ABOUT US
90 years of love for the art of cheesemaking.
SINCE 1934.
Founded by three siblings in 1934 in the village of Fornos, Santa Maria da Feira, Lactimaf is one of the oldest and most renowned dairy companies in Portugal that remains in the hands of its founding family. At Lactimaf, tradition and technique come together to create high-quality cheeses for all occasions.
PIONEER IN MANUFACTURING.
With knowledge enriched by the past and eyes focused on the future, Lactimaf is a family-oriented cheese dairy that honours heritage without forsaking innovation. Lactimaf's creative spirit lead it to become the first producer of the popular Flamengo cheese ball and cheese triangles in Portugal. To this day, it remains the sole manufacturer of cheese triangles in the country.
AWARDS.
Lactimaf's holistic approach is evidenced in the final product. From 2017 to 2019, A Queijeira Apimentada cheese, one of Lactimaf's most emblematic products, was awarded the prize for the best long cure cow's milk cheese at the Concurso Queijos de Portugal (Cheeses of Portugal Contest).
HISTORY
Making cheese since 1934.
In the 1930s, in the village of Fornos near the Feira Castle, three siblings - Margarida, Ana and Francisco Pinho - got together to create a small cheese dairy that would use the milk produced on their farm, the Casa da Quintã. Aware of the popularity of the product and the lack of variety in the market, they travelled together to France and the Netherlands to learn from the best cheesemaking masters, bringing back to Portugal shapes and varieties never seen before.
Totally dedicated to learning everything they could about cheese - be it through experts, magazines or even foreign books - in 1934, the three siblings founded Lacticínios MAF, Lda., a name that came about from the junction of their initials. They immediately began producing the Flamengo cheese ball, unknown to Portugal until then. That same year, they registered the Rico brand, using the Feira Castle as a symbol on the packaging, a brand image that remains to this day.
LEARNING FROM THE PAST
AND LOOKING TO THE FUTURE.
Throughout its existence, the cheese dairy anticipated and followed market trends and consumer preferences without neglecting its familial and local essence. While always honouring tradition, Lactimaf has closely followed the development of new technologies to raise productivity and the quality of its cheeses as well as the well-being of its employees.
Pioneer in the manufacture of the Rico Flamengo cheese ball, the passion for the art of cheesemaking has led Lactimaf to broaden its options with the production of other cheese varieties, such as cured, creamy, triangular, light, spreads, etc. All these cheeses are made exclusively with locally produced Portuguese milk while promoting animal welfare at all times. These cheeses can be found all over the world.
Despite continuous innovation, the company remains faithful to its origins: the manufacture of Flamengo and creamy cheeses follows their original recipes and is closely monitored by a master cheesemaker. Lactimaf is proud of its expertise in the art of cheesemaking. The careful selection of yeasts and rennets, the use of quality raw materials and, above all, the technical knowledge of its employees are essential to the creation of the irresistible cheeses that characterize the company.
