Behind the Cheese: Coby - From farmer's daughter to cheese ambassador

A life among cows, horses and cheeses
Coby grew up in an agricultural environment. "I am a real farmer's daughter," she says. "My father was one of the first organic farmers in the Netherlands more than 30 years ago. We had a meadow bird reserve owned by the Forestry Commission where we were allowed to farm. Milking cows? I did that a lot!"
That background makes her feel completely at home at Henri Willig. "The company's core values appeal to me enormously. I recognise the respect for nature and animals from my childhood."
Together with her partner, Coby lives on a dairy farm, so farm life is still an important part of her daily life.

From horses to cheese - and back again
"My passion lies with horses, especially Friesian horses. I run a stud farm where the work consists of everything involved in reproduction: follicle checks, insemination and supervising births. In spring, I am actually a maternity nurse, but of foals. Helping bring new life into the world remains special every time."
She is also a massage therapist for horses and humans. "I have a practice at home. I will continue to do that; this is who I am."
Yet she was looking for something extra. "As a self-employed person, sometimes you have busy weeks and sometimes quiet periods. I wanted a side job for a stable income stream. Through word of mouth, I heard about Henri Willig. I applied and was called the same evening. Within two days, I was on the shop floor."

Working in production
Coby works an average of two days a week in cheese production. "We start at 7 am. It is physical work: labelling cheeses, banding and tamping for a nice finish. Usually up to 500 cheeses pass through your hands a day. You feel it in your arms, but the day flies by." She enjoys the variety. "Every order is different: different cheeses, different labels. Sometimes you work with silk blotting, sometimes with banding, sometimes you colour cheeses. That's what makes it fun."

Why Henri Willig is special
"The family feeling is unique. At Henri Willig, you are not a number. Everyone , from colleague to management, has a chat. That feels very different from big companies. I once had a guided tour at a large dairy company, but that felt too massive and impersonal to me. Here, I do feel seen."

Proud of the story behind the cheese
"The story behind Henri Willig makes me proud. The vision on nature and sustainability ties in with my own background in agriculture. I also like to tell that to others. And honestly: cheese is just a beautiful product!"

Onboarding day: a highlight
"The onboarding day in November was special. We were given a guided tour by Henri himself. We sat at the table with Wiebe Willig during lunch, just between us. You feel by everything that it is a family business."

Flexibility as a big plus
For Coby, flexibility is essential. "Every week I can pass on my availability. That fits perfectly with my work with horses and life on the dairy farm. That way I can combine everything well."

Fun moments and new friendships
"When the atmosphere is good, we sometimes sing together during work and make jokes. That makes it cosy. I have made new friendships. Soon I will do a pastel drawing workshop with a colleague."

Tip for new colleagues
Stick to yourself and just do your best. That's all you can do.