From Alpine Craft to the Himalayas

Some journeys begin quietly—with a simple respect for nature, people, and honest work. Ours began far from the Himalayas, on Alpine pastures where milk is still handled with care and time is measured not by clocks, but by seasons.

Gerhard Hochgräber knows this rhythm well. Trained originally as an intensive care nurse, he understands patience, precision, and responsibility. These same qualities later drew him toward cheesemaking—a craft where observation, sensitivity, and experience matter as much as technique. Over the years, Gerhard refined his skills in Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Mexico, and on the Kallbrunnalm, where he produces award-winning raw milk cheeses that have received gold medals at international competitions, including the World Cheese Awards.

Yet despite recognition and success, something was still missing.

A First Step Toward Nepal

The connection to Nepal began through friendship. Matthias Dold, a longtime visitor to the mountain village of Ghachok at the foot of the Annapurna range, had already been supporting local initiatives—schools, earthquake relief, and most recently, the country’s first senior home. Over time, conversations turned toward milk, agriculture, and an old, unanswered question: Why had earlier attempts to produce cheese locally failed, despite good milk and motivated farmers?

At the end of 2024, almost spontaneously, Gerhard decided to find out himself. Within days, plans were changed, visas organized, and a journey set in motion—from the Alps to Kathmandu, onward to Pokhara, and finally along winding mountain roads to Ghachok.

From the moment he arrived, something felt right.

Milk Treated With Respect

In Ghachok, Gerhard encountered something rare: milk that is still entirely hand-milked, carried carefully to collection points, sometimes in quantities as small as one or two liters. For many families, two Jersey cows and a few goats are their entire livelihood. The milk is not a product—it is survival.

What struck him most was not only the quality, but the attitude. The milk was handled slowly, almost ceremonially, with respect and care. Warm from the morning milking, untouched by pumps or long transport, it arrived in a condition cheesemakers can only dream of.

Despite this, the milk is currently transported daily to Pokhara, more than an hour away. Locally, a pasteurization facility existed—but unused, unsuitable, and unfamiliar to the farmers.

Gerhard saw a different possibility.

A Cooperative Vision

Rather than creating a private business, the idea that emerged was collective: a cooperative cheese dairy owned by the farmers themselves. By processing milk locally, its value could increase significantly. Farmers could receive a fairer price, reduce dependence on external buyers, and build skills within their own community.

The plan is deliberately simple. No expensive machinery, no unnecessary technology—just practical tools, traditional methods, and knowledge transfer. Gerhard’s role is not to take over production, but to train selected members of the cooperative so the process remains local, shared, and sustainable.

The farmers’ assembly has already given its approval. Preparation of the space has begun. Equipment will be sourced locally in Nepal wherever possible, and initial funding is being gathered through donations.

Toward a Himalayan Cheese

The idea is not to copy European cheeses, but to let place, milk, and climate shape something new. Jersey cows grazing at 1,300 meters, rich grass, multiple harvests per year, and fresh mountain air create unique conditions. Early test batches—simple and experimental—have already shown promise.

Whether the final result becomes a soft cheese, a mountain-style hard cheese, or something entirely its own is still open. What is certain is that a “Himalaya cheese” will grow from hand-milked milk, local hands, and shared responsibility.

For Gerhard, this project unites everything he has learned: care, craftsmanship, and the belief that knowledge is most powerful when passed on. For the community of Ghachok, it represents another step toward self-determination—rooted not in charity, but in collaboration.

And this is only the beginning.............