La Cantara

Determination, hard-won skills and gratitude.

La Cantara Artisan Cheese is a family-run cheesemaker in Edith Creek, north-west Tasmania, on palawa Country. Founded in 2019 by Venezuelan-born veterinarians Genaro Velasquez and Rosselyn Escalante, La Cantara makes small-batch Venezuelan and European-style cheeses using milk from its own dairy herd.

Genaro and Rosselyn arrived in Australia in 2009 seeking a new life for their family. After building their dairy-farming experience and receiving the Fonterra Tasmanian Sharefarmer of the Year award, they established La Cantara to bring their Venezuelan heritage to Tasmanian cheesemaking.

Their range includes silky Queso de Mano and Tom al Vino, a cheese washed in wine. Every cheese reflects their understanding of animal care and milk, along with traditional cheesemaking, careful maturation and a deep respect for the land they now call home.

La Cantara is a distinctly Tasmanian expression of Venezuelan food culture: real cheese made by hand, with a strong sense of place, family and gratitude.