We weren’t just producing milk.We were building an entirely new market.
In 2010, under our brand Semero Kozeniat (“Seven Little Goats”), we began producing fresh drinking goat’s milk, yogurt, and cheese.
At the time, commercial goat farming in Ukraine was still in its infancy, and Ukrainian-produced goat dairy products were virtually nonexistent on the market.
We were among the pioneers of this emerging industry, building our business from the ground up — from importing pedigree breeding goats and establishing our own dairy processing facility to securing distribution through Ukraine’s leading retail chains, including Silpo, Velyka Kyshenia, Goodwine, Fozzy, Megamarket, NOVUS, Auchan, and others.
That experience taught me an important lesson: making great cheese is only half the journey.The other half is finding the people who will appreciate it.

European Cheesemakers Became My Teachers

I travelled across Europe to learn from experienced cheesemakers, invited international dairy technologists to work alongside me at my own dairy, and immersed myself in the study of microbiology, cheese history, and the art and science of cheese maturation.

Then I would return home and experiment. I quickly realised that even the best recipe doesn't necessarily produce the same results when the milk is different.

True cheesemaking is about understanding the technology, not simply following a recipe.

This is how Cheddar, Gouda, Brie, Taleggio, Fontina, and Pecorino became part of our cheese range, alongside my own creations — including Pesto cheese, cheeses with truffles, ash-coated cheeses, white mould-ripened cheeses, and other distinctive varieties.

Every new cheese was a little research project for me.
And every mistake was an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the cheesemaking process.

In 2015, I realised it was time to share my knowledge.

More and more people were reaching out to me for advice, asking me to teach them cheesemaking, help them understand the technology, and guide them in setting up their own cheese businesses.

By then, I had years of hands-on experience behind me — hundreds of experiments, technological discoveries, and, of course, mistakes that had taught me just as much as my successes.

That is how Ukraine’s first cheesemaking school was born — Cheese School by Iryna Demianiuk.

What began with small groups of students has grown into a school that has trained over 3,000 people — from home cheesemakers taking their first steps to professional dairy technologists and cheese dairy owners.

Today, one of my greatest rewards is seeing my former students establish their own cheese dairies, create signature cheeses, and earn well-deserved awards at the World Cheese Awards and other prestigious international competitions.

Because the true value of knowledge lies in the way it lives on through the hands of others.

I know what goes into every wheel of cheese.And not just from textbooks.
Running my own dairy meant wearing many hats — animal husbandry specialist, cheesemaker, dairy technologist, managing director, marketing strategist, and even packaging designer.
I made the cheese myself, developed product ranges, launched new cheeses onto the market, negotiated with major retail chains, and learned to find solutions to challenges for which no ready-made instructions existed.
Today, that experience allows me to advise both artisan cheesemakers and large-scale dairy producers, troubleshoot complex technological problems, develop distinctive signature cheeses, and create commercially successful product ranges.
My background in civil engineering and experience in the construction industry also enable me to design cheese dairies and milk processing facilities — combining technical expertise with a practical understanding of how production really works.
My passion goes beyond teaching people how to make cheese. I want to help them create products with their own distinctive character, find their place in the market, and build a successful future.

The more I learn about cheese, the more I realise how much there is still to discover.
After so many years of hands-on experience, you might think I already know everything there is to know about cheese. But that's far from the truth! I'm still endlessly fascinated by cheese microbiology, affinage, the history of cheesemaking, and the opportunity to learn from Europe's finest cheesemakers.
I became the first Ukrainian to achieve the prestigious Fellow status from the British Academy of Cheese, and I am currently working on my research project towards the Academy's highest professional distinction — Master of Cheese.
My school, Cheese School by Iryna Demianiuk, has also become an official Training Partner of the Academy of Cheese, opening the door for Ukrainian cheesemakers and cheese enthusiasts to access internationally recognised cheese education in their native language.
Because true mastery isn't about knowing everything. It's about never losing the desire to learn.

Behind every cheese, there is a person.
And it is their story that fascinates me most.

I am particularly drawn to Europe's small, authentic cheese dairies — tucked away high in the mountains, nestled in picturesque valleys, or located on centuries-old family farms. Places where cheese is still made using techniques passed down through generations, some dating back hundreds of years.

For many years, I have been organising professional cheese expeditions to Italy, France, and Switzerland. We meet the cheesemakers, explore their techniques, and discover the history of their cheeses through the culture, traditions, and unique character of each region.

As President of the Guild of Artisan Cheesemakers of Ukraine, I am also dedicated to strengthening our professional community, organising the national Ukraine Cheese Awards competitions, and fostering international knowledge exchange.

More recently, we launched 1000km of Cheese — a project dedicated to cheese journeys, remarkable artisan dairies, and the people who have devoted their lives to cheesemaking.

Because cheese is more than milk, terroir, and technology.
It is the story of a person, their land, their traditions, and their dreams.
And these are stories worth preserving.

My goal is not simply to teach cheesemaking.
I want to help people create their own success stories.

Over the years, I have come to believe that great cheese is born where deep knowledge meets hands-on experience, curiosity, and the courage to experiment.

I don't believe in universal recipes that work the same way for everyone. But I do believe in the power of knowledge — the kind that enables cheesemakers to truly understand the processes behind their craft, find their own solutions, and create distinctive, exceptional cheeses.

I want my students to go beyond simply following technical instructions. I want them to keep growing, establish their own cheese dairies, preserve and develop local traditions, and create cheeses with character and stories of their own.

And I continue to learn and grow alongside them.

Because, to me, the true measure of a teacher's success is seeing their students achieve even more than they have themselves.