cheese waxes

experience.performance. in the way our cheese waxes help you to serve up the perfect product

Cheese waxes

As the global market leader Paramelt offers a comprehensive range of both mineral and vegetable-based cheese waxes for a wide range of cheese types.
1930s cheese wax advertisement

Paradip™ cheese wax

The Paradip™ range of cheese waxes consists of products both for high speed industrial coating lines as well as manual dipping and are available in a high variety of color variations produced in our unique color lab.

product leaflet Paradip

Paradip Nowax™ vegetable-based waxes

Our complementary Paradip Nowax™ range offers equivalent functionality to the conventional mineral waxes, using natural, bio-based ingredients. The nature of these products make them especially suitable for coating gas-forming cheeses.

product leaflet Paradip Nowax

We produce in food safe facilities

We produce in food safe facilities

We produce in food safe facilities

A variety of colours

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DOWNLOAD COLOUR SHEET

Paradip

paramelt products

Our cheese waxes:

Conventional cheese coating waxes are formulated from food grade, refined mineral hydrocarbon waxes. Already for more than 30 years Paramelt is also supplying Paradip Nowax natural, organic waxes with similar characteristics, using ingredients derived from sustainable vegetable oils. These natural waxes are themselves classified as food ingredients and are both renewable and compostable. In addition, the physical properties of these waxes offer additional possibilities to controlling the permeability of the cheese coating layer.

gas forming cheese

The typical holes in cheeses like the Swiss Emmentaler and the Dutch Maasdammer, are created during the ripening process by CO2 gas which is formed during the conversion of lactic acid to propionic acid.
In order to retain the moisture content of these cheese types and to protect from airborne bacteria and unwanted mould may require the use of cheese wax. A conventional cheese wax will close the cheese surface completely. While the necessary gas forming takes place this can lead to blister forming of the wax coating.
semi-permeable coatings for gas forming cheese

After many years of product and application development Paramelt has introduced Paradip Nowax in the early 1990’s as a platform to solve the problem of blister formation on gas forming cheese types. In contrast to conventional cheese waxes, coatings of Paradip Nowax show a slight gas-permeability whilst still preventing the loss of moisture from the cheese. This enables the product to be used on gas forming cheeses, which normally have to be recoated several times.

Paradip Nowax is a 100% vegetable-based cheese wax with very good properties. All specially selected raw materials are derived from sustainable, vegetable sources and are GMO-free and mineral oil free.

Because of its natural image and the growing interest for the use of renewable resources, vegetable based cheese wax is increasingly gathering interest and use for other cheese types.

Paradip Nowax is applied on the cheese by immersing the cheese in the wax at a temperature of about 80-120⁰C. Applied weight depends on the shape of the cheese and the desired protection. Due to the different congealing and crystallization behavior of vegetable waxes compared with traditional waxes machine setup and operating conditions need to be adjusted.

In some cases therefore, to achieve the desired application weight, surface finish or throughput, it can be necessary to further formulate the natural waxes to deliver the required characteristics, resulting in the so-called Hybrid grades. These Hybrid products enhance the performance of Nowax coatings in high-speed industrial lines whilst maintaining the vegetable content of the wax above 85%.

With the in-house knowledge and capabilities to develop and produce pigment and dye concentrates, Paramelt has succeeded in bringing colored vegetable-based cheese waxes to market. We can now also offer yellow, orange and red vegetable waxes. Please contact us to further discuss your color requirements.

Paramelt has been active in the cheese wax industry from the very beginning since the founder of Paramelt Mr. Dirk de Wit developed the concept of cheese wax coatings in the early 1900's. Traditionally the Dutch cheese industry mainly exported Gouda and Edam cheese in large quantities and became an important user of cheese wax. Their famous yellow and red colors became a strongly recognized trademark for these well-known cheese styles.

Paramelt is acknowledged today as the global market leader in both mineral and vegetable wax-based cheese coatings, thanks to this long-term investment and focused approach. As market leader for cheese coatings Paramelt offers the widest range of products for this sector including more than hundred different Paradip™ cheese waxes. This enables Paramelt to meet the full range of market demands from small mini cheese snack portions all the way up to fully matured large hard cheese wheels.

Over the years, cheese waxes have increasingly been used to protect and promote hard and semi-hard cheeses. The wax provides not only a fully sealed barrier coating, but also an attractive appearance with bespoke color and controlled gloss. Today Paramelt offers more than a hundred products, specifically for the cheese industry and many of them bespoke products to meet specific customer or process needs.

icon-cheese

Cheese categories

There is a wide variety of cheeses produced all over the world, often categorized by their degree of ripening and the hardness of the cheese. Typical examples where cheese waxes are used are

Stretch curd cheese

e.g. Pasta Filata, Provolone

Medium-hard cheese

e.g. Edam, Gouda, Jarlsberg

Semi-hard or hard cheese

e.g. Cheddar, Red Leicester, Colby

Depending on the specific nature of the cheese in terms of moisture and fat content, surface characteristics, age, size and shape there can be considerably different demands on the performance requirements of the cheese wax. In addition to the cheese itself, a lot of different machines and process configurations have been developed for the waxing of cheese. These range from simple low throughput machines in ‘farm-based craft dairies’ through to high output, fully automated coating lines in modern industrial dairies.

The use of wax to encapsulate cheese offers a range of both functional and marketing benefits:

Protection

  • Inhibits mould growth
  • Prevent loss of weight/moisture
  • Reduce damage during transport
  • Stop (aerobic) ripening of the cheese

Promotion

  • Strong brand identity
  • Distinctive & attractive shelf appeal
  • Extended shelf life

Depending on the type of cheese and waxing machine used, the following properties of a cheese waxes are of importance.

  • Resistance to cracking
  • Appropriate ‘adhesion’ to the cheese
  • High flexibility
  • Resistance to pressure
  • Appropriate congealing time
  • Stability of colorants and pigments
  • Required coating weight
  • Low scuff on transport belts and machine parts
  • Good flow properties
  • Non-blocking properties
  • Closed film without any pinholes
  • Good cutting properties

In-house production of colors

Our ability to deliver such a broad range of colors to such tight tolerances and stability levels is unique in the industry. This is only possible because of our unique in-house pigment formulation facility, which is specifically dedicated to support the cheese wax range.

Food safe production

The hygiene requirements in the dairy industry are very strict and therefore Paramelt has put a lot of effort in organizing its production in such a way to fulfill these needs. All Paradip™ cheese waxes are manufactured in an FSSC 22000 certified food safe production environment in order to meet the demanding hygiene requirements of the dairy industry.

In-house production of colors

Our ability to deliver such a broad range of colors to such tight tolerances and stability levels is unique in the industry. This is only possible because of our unique in-house pigment formulation facility, which is specifically dedicated to support the cheese wax range.

Food safe production

The hygiene requirements in the dairy industry are very strict and therefore Paramelt has put a lot of effort in organizing its production in such a way to fulfill these needs. All Paradip™ cheese waxes are manufactured in an FSSC 22000 certified food safe production environment in order to meet the demanding hygiene requirements of the dairy industry.

In-house production of colors

Our ability to deliver such a broad range of colors to such tight tolerances and stability levels is unique in the industry. This is only possible because of our unique in-house pigment formulation facility, which is specifically dedicated to support the cheese wax range.

Food safe production

The hygiene requirements in the dairy industry are very strict and therefore Paramelt has put a lot of effort in organizing its production in such a way to fulfill these needs. All Paradip™ cheese waxes are manufactured in an FSSC 22000 certified food safe production environment in order to meet the demanding hygiene requirements of the dairy industry.

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Pdf
leaflet
Paradip cheese waxes
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Pdf
leaflet
Paradip Nowax vegetable-based cheese waxes
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Pdf
leaflet
Paradip colour range
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cheese wax is in our dna

Paramelt has been active in the cheese wax industry from the very beginning since the founder of Paramelt Mr. Dirk de Wit developed the concept of cheese wax coatings in the early 1900's.
Paramelt heritage

Paramelt
Dutch, since 1898
revenue 2023: €263 mln
# employees 2023: 502
owned by Ter Group

Ter Group
German, since 1908
revenue 2023: €910 mln
# employees 2023: 1140
owned by Westphal family

With many years in the market Paramelt has grown to be the global market and technology leader in cheese waxes. We continue to invest in process technology and offer the broadest range of cheese waxes for different cheese types and application process requirements. Performance is our driver and custom-made products the norm.
Wax specialists (niche player)

# active formulas
~100 products

We are specialists, but are always open to complementary opportunities. We have direct decision making and short communication lines, our people throughout the organization take ownership and with a can-do attitude we make it happen. The annual re-investment rate is high and the company’s financial mass can underpin substantial investments.
With an entrepreneurial attitude

Re-investment rate
~10%

Technology drives our thinking. We combine long term strategic products and process research with flexible and responsive product development. Paramelt was the first to introduce vegetable wax based cheese coatings in early 1990’s and the only cheese wax supplier with an in-house color development and production capability.
Driven by technology and innovation

# laboratory requests
24 last year

# new cheese waxes
14 last year

We manufacture our Paradip™ cheese waxes in an FSSC 22000 certified food safe production environment in order to meet the demanding hygiene requirements of the dairy industry. ‘Batch-to-batch consistency is our constant goal’: this is why our customers rely on us.
Delivering security and consistency

Financial stability
D & B rating 1

Top 3 customer recommendations*)
reliable supplier;
consistent quality;
value for money
*) Customers survey Europe and USA

FM Global rating 2018
Highly Protected Site

From our 8 manufacturing sites we can address regional differences and trends and provide product equivalence with local sourcing. We have our own regional sales and technical staff and have a specialized and knowledgeable distributor network for ‘selected market niches’.
With a global reach and local service

Manufacturing sites
Europe : 3
USA      : 3
China   : 2

global reach
52 distributors
in 39 countries

At the core of our performance lies a team of experienced and knowledgeable employees. We build long-term partnerships and are responsive, flexible, committed and loyal.
Building on people and partnership

Average employee retention
> 12  years

Paramelt = ‘knowledge & experience’*)
recognized by > 85% customers
*) Customers survey Europe and USA

More about us

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With 8 production facilities delivering in more than 80 countries, we have truly global perspective and local service.

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