Luís Ferreira, administrator of Vale da Estrela Dairy, was the messenger of the identity of Serra da Estrela cheese to our emigrant communities in an interview with RDP International.

Speaking to the program Tarde of RDP International, Luís Ferreira spoke about the particularities that make Serra da Estrela PDO cheese a unique product in our gastronomy and which has a millenary tradition. As well as the sheep of Serra da Estrela that belong to a species that “came to Portugal more than a thousand years ago, in transhumance from the Middle East”. On the other hand, what also makes Serra da Estrela PDO cheese unique is that “it has to be made 24 hours after milking, without pasteurization, chemicals or additives, or lactic bacteria. It is the purest cheese there is.”

Luís Ferreira also highlighted the know-how of cheesemakers who produce the cheese by hand, without any mechanical intervention or equipment.

The Dairy project was also addressed by the journalist, the tribute to Jorge Coelho’s grandfather and also the economic relevance for the region with the development of an activity that covers the entire cycle of pastoralism and that in addition to the 16 cheese factories also involve the collaboration of 40 sheep herders from Serra da Estrela, whose flocks total around five thousand sheep.

In the interview, other topics were also discussed, such as the partnership with TAP – Air Portugal, with the presence of Vale da Estrela cheeses on the menu of medium and long-haul flights and also access abroad to Vale da Estrela products.