South Australian cheesemaker La Casa Del Formaggio’s marks its 20th anniversary this month.

La Casa Del Formaggio opened its doors in 1988 through the efforts of founders Gerardo and Rosa Cicchiello. Gerardo Cicchiello was raised in southern Italy and in 1964 he married Rosa and came to Adelaide.

Over time, he longed for the food he grew up with in Italy and wanted to pass on the tradition of cheese making. With this in mind and without any experience or formal business training, he opened a business in 1984 primarily selling home made continental products. Rosa Cicchiello began to make Traditional Ricotta in her kitchen and sell it through the continental store. The customer response was so overwhelming the couple decided to focus on cheese making and in 1988 La Casa Del Formaggio was born.

Back in 1988, approximately 200 kilograms of fresh cheese was made by hand each week in a small kitchen, compared to today, over 30,000 kilograms each week. Now, La Casa’s cheese is manufactured in a purpose built first class facility with export capabilities at Glynde, South Australia.