Handcrafted cheese from Munich’s only dairy
© Münchner Käse Manufaktur
In 2024, Münchner Käse Manufaktur brought artisanal cheese production back to the heart of the city. I met the team to find out more.
My feet sliding around in oversized safety wellies, my arms rustling in plastic overalls, I step into a recently opened dairy in the district of Bogenhausen. Cheesemaker Franz goes to shake my hand, but something about my freshly disinfected mitts makes me opt for an elbow bump instead, a strange muscle memory from 2020.
As is the case for many start-ups established in recent years, the story of Münchner Käse Manufaktur does in fact go back to the pandemic. Their very first cheese and beer tasting event was held in a living room with just ten people, the maximum number of permitted of guests at the time.
© Münchner Käse Manufaktur
Back then the three founders, Franz Stuffer, Johannes Klappacher and Sebastian Kreuels, were still strangers - all connected by a common goal. They wanted to bring artisanal cheese production back to the city and raise awareness of the work involved.
It’s been no easy ride – the biggest challenge arising when the supplier of their cheese kettle went bankrupt just days before the delivery date – but now, after four unpredictable years, they are finally where they always wanted to be.
They have a glass-fronted urban dairy with a connected shop, a stall at central food market Viktualienmarkt and supply cheese to some of Munich’s top restaurants, including three-Michelin-starred restaurant JAN. Their tastings are booked out for months.
© Münchner Käse Manufaktur
"The feedback makes me believe something long-term can come out of this,” explains Sebastian, responsible for all things communications. “Around 80% of start-ups fail in the first two years, but we’ve overcome the hurdles and are stronger for it.”
© Münchner Käse Manufaktur
As Franz goes back to work, it’s Sebastian who shows me around. “Everything is a lot more professional than we ever planned,” he explains. “We just wanted to get going and see what happened, but that’s simply not possible in Germany – it had to be industry standard from the outset.” Stainless steel doors with prison-like locks now separate the different storage rooms, the mould-covered cheeses in isolation to stop them influencing the other inmates.
© Münchner Käse Manufaktur
Their three core products are Isarbazi, a slightly spicy cheese matured for five weeks, Oida Topfen, a smooth and creamy cheese, and Milchpraline, a mild milky soft cheese. All are made with organic hay milk from Bavarian farm Nirschlhof, home to around fifty brown and white cows.
The team is also experimenting with new products, including a hard cheese set to be ready in time for Christmas.
© Münchner Käse Manufaktur
Johannes isn’t at the dairy when I visit. He can normally be found at tastings or the market, keeping an eye on sales, answering questions and monitoring supplies for the hugely popular grilled cheddar sandwiches.
Before launching the business, Sebastian had never made cheese before. I asked him if he can do it now. “Easy,” he chuckles, “but I don’t think we’d sell it!”
More info
Dairy and shop address: Prinzregentenstraße 105, 81667 Munich