The origin of Airas Moniz dates back to the 1990s, when Xesús Mazaira, the current administrator and sales manager of the cheese dairy and at that time a fellow student of his partner Ricardo, tried to convince him to transform the milk from his parents' dairy and give it added value. The Outeiro dairy, with Friesian cows, an intensive model and one of the best and most awarded at the time, had been working with high genetics for many years, but at that time selling the milk was a profitable business and nobody wanted to complicate their lives.

Years went by and life circumstances led them to meet again and to resume those conversations of their youth. The situation was totally different: the price of milk had plummeted and the costs of running the farm were still very high. It was then that they both decided to venture into the world of cheese-making together with Ana, Ricardo's wife, setting up a project to transform 900,000 litres of milk into cheeses with the Arzúa-Ulloa designation of origin and taking advantage of the resources of intensive Friesian cow farming. They soon realised that it was not what they were looking for, it was not such an economically profitable business, as they were competing with other large industries whose production costs were much lower and it was difficult for them to obtain financing. It was clear to them that they wanted to do something different, although they still didn't know how, and it was precisely at an impasse in the project when José Luis Martín came into their lives, the person who, according to Xesús, "took the blindfold off their eyes". Martín, a former Sony Ericsson manager turned master cheesemaker and current director of Gourmet Quesos del Salón Gourmet in Madrid, became a key figure in the take-off of Airas Moniz, introducing his three partners to a new paradigm of cheesemaking, focused on quality and differentiation. Travelling around Europe and Spain, they discovered an exciting world of cheese that inspired them to radically transform their business model, moving from intensive to extensive production and from pasteurised to raw milk, opting for the Jersey cow instead of the Friesian cow.

This process of change, which included everything from the recovery of pastures to training in the art of cheesemaking, culminated in the launch of its cheeses on the market in 2017, after six years of intense dedication and learning. In addition to its two star products, Terra and Savel cheeses, with which the dairy has won numerous national and international awards, Airas Moniz has other products made from the milk of its own cows, such as Chantada butter, which comes in biodegradable packaging, demonstrating the dairy's commitment to sustainability and respect for the environment; Or the Amelia cheese, an exclusive creation for the chef Pepe Solla that bears the name of his mother, as a way of thanking her for being the only person in Galicia who bet on them from minute one. Airas Moniz has also explored unique products such as tuna belly with Los Peperetes butter, and a Savel cheese nougat in collaboration with Lucía Freitas, demonstrating the versatility of its products and its ability to innovate and adapt to different palates and markets.

Unlike the typical trajectory of many local companies that start their commercial expansion from their immediate environment, Airas Moniz took a different path. From the outset, the company identified a unique opportunity in markets outside Galicia, specifically in Madrid and the UK, based on the perception and appreciation of artisanal and quality products in these markets, which are more accustomed and open to tasting and paying for unique and origin-specific products. In both territories, the demand for distinctive and high quality products from fine dining restaurants and specialised shops provided fertile ground for Airas Moniz cheeses, which after establishing a solid base and strengthening its reputation through the undisputed quality of its products, began to focus on its region of origin.

Airas Moniz's distribution network is currently wide and diversified, ranging from specialised shops, gourmet markets, to fine dining. The company has maintained a strategy of organic and controlled growth, ensuring that each new point of sale or commercial partner understands and transmits the philosophy and values of the brand, as Xesús Mazairas explains: "Our doors are open to everyone. We invite people from the kitchen, the dining room and the shop to visit us and learn first-hand about the entire production process. The people who come here value the product in a completely different way".

Institutional support is key for small businesses looking to innovate

Innovation is key to the strategy of Airas Moniz, which is currently in the process of developing a new line of fermented cream or crème fraîche and raw milk yoghurts in collaboration with the Aula de Productos Lácteos de Lugo, thanks to the Innovation Vouchers promoted by the Xunta through the Axencia Galega de Innovación, of which they have been beneficiaries. Through the aid, the cheese dairy of Ana, Ricardo and Xesús will achieve the objective of expanding its offer by offering consumers a new way to enjoy high quality dairy products, the result of a meticulous creation process that combines respect for tradition, attention to detail and a strong commitment to sustainability and innovation.

The support from the Axencia Galega de Innovación not only symbolises financial backing, but also validation of the commitment to innovation and sustainability that characterises Airas Moniz. This type of aid is essential for small companies that, like his, seek not only to grow in size, but also in quality and value proposition. As Mazairas explains, "the ability to innovate and develop new products is essential in today's market and limited for small companies, Gain's support gives us the immense opportunity to do so".