Authentic values
etched into the cheese
Seventy-five years of history, classic handmade production, and a tradition we honor as a guarantee of quality. These are the hallmarks that can only be associated with a single product: our blue-veined cheese NIVA ORIGINAL.
Traditional production process
Time-tested recipe
Genuine handcraft
History
of our cheese
The production of NIVA ORIGINAL cheese dates back to 1946, when it was first made in Hlohovec by the Ďatko family. The Ďatko family operated a dairy in Hlohovec since 1938, when this dairy for milk production and processing was founded by them. As historical records show, the Hlohovec dairy operated smoothly and produced its products under the guidance of this family until World War II.
After World War II, the owner, Mr. Ďatko, feared the nationalization of the dairy and therefore voluntarily joined the Slovak Dairy Association. Despite his joining the association, the state still took over the factory and, in 1960, annexed it to the plant in Trnava. Later, this dairy came under Levice Dairies, which was forced to close the long-standing operation in Hlohovec on January 14, 2014, due to insufficient storage capacity, inefficient layout of the production facility, and poor location. However, this did not mean the end of NIVA ORIGINAL cheese production.
On the contrary, it was merely a complete and competent relocation of this production to the plant in Levice, which had all the human, material, and spatial prerequisites for the production of this cheese. The subsequent increase in production confirmed this assumption.
The classic production of NIVA ORIGINAL blue cheese is still handmade throughout the entire process, from filling the curd into vats, forming, salting, ripening, and packaging, making each cheese wheel unique and under constant control.
NIVA ORIGINAL cheese is produced according to a traditional, almost seventy-year-old recipe from Hlohovec.
NIVA ORIGINAL cheese is made exclusively from Slovak cow's milk, predominantly from farmers in the Tekov region.
NIVA ORIGINAL cheese is not chemically treated on its surface, meaning no antibiotics are added to prevent mold from growing on the cheese surface. The only surface treatment of NIVA ORIGINAL cheese is manual scraping, which may result in the appearance of overgrowing mold and smear on its surface as our NIVA gradually matures; these are not product defects.
NIVA Original
cheese with a story
Each wheel of NIVA ORIGINAL undergoes a long process before it reaches your table. Handmade production, traditional methods, and careful ripening, which can take up to 6 months, give it a unique character and unmistakable taste.
To ensure you enjoy NIVA ORIGINAL at its best quality, we have prepared a practical guide to help you with the proper storage and consumption of this unique cheese.
Storage and Consumption Guide
Storage
Temperature and humidity
Store the cheese in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2 – 6 °C and humidity of 80 – 90%.
Packaging
It is recommended to keep the cheese in its original or perforated packaging to allow it to breathe. To prevent odor transfer, store it separately from aromatic foods.
Light
Protect the cheese from direct sunlight; ideally, place it in a darker part of the refrigerator.
Taste
NIVA ORIGINAL has a full, balanced, and slightly spicy taste. A sour or bitter taste may indicate that the cheese is no longer suitable for consumption.
Consumption
Appearance
The cheese has a delicate creamy consistency with typical blue veins. Natural white/cream mold on the surface is normal and does not affect quality. If you find it aesthetically unappealing, you can simply scrape it off.
- If unusual colors (black, pink, yellowish areas) or unknown molds appear on the cheese, it is not suitable for consumption.
Aroma
The characteristic mold aroma is delicate and pleasant. If the cheese emits a strong, unpleasant odor, it may indicate improper storage or spoilage.
NIVA ORIGINAL GOURMET
For your extraordinary indulgence
The secret of the gourmet lies in a new recipe
and production process
The secret of the new NIVA ORIGINAL GOURMET blue cheese lies in its new recipe and production process. In addition to the noble mold Penicillium roqueforti, special beer yeasts are added to the curd, which give the cheese an additional flavor dimension. Carefully shaped cheese wheels ripen for 6-8 weeks in a special environment exclusively on oak beds. All of this gives this cheese a unique taste and two textures, internal and external. The internal texture is buttery soft, almost spreadable, with a green-bluish marbled structure. The external surface of the cheese forms a harder rind with only a delicate coating of noble mold. Overall, the cheese thus acquired a mildly sharp to spicy-piquant taste that fully develops with the very first bite.
The new NIVA ORIGINAL GOURMET cheese thus embodies 60 years of Slovak production tradition, and the cheese is comparable to the highest quality Gorgonzola and Roquefort type cheeses.
Just like all blue cheeses under the LEVMILK brand, NIVA ORIGINAL GOURMET cheese is also processed manually throughout the entire production process, from filling the curd into vats, forming, salting, ripening, and packaging, making each cheese wheel unique and under constant control.
