Confraria do Queijo de São Jorge Cooperativa Leiteira da Beira

This is the oldest factory of Portugal, founded on 7 July 1927. It is estimated that the cheese-making activity in São Jorge began immediately after the population of the island, more than 5 centuries ago.

As the agricultural sector, and, in result, the São Jorge’s cheese, is one of the São Jorge’s economy drivers, it is estimated that the true reasons for the incorporation of this cooperative also regarded the “solidarity, mutual help, aggregation of wills ad strengths so that, together, their problems could be easier to solve”, governed by the “noble principles” of “cooperativism”.

Given that it no longer operates in this location, this factory is currently the registered office of the Confraria of the São Jorge’s Cheese. This brotherhood, founded on 2 November 1992, was legally incorporated as a non-profit scientific-cultural association. Its main goal was the control, certification, defence, promotion, disclosure and valuation of the São Jorge’s Cheese. This brotherhood includes a group of tasters with competences to certify the São Jorge’s Cheese.