Adrian CRUCEANU, the artisan of mountain cheeses from Călimani, at FERM 2025: “We are not stopping yet – crafting the authentic taste of the mountains from milk and passion”
Mesaje publice
REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM MOLDOVA 2025
19th Edition – Vatra Dornei, July 9–13, 2025
Section:
Field Visits – Lessons from the Practical Experiences of Small Producers
Participant:
Adrian Cruceanu – Cheese Production
Presentation Objective:
“Valorizing Mountain Products through Rural Entrepreneurship and Investments in Local Microprocessing”
Within the “Field Visits” section organized at the 2025 edition of the Regional Economic Forum Moldova, Adrian Cruceanu opened the doors of a family business offering the authentic taste of the mountains.
His story is a lesson in perseverance, vision, and attachment to local values – and a proof that Romanian artisanal cheese can thrive even under challenging conditions.
From Milk Baking to Artisanal Cheese – A Story Started in the Family
Adrian Cruceanu comes from a family that started milk processing in 2005 through a government project. The initial initiatives focused on a milk baking business, and further development followed naturally.
“Back then, we imported 20,000 stations from Austria, after which I, as a young farmer, handled the installation, followed by a project for an agrotourism guesthouse in Banaci Commune, together with Elena.”
Beyond tourism, the Cruceanu family continued to invest in agricultural machinery for haymaking – from tractors to balers and mowers – through a project worth over 160,000 euros. These investments allowed them to efficiently manage a significant number of animals, grazing in the Călimani area, where they produced cheese, curd, and whey for 15 years.
A Mountain-Identity Artisanal Cheese Microfactory
For 10 years, the Cruceanu family has moved the production center to a more modern facility, significantly increasing capacity.
“Here we produce around 12 products, including șfaițel – a matured mountain cheese –, smoked and unsmoked kashkaval, telemea, and many others. All are certified as mountain products.”
The distribution of these products is local and authentic: the cheeses are available in their own store in Vatra Dornei, in local groceries, in the Profi supermarket chain, and at the family guesthouse.
Significant Investments and Continuous Adaptation
Adrian Cruceanu’s latest project focused on modernizing the production section – including equipment such as pasteurizers, milk separators, vats, maturation rooms, and even a refrigerated vehicle for transport. The project, valued at 260,000 euros, was implemented with AFIR funding and has recently been completed.
Additionally, the family invested in 50 kW photovoltaic panels to reduce electricity costs.
“We started them just a week ago, and we are already producing. When there’s sunlight, we cover our consumption from the panels.”
It is noteworthy that most previous projects were completed with only 10% co-financing, enabling accelerated and sustainable development.
Quality Begins with Milk Selection: “We Collect Can by Can”
Part of the milk used comes from the small family farm, while the rest is collected locally. However, the process is far from superficial – quite the opposite.
“We collect it can by can and select it very carefully. We know the producers who feed their animals with dry hay – from them we make the șfaițel. The rest, fed with silage, goes into kashkaval and caș recipes.”
The maturation process is also handled with great care. Products are stored in special rooms at temperatures of 10–15°C for two months or longer, depending on the type of cheese.
Challenges? Yes. Giving Up? Never.
Even though the shortage of labor is a constant challenge, Adrian Cruceanu does not seem to lose his enthusiasm.
“We have the machinery, we mow with the mower, bale, wrap hay, but sometimes the product quality is affected. Now we select the milk very carefully. We are not stopping yet,” he told the visiting group.
The visitors, in turn, encouraged the continuation of the project.
“Don’t stop, it’s important for the area!” one participant told him.
Conclusion
The story of Adrian Cruceanu and his family is a vivid example of how tradition and innovation can go hand in hand to create a strong and sustainable local business model. Through smart investments, attention to the quality of raw materials, and continuous adaptation to market conditions and the mountain environment, they demonstrate that it is possible to achieve performance in rural areas while preserving product authenticity.
In the context of the Regional Economic Forum Moldova, such projects become essential benchmarks for the sustainable economic development of the region, proving that support and collaboration between the business environment, public administration, and European funding can transform local resources into real growth and consolidation opportunities.
