Cover Founder Jamie Najmie in Mazaraat's aging room
Founder Jamie Najmie in Mazaraat's aging room
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From a domestic kitchen in Yogyakarta to the global stage, founders Jamie Najmie and Nieta Pricilia Puspitasari have spent ten years redefining the Indonesian dairy landscape, transforming Mazaraat into a pioneer of artisan cheesemaking, one hand-turned wheel at a time.
There is a specific rhythm to life at Mazaraat. It is not the frenetic pace of modern industry, but rather a slow, deliberate cadence dictated by nature. Here, milk is heated with painstaking patience, rising just one degree every five minutes. To the uninitiated, this might seem like a lack of technological urgency; to Jamie Najmie and Nieta Pricilia Puspitasari, the founders of Mazaraat, it is the only way to respect the soul of the ingredient. "Flavour cannot be rushed," Jamie asserts. "Cheese must grow in the rhythm granted by nature."
Last year, Mazaraat celebrated its tenth anniversary, a milestone that marks the evolution of a humble household project into a sophisticated ecosystem that bridges the gap between traditional Indonesian food culture and European craftsmanship.
The Mazaraat story did not begin with a business plan, but with a parent’s devotion. In 2011, Jamie and Nieta’s lives were upended when their child was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition. Driven by the need to source the most nutritious fermented foods for their family, they turned to their home kitchen. What began as a search for health-conscious sustenance soon ignited a fascination with the transformative power of milk.
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Above High-quality dairy begins from healthy livestock, natural feed, and sustainable environmental management
Above Time is the secret ingredient in every wheel of the aged Alpine cheese
High-quality dairy begins from healthy livestock, natural feed, and sustainable environmental management
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By 2015, this domestic experiment had matured into a formal venture. Jamie, a self-taught artisan, brought with him a palate shaped by the heritage of his hometown, Padang. He grew up eating Dadih—a traditional soft buffalo milk cheese fermented in bamboo—and Dali Ni Horbo, a Sumatran clabbering cheese reminiscent of ricotta. These indigenous delicacies provided the proof that cheesemaking was not merely a European import, but a dormant Indonesian craft waiting to be awakened.
To refine his intuition, Jamie sought formal training in the dairy heartlands of Canada, New Zealand, and eventually France, where he earned a European Union standard Cheese Master’s degree. This global education allowed him to return to Yogyakarta with the technical precision required to compete with the world’s finest creameries.
At Mazaraat, the complexity of a matured Tomme or a creamy Brillat-Savarin is distilled into just four essential ingredients: fresh milk, a starter culture, halal rennet, and pure, iodine-free sea salt. The secret, however, lies in the provenance. Jamie’s definition of high-quality cheese is uncompromising: the milk used is often never more than thirty minutes from the time of milking. At their facilities in Yogyakarta and Pasuruan, the fresh milk is warm and brimming with potential; it carries the distinct terroir of the fertile lands of Java.
This commitment to freshness is paired with a strictly organic philosophy. Only milk from grass-fed cows and goats—free from pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics—is permitted. By 2023, this ethos was formalised through official organic certification, a milestone that required a systemic overhaul of their supply chain, from elevated herd management to rigorous traceability.
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Above Crafted from 100% fresh goat milk, Khayya captures the traditional spirit of French cheesemaking in a single form
Above Matured for twelve weeks from the finest milk, Ibra is an artisanal, semi-hard blue cheese inspired by the historic French Fourme d'Ambert
Crafted from 100% fresh goat milk, Khayya captures the traditional spirit of French cheesemaking in a single form
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What truly sets Mazaraat apart is its role as a facilitator of a sustainable farming ecosystem. Jamie and Nieta have moved beyond the role of producers to become architects of an "upstream-to-downstream" community. To date, the company supports over 270 local farmers, overseeing a population of more than 1,200 dairy cows. By transitioning these farmers to organic management—replacing synthetic fertilisers with natural grass and eliminating antibiotics—Mazaraat has significantly increased the value of the raw milk. This creates a mutually supportive loop: the farmers receive fairer commercial arrangements and improved agricultural training, while Mazaraat secures a steady supply of world-class raw material.
"By creating natural, unprocessed cheese from fresh milk, we empower local farmers and strengthen our food security," Jamie explains. This dedication to the nutritional needs of Indonesian children and the economic health of local communities ensures that Mazaraat is as much a social enterprise as it is a gourmet brand.
Today, the Mazaraat portfolio has expanded to over 20 varieties. It is a dizzying array that spans the Mediterranean and the Alps: from Mediterranean-style halloumi and Italian-inspired mozzarella to aged French classics such as Tomme de Merapi, Cantal, and Ibra—a semi-hard blue cheese crafted in the style of Fourme d’Ambert. Beyond the wheels, they produce premium milk-derived staples including ghee, buttermilk, mascarpone, and cultured butter.
The deeply personal nature of Mazaraat is perhaps most evident in the names of the cheeses themselves. To walk through their maturing rooms is to walk through a family history. Ibra, the blue cheese named after Jamie and Nieta’s third child, is one of the most cherished varieties in the collection. Other varieties—Khayya, Athan, and Alpine—also bear the names of their children, serving as a constant reminder that the health and integrity of the product remain the company’s guiding stars.
Above The cheesemakers of Mazaraat
The cheesemakers of Mazaraat
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From a monthly production that began in a small kitchen, Mazaraat has scaled significantly, now producing approximately nine tonnes of cheese per month. Yet, despite this growth, the artisanal soul remains intact. The expansion into markets like Singapore and the continued presence in Jakarta and Bali’s top-tier resorts have not diluted their original mission.
As Mazaraat enters its second decade, it stands as a beacon of what is possible when indigenous tradition meets international expertise. The couple remains steadfast in their belief that Indonesian soil can produce cheese that rivals the storied estates of Europe. In every wedge of Gouda or slice of Tomme de Merapi, there is more than just fermented milk; there is a decade of determination, a commitment to environmental stewardship, and the profound love of a family that dared to dream of a better way to eat.
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Since embarking on her career as a food journalist in 2012, she has penned hundreds of articles delving into culinary trends, chef profiles, and gastronomic destinations across Asia. Born and raised in Bali, Eve is dividing her time between Bali and Jakarta.
