Field Visits, FERM 2025 | Adrian Cruceanu – Cheese Producer, Neagra Șarului: “We are among the few in the country who still make Swiss cheese following a recipe over 100 years old”
100 economic opportunities for the development of the Moldova Region on the A7 Highway route
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 Producer, Neagra Șarului
Presentation Objective:
“Field Visits, FERM 2025 | Adrian Cruceanu – Cheese Producer, Neagra Șarului: ‘We are among the few in the country who still make Swiss cheese following a recipe over 100 years old'”
At this year’s edition of the Regional Economic Forum Moldova (FERM), held from July 9–13 in Vatra Dornei, participants were invited to discover authentic local entrepreneurship stories through the “Field Visits” program. One of the stops was at Adrian Cruceanu – Cheese Producer, in the Neagra Șarului commune, where tradition, innovation, and perseverance converge in a business built step by step.
From the Mountains to the Farm and Beyond to the Market
Adrian Cruceanu began his journey in 2005 through a government project dedicated to dairy farms.
“We would take them to the mountains, gather a few more from the village, collect 80–90 cows, go to the Călimani Mountains, and make our cheese”
However, the lack of labor led him, after 15 years, to move operations closer to the farm and develop a small processing unit. He started with simple cheese, but the success of his products encouraged him to diversify the range and open a shop at the agro-food market in Vatra Dornei.
Today, his unit produces 12 varieties certified as “mountain products”: smoked and unsmoked yellow cheeses, matured mountain cheese, cottage cheese, cream, curds, and especially Swiss cheese – a recipe over 100 years old, brought from Switzerland to the Călimani Mountains.
“We are among the few in the country who still make Swiss cheese following this old recipe,” emphasizes Cruceanu.
Local Milk Collected from Small Farmers
The raw material comes both from his own farm – with 30 dairy cows and 20 Angus for meat – and from households in the Șaru Dornei commune. Milk is collected manually, in cans, directly from people’s doorsteps.
“Swiss cheese, being more demanding, is made from the highest quality milk,” explains the entrepreneur.
The “mountain product” label guarantees authenticity and local origin: the raw material must come from no more than 50 km from the processing unit.
Step-by-Step Investments through European Projects
The development of the business has largely relied on European and national projects. Adrian Cruceanu started with the “Young Farmer Installation” program and continued with projects through AFIR and GAL.
Investments included:
-
agricultural machinery (tractor, baler, mower);
-
a small agrotourism guesthouse (“Pensiunea Elena” in Panaci commune);
-
a refrigerated vehicle for product transportation;
-
a maturation chamber;
-
equipment for the processing section (pasteurizers, vats, coagulation valves);
-
most recently, a 50 kW photovoltaic system, installed these days, to reduce energy costs.
Distribution Network and First Steps in the Meat Sector
Products are sold in his own shop in Vatra Dornei, in local and national stores, as well as through large chains like Profi – in 7 stores in Suceava. Additionally, there is an online store and courier delivery across the country.
Regarding Angus beef, the project is still in its early stages but shows promise.
“They are easier to maintain – no milking needed, we let them roam with electric fences. We already have clients buying calves at 7–8 months for fattening, at a good price,” says Cruceanu.
Conclusion: A Model of Rural Entrepreneurship
The visit to “Adrian Cruceanu – Cheese Producer” showed FERM participants how a business rooted in tradition can reach a competitive level through perseverance and the use of European funds. With a focus on authenticity, traceability, and quality, Adrian Cruceanu demonstrates that small local producers can become benchmarks for sustainable development and contribute directly to the regional economy.
His experience fits perfectly within the spirit of the Regional Economic Forum Moldova: building bridges between tradition and innovation, between rural areas and modern markets, and between local initiatives and strategic development visions.
