Revered dairy hits tipping point: Funds push as European style goes sour for Tassie’s Elgaar

TRADITIONAL dairy operation Elgaar is banking on a very modern form of capital-raising to stay afloat.

Joe

MUCH-loved Tasmanian cheesemaker Elgaar is a traditional dairy operation banking on a very modern form of capital-raising to stay afloat.

Owner Joe Gretschmann said his company, which was forced to stop production last year because of what he termed an administrative error, had turned to online crowd-funding in order to raise the $100,000 needed for urgent upgrades at its Deloraine factory to help it meet government standards.

While stressing that Elgaar’s traditional methods of milk and cheese production had never posed any health risks to its customers, Mr Gretschmann said the European approach the company pursued had put in on the authorities’ radar.

“We seem to be a high-risk operation to them because we have returnable glass bottles, and a factory which is built from bricks and that has a wooden ceiling and tiled floor,” he said.

“But four out of five factories in France look like ours, and almost that many in Switzerland and Bavaria.

“Our paper trail ended up being an issue, and the factory was closed down last July.”

Now almost a year later, and tired of milking his herd only to pour its liquid bounty down the drain, Mr Gretschmann has called on the community to back the company’s comeback to the market.

With the company’s cash reserves approaching zero, Elgaar’s website is now offering the public options including cheesemaking tours and masterclasses, as well as the chance to sponsor a beast through its “cow buddies” program.

“We spent about $50,000 upgrading our pasteuriser, and need to spend another $35,000,” Mr Gretschmann said.

“The feedback from the public including here at the Farm Gate Market has been amazing and people love the cow buddy idea, which works like a medium-term loan.

“We are confident there is enough support out there to raise this $100,000 which will go towards the pasteuriser, as well as packaging materials we will need when we start up again. But this is crunch time.”

To help, visit www.elgaarscomeback.weebly.com