile.

I'm not commercial yet, but have seriously investigated, seeing other micro-facilities nearby, what they do, how they 'make it work' and their herd though makes me a bit depressed about it as I don't want to 'do that' to my girls. 

Just saying those don't burn yourself out trying to make it work, or a living, then no one gets a taste of your cheeses. 
Megan


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

> a spreadsheet so that I can more accurately calculate the cost and profit


And do you hire out ?

My last math teacher told me I was the kind of student that made her want to go back to computer programming ....not much on numbers so I am impressed!
L


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