Taking their craft to new heights in the true sense of the word is Maleny Cheese.
Established 25 years ago by Markus and Sara Bucher, the team has just returned from immersing themselves in the melting pot of cheesemakers and enthusiasts from throughout the world.
As well as showing their products against the best at the World Cheese Awards in Switzerland, the Maleny Cheese business has been recognised for their enterprise both nationally and on the Sunshine Coast.
Speaking with Sara Bucher at the inaugural Maleny Farm Fest, one night after her flight home, she said the journey to Switzerland was one to lift the spirits.
It was the chance to celebrate passion, innovation, and tradition, Sara said.
“There was inspiration everywhere. It was a privilege to have attended.
“Remarkably, this was the first time in the 37-year history of the world event that it was held in Switzerland.
“It has to be the best place to hold them.
“Bern is the seat of government for Switzerland. Few people realise that … it’s their Canberra,” Sara jokes.
“Our journey held special importance as Markus was born and raised near Lucerne, which is about an hour away.”
For two days Bern became the capital of cheese for the world.
There were more than 5240 cheeses entered in about 60 categories of cheese tasting and competition.
Early in November Maleny Cheese was named winner of the 2025 Sunshine Coast Business Awards in the Food and Agribusiness – large business category. The award recognises the ongoing commitment to quality, sustainability and local employment.
In mid-November their apple and cinnamon gourmet yoghurt won gold at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards.
Then they were awarded silver for Excellence in Food Tourism at the Queensland Tourism Awards.
Markus and Sara chose Maleny to set up their boutique cheese factory because the region has a long dairy history.
The Obi Obi valley also reminded Markus of the region he grew up in and where he went on to become a master cheesemaker.
Cheesemaking is an art you can easily learn but an immense amount of knowledge and expertise is needed to be good at it, Sara told me.
“It’s about solving problems such as getting the cheese to set … if it doesn’t, you need to know why.
“Experience can solve problems, and cheesemakers are always on the lookout.
“It’s very much about being hands-on, not simply pushing buttons.
“It’s about hands-on and feeling … working with your feeling.”
Sara was accompanied by fellow team member Tanya Arnold to Switzerland, and met up with youngest daughter Gillian Bucher.
Gillian is based in Basel and trained in Switzerland as a confectionery baker.
Their Swiss adventure reached great heights … on many levels.
They climbed the snow-covered Jungfrau, at 4158-metres it is one of the high-points of the Swiss Alps.
That view – and the relationship with Markus’ background – was both inspirational and exhilarating, Sara said. Despite the bitter wind off the snow on the mountain.
For the World Cheese Awards they took the Maleny Cheese wasabi club cheddar – a cow’s milk cheese – and their water buffalo herb and garlic fetta.
The fetta is made from pure water buffalo milk, sourced from a Maleny farmer. It has a mild, earthy flavor with a higher protein yield compared to cow’s milk.
The cheese has a lower-cholesterol option and it was that cheese that missed gaining bronze medal accreditation by one point.
“We were so proud – the water buffalo milk is sourced locally, from within 12 km of our factory here on the Blackall Range – and we’ve been making it for 20 years now.
“There are only three water buffalo milking herds in Australia. It’s a traditional milk source that’s richer and includes other properties to what you would normally expect.
“The farmer has a smaller amount of milk produced but the properties in the milk make more cheese.
“It’s more concentrated. The components needed to make cheese are all the same but with lower cholesterol. It has a different taste and profile to the traditional dairy taste.
“We make a water buffalo brie and plain water buffalo fetta, as well as the herb and garlic.
“If anything, it’s more delicate, smoother and the appearance is paler.”
Sara and Tanya’s journey through Switzerland’s finest cheese and biscuit makers began with a special stop at Brunauerhof, the original home and dairy farm of the Bucher family.
It gave them a beautiful glimpse into generations of dairy heritage.
Next was a warm coffee catch-up with friends at Malters Willibeck, home to master bakers perfecting their craft since 1889.
“We were then treated to a private tour of the multi-million-dollar upgraded Emmentaler Schaukäserei (show cheese factory) by CEO Frank Jantschik.
“This is a truly world-class transformation and an inspiring look at the future of food tourism.”
Emmentaler was what Markus and Sara modelled their facility at Maleny on.
Thirty five years ago they visited the Emmentaler factory but Markus had knowledge about it before then.
“It combines the whole aspect of bringing people to where the cheese is made,” Sara said, “then providing them with a viewing down onto the production floor, and interacting with them.”
Sara and Markus are good examples of promoting agritourism as well as ecotourism – in that they utilise local produce and then manufacture or process it at the Maleny factory.
At the same time they invite people to inspect the factory, and then enjoy cheeseboards and picnics.
Tanya is an event and marketing expert so has a cross-section of experience in food and agribusiness.
Sara was one of the four founding directors of Food and Agriculture Network (FAN), an agribusiness cluster across Gympie, Noosa, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay that is celebrating 10 years of connecting local food businesses with local consumers.
What Sara learnt from the visit to Switzerland was how they can offer even better experiences at the cheese factory – maybe with some technology and interactive experiences.
In this way they can present more information about what’s happening on the factory floor, as there’s so many aspects to the origins of cheese that dates back thousands of years.
The awards process and judging highlighted the whole aspect of cheese mongering.
“The storing and caring of cheese ready for the customer to purchase is left to the affineur … they are the custodians.
“There are many good cheeses in Europe and they need to be aged, kept and presented at their best .
“It takes a cheese monger who is knowledgeable of the cheese and can explain it – what it matches with what wine.
“It’s just great to learn, to gain more knowledge. You are surrounded by experts.”
Being from Australia and having water buffalo cheese attracted attention and comments from other producers as well as presenters.
“Meeting with these producers, having conversations, seeing behind the scenes and discussing our product with their products was fascinating.
“I’d say we tasted at least 100 cheeses. Then we turned around and visited Emmentaler.”
What Sara also gained from the trip was insights in presenting their food experience at Maleny, an experience they have been offering for 21 years.
Maleny Cheese has been awarded Slow Food Noosa’s Snail of Approval for the way they utilise generational cheesemaking methods, and not only work within the community but actively work with fellow dairy farmers and producers in the collection and processing of milk and dairy products.
Their eldest daughter Jenn works in the business and has been a Slow Food Noosa delegate to Terra Madre, the biennial world conference and celebration of Slow Food in Turin, Italy.
“Jenn is the person that makes the office run correctly, the cafe run smoothly, ensures orders are sent away, new products are launched properly. She is a pivotal member of the family team.
“Our son Johnathon is a milk tanker driver. That’s a hard job to do.
“We’d been searching a couple of years to find one, and here he was right in front of us.
“Markus and Jonathon are the two milk tanker drivers transporting about one million litres of milk a month. They are making it happen.
“It’s not just about Maleny Cheese. It’s really about our local processors and factories here in South-East Queensland.
“Without a business that can pick up milk from the farm and bring it to the factory, these processors can’t make the beautiful produce – the food that we love.”
Highlighting the history of cheese, in Switzerland there were factories that have repurposed old vats into the showcase window, Sara noted, along with an interactive video to present information in a really refreshing, modern way.
“We have a copper cheese-making vat from Switzerland. It’s 155 years old, so it will be both interesting and fascinating for people to see such an item.
“People love to learn and it’s an interesting way to present the importance and value of sharing our local heritage and information.
“I want people visiting the Sunshine Coast to be able to name the top dairies.
“There is a need to bring the region into line with places such as Margaret River, Bruny Island and King Island for recognition of the good, clean and fair food we produce here.
“It’s exciting to see what producers are doing around here.
“Getting the message out needs a collaborative approach. Our farmers need a collective voice.”
Rounding off Sara and Tanya’s Swiss adventure was a tour of the famous Kambly biscuit factory, where they were far too busy tasting more than 30 biscuits to remember to take any photos.
Apparently Tanya still can’t believe biscuits could taste that good.
Their day continued at the innovative Marbach cheese factory, where – to their delight – it started to snow, making the experience even more magical.
A heartwarming family visit rounded off the day, in a 300-year-old home that saw the sharing of stories and finishing with a glass (or two) of kaffee schnapps.
“It was the perfect way to close an unforgettable day and to keep you warm inside when it is three degrees outside,” Sara said.
Their journey was a very special opportunity to look, learn and listen.
“Something magical happens when you start touring and visiting places with your lens on food and taking in the interests.
“You are immediately in the village and connecting with people as well as producers.
“It becomes very personal. You’re sitting at the table and you are sharing food as well as exchanging ideas.
“People were delighted that we were Australians. They know it’s important to tell stories from our home.
“We visited dairy and water buffalo farms, chocolate show factories as well as cheese show factories.
“I went to a bakery school with family and relatives. Having lunch was an experience in itself – in the next room was a Slow Food group taking it all in as well.”
Maleny Cheese not only tells its own story but it tells the story of the Sunshine Coast and surrounding regions.
These awards, and being represented on the world stage, are a reflection of the skill, the passion and the dedication exhibited by the entire team at Maleny Cheese.
Indeed, isn’t that the basis of food – to be enjoyed and shared in good company and a sense of community, where success can also be measured by the warmth of conversation and appreciation.
