A distinct flavour for everyone
Holmestead Cheese Sales proving popular in Aylesford and beyond
“You can bake it, or blend it with different herbs, peppers and spices and make it a dip. You can have it with kalamata olives on toast.”
Susan Tziolas Co-owner of Homestead Cheese
Feta is not only delicious but is also among the most versatile of cheeses.
“It can go on a salad or on a pizza,” says Susan Tziolas, coower of Holmestead Cheese Sales.
“You can bake it, or blend it with different herbs, peppers and spices and make it a dip. You can have it with kalamata olives on toast.”
Authentic feta cheese made in the traditional artisanal method has proven to be a winning formula for Holmestead Cheese Sales. Located on Harmony Road in Aylesford, the company has grown to become one of the largest feta cheese producers in Canada. Carrying all the products that go well with feta cheese – olives, olive oil, baklava, tzatziki and a variety of cheeses – the company also has a walk-in retail outlet.
“We provide wholesale distribution to a number of restaurants around the Valley and in Halifax,” Susan points out.
Nick and Susan Tziolas met in Ontario and decided that Nova Scotia would be an ideal place to launch their business. Born in Ottawa, Susan had spent part of her childhood in Nova Scotia as her parents served in the military.
“We knew we would have a steady supply of raw milk here,” Susan says. “So, we saw the potential for a cheese factory.”
They started the business in 1985 and began by going door-to-door to sell their feta cheese while educating consumers about their product. The timing was fortuitous, as Greek restaurants were gaining a following in Halifax and other parts of the province.
“We acquired a federal license and started selling in Quebec and Ontario,” Susan recalls. “Our product was authentic so we really didn’t have a lot of competition at the time and we were able to grow very quickly.”
As the business grew indeed and its facilities and offerings expanded. Holmestead began importing quality Mediterranean foods to supply its growing clientele of stores, restaurants and wholesalers. Warehouses, walk-in coolers and loading docks now surround the facility which takes in 14,000 litres of Nova Scotia milk every week.
Another new product the company began making within the last year is paneer, a non-aged, non-melting soft cheese that is popular in India.
“It takes on a flavour of its own,” Susan says. “Indian food is becoming really big right now, so we are selling a lot of paneer.”
Nick comes from a long line of Greek cheesemakers, drawing on traditions that go back centuries in his home village of Vlasti in Greece.
“Our production processes are very old-fashioned,” says production manager George Tziolas.
“We still use cheese cloth and recipes straight from my dad’s village. That’s what gives our cheese its authentic taste.”
These traditional techniques and methods give Holmestead cheese a flavour distinct from other varieties available to consumers.
“You don’t see too many factories with this scale of production making everything by hand,” Susan says.
“It’s an Ol World taste, made right here in Nova Scotia.”