The Spotted Cow Fromagerie, is putting Indian cheese on the map
Historically, when it comes to cheesemaking, most folks regard France, Italy, Switzerland, and other European countries to be the cheese capitals of the world. However, the Spotted Cow Fromagerie in Mumbai, India, is on a mission to change that perception. This small creamery, co-founded by brothers Prateeksh and Agnay Mehra, who were later joined by Tarini Gupta to help grow the company, is shifting the narrative that India is behind the curve on cheesemaking innovation compared to Europe or the United States. In the near future, Spotted Cow is on a mission to propel India into the global cheese dialogue. “Our big goal,” says Gupta, “is to take cheese knowledge from India to the world and demonstrate that we can also produce that quality of cheese.”
Founded in 2017, the Spotted Cow Fromagerie began with a simple but lofty goal: Produce quality European-style cheese in India. They wanted their cheeses to have the same taste and mouthfeel as those from Europe, but achieving this was challenging because of the distinctions in terroir—climate, soil, milk. Moreover, the Spotted Cow only wanted to use vegetarian rennet to cater to India’s largely vegetarian population, adding more potential hurdles. After thorough research and development, the creamery successfully cultivated cheeses that rival that of their European counterparts. Their lineup includes the Camembay, which Gupta says is “frightfully close to Camembert style cheese,” and the Tomme de Bombai, a play on Tomme de Savoie from the French Alps, among many others.
Today, the Spotted Cow’s philosophy stays the same—small-batch, artisanal, organic—but their business model has grown. The creamery has become one of the only artisan cheesemakers to distribute across India, reaching not only metropolitan cities, but also smaller towns where demand for European-style cheeses is on the rise.
As most cheesemakers know, the logistics of cheese transportation can be difficult, especially when the cheese is preservative-free. The growing cheese industry in India has also sparked cross-cultural innovation and experimentation in food. Gupta explains that some restaurants are filling naan breads with blue cheese or camembert, and many local restaurants are swapping traditional yogurts with creamy burratas.
As India’s cheese industry flourishes, Spotted Cow Fromagerie stands as proof that India is not just a consumer but a rising powerhouse in global cheesemaking.
Claire Fan
Claire Fan is an editorial intern for Culture Magazine and is based in Providence, Rhode Island, where she is a senior at Brown University. Claire has dabbled in recipe testing, food styling, and writing and her work can be found on her blog saltandsesame.com. She can often be found knitting, reading fiction, or eating sandwiches.
