IOS
Fromagerie Niotiko
The cheese factory started in 2007 with the initiative of the Municipality of Ios with the aim of highlighting the tradition of the island in the art of cheese making, while responding to the requirements of the modern era. In 2013, with the aim of its faster development, the cheese factory changed its character from state to private one, raising the bar of production and quality more and more since then.
Niotiko is a small traditional cheese factory with high quality products. The production process uses local – pure sheep and goat and cow’s milk, produced by free-range animals without removing its nutrients or adding preservatives or other substances.
The production of Ios cheeses is based on goats and sheep from local tribes of Ios, whose origin is lost in the depths of the centuries. Sheep and goat farming on the island began in antiquity with cattle being introduced to the life of the Cyclades by the Venetians later.
Cheese Making in Ios
Ios has a long tradition in cheese-making. But it acquired an organized cheese dairy very recently. The unit was created in 2007 from the mayor of the island. The vision of the inspired former mayor was to put the island on the cheese map of Greece. The project was a success. The quality of the products, their delicious milk, the security that gives the merchants an organized unit, all these contributed to the recognition of the Ios treasures throughout the country and to stimulate the local livestock.
With patience, perseverance, hard work and passion for the land and its gifts, the people of the company produce products separately and constantly earn distinctions. The first cheese maker is now retired and his place took his assistant in all these years, Augustine.
The unit is in a unique location of the island at 450 meters above sea level so having direct contact with farmers in the region.
Their love for traditional products and their production methods, as well as their insistence on quality control and detail at every stage of the production process, result in the production of superior quality cheeses. Each of them encloses the flavors and aromas of the local land leading the taster on a journey of senses and memories.
The Products of the Dairy
A name that suggests the charming origin of this cheese.
A 100% cow’s milk gruyere exclusively from the island, a handmade product with four-month aging. The products are made with Jersey cow’s milk, which produces milk with a unique aroma and flavor.