Cheese Manufacture

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 251, 23 August 1928, Page 3

Cheese Manufacture

QUALITY VERSUS QUANTITY. In commenting upon un article published in our news columns, in which the opinions of several South Taranaki experts were quoted to show that there was a tendency on the part of some co-operative dairy factories to sacrifice, in some measure, quality for quantity in the manufacture of cheese, we expressed the hope that recognised leaders of the manufacturing and marketing side of the industry would have something to say on the point at the forthcoming annual meetings of shareholders, writes the Hawera Star. We also stated on that occasion that the most welcome foi-m any such comment could take would be a denial, supported by evidence, of the assertion that the quality of our dairy produce was being allowed to suffer to any extent, however small, through efforts to increase quantity. Our hopes have been only partially realised so far, for it was not until Monday that we noticed any reference to the subject at any of the annual meetings. The reference then made to the question raised by us was arresting, coming as it did from the chairman of directors of one of the most important co-operative organisations operating in the province at a meeting of shareholders of the Hawera Company, and supporting, in part at least, the contention of the experts who were our informants in the first instance. Mr. Corrigan and his co-directors are to be congratulated upon their attitude; the chairman did not attempt temporisation, but made the straightout statement that “ there is a point beyond which yield can be obtained only at the' expense of quality ” and “ reports from London showed that there had been some falling off in the quality of the company’s produce during the last year.” Mr. Corrigan carried his warning further, stating that if yield alone were made the objective of the company “ the quality of its produce would suffer and any immediate gain would be quickly lost in the general lowering of the standard of New Zealand cheese on the London market.” The remark about the lowering of the general standard is one which suppliers and directors might well ponder over a little. It might not be quite correct to say that the immediate advantage gained through increasing the moisture content of cheese in order to produce greater yield would be “ quickly lost,” but it is certain it would be ultimately lost, and with the disappearance of that monetary advantage would disappear also the goodwill of the English consumer toward a product that at present enjoys a good reputation. It may be that directorates are inclined to close their eyes to the possible illeffects of the policy of striving for high yield by the fact that so far they have noticed no difference between the monetary returns gained by the highest quality produce and by the produce that is little lower in quality, but it should be obvious to anyone that although the lower quality article may show just as good a return, it is able" to do so only because the general standard is maintained at a high level. It may' seem unjust, and it may even appear to be bad business, to make quality the first objective when it is known that a rival factory is content to concern itself with quality only as a secondary consideration, allowing the other fellow to take care of the general standard, but what is going to happen if all factory directorates grow tired of worrying about quality and aim at yield first and foremost? The slight falling off in quality which has made itself perceptible to the principal of one of the Tooley street houses, and was referred to by him in an address to directors at a meeting in Hawera, will in time become perceptible to the consumer in England—and the latter is a very conservative person whose favour, once lost, is not easily recaptured. There can be no sound argument raised against the desirability of aiming at quality in manufacturing cheese for the English market. It should appeal to a business man’s commonsense as being sound, but it would not be difficult to find concrete examples of its real worth to the producer in hard cash. The cables provided an instance of this a week or two ago when they related that a consignment of Queensland cheese, which had been manufactured for show purposes, aroused the greatest interest on Tooley street when it found its way there for sale. The trade declared it was the best cheese which had ever come from Australia, and it was all sold at prices averaging above current rates for the New

Zealand product. There is food for thought in that statement for dairy company directors. If they are making cheese with an eye to quantity first as part of their settled policy, they should at least maintain a careful watch on the trend of the manufacturing industry and make sure that all others are not doing likewise, for it can be taken as an axiom that as soon as all factories adopt a similar policy there will be nothing in it for anyone. That may not be good advice ethically, but it is at least businesslike.