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{{Short description|Indian entrepreneur (born 1986 or 1987)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mausam Narang
| image =
| alt = 
| caption =
| birth_name = 
| birth_date = {{Birth year based on age as of date|39|2026|4|24|noage=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| other_names =
| occupation = Cheesemaker, entrepreneur
| years_active = 2015–present
| known_for = Founder of Eleftheria Cheese
| notable_works =
}}
'''Mausam Narang''' (born {{Birth year based on age as of date|39|2026|4|24|noage=y}}) is an Indian artisanal cheesemaker and entrepreneur based in [[Mumbai]]. She is the founder of Eleftheria, a brand that produces European-style cheeses using local Indian ingredients. Narang has received international acclaim for her work, including multiple awards at the World Cheese Awards and the Mundial do Queijo do Brasil.<ref name="IEHR26">{{Cite web |first=Heena |last=Khandelwal |date=2026-04-24 |title=HR job to cheesemaker with global glory, meet this Mumbai woman PM praised |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/hr-job-to-cheesemaker-global-glory-woman-pm-praised-10653651/ |access-date=2026-04-26 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Mausam Narang was born and raised in [[Mulund]], [[Mumbai]]. She went to the [[United Kingdom]] to complete a masters in [[human resource management]].<ref name="IEHR26" />

==Career==
===Human resources (2005–2015)===
Narang worked in human resources for corporations in France and Germany for eight years. While she lived in Europe, she developed an interest in diverse cheese varieties, such as the German [[Butterkäse]] and the English cloth-bound cheddar.<ref name="IEHR26" />

By 2013, she had moved to Mumbai. While still employed in the IT firm [[Capgemini]], she began baking [[sourdough]] bread at home. Due to a lack of high-quality artisanal cheese in the local market to pair with her bread, she began experimenting with cheesemaking in her mother's kitchen on weekends.<ref name="IEHR26" />

She initially imported cheesemaking ingredients in small quantities. She then scouted Indian dairy farms for many months to find the right quality of milk for her cheesemaking.<ref name="NHBest23">{{Cite web |date=2023-12-28 |title=Mumbai's Eleftheria wins World's Best Cheese of the Year award in 2023 |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/business/eleftheria-cheese-wins-worlds-best-cheese-of-the-yearawardin2023 |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=National Herald |language=en}}</ref>

By 2015, Narang decided to leave her corporate career to focus on cheesemaking. As there were no formal cheesemaking schools in India at the time, she taught herself through extensive reading and trial and error.<ref name="IEHR26" /> She later trained with master cheesemakers in [[Italy]].<ref name="NHBest23" />

===Eleftheria (2015–present)===
Narang founded Eleftheria in 2015, initially operating from a small rented space with a single assistant. She then went to pop-up sales and farmer's markets to understand her customer base.<ref name="IEHR26" />

In 2016, Narang began supplying boutique restaurants in Mumbai after receiving validation from chefs from prominent Mumbai restaurants. The company's operations eventually moved to a creamery in [[Bhandup]]. During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Narang expanded the business into the direct-to-consumer (B2C) market by launching an online shop and offering specialized cheese boards.<ref name="IEHR26" />

By 2026, the company had grown to a team of 65 employees, supplying major hospitality groups such as the [[Taj Hotels|Taj]] and [[Oberoi Hotels & Resorts|Oberoi]] groups, as well as numerous high-end restaurants across Indian metropolitan areas.<ref name="IEHR26" />

==Awards and recognition==
Narang's products have been recognized at the World Cheese Awards annually since 2021, when they won a Silver medal.<ref name="IEHR26" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Menon |first=Murali K |date=April 24, 2026 |title=Mumbai cheesemaker who won big in Brazil: Artisanal cheese market is small, but growing steadily |url=https://www.firstpost.com/lifestyle/mumbai-cheesemaker-mausam-narang-won-big-in-brazil-artisanal-cheese-market-is-small-but-growing-steadily-14003998.html |work=Firstpost |access-date=2026-04-28}}</ref> This made her the first Indian to win an award at the World Cheese Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Conversation {{!}} Women in love with cheese |url=https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/w3ct4twh |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=BBC Audio |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2023, Eleftheria won World's Best Cheese of the Year award in [[Norway]]. Her cheeses won two medals in the Super Gold and one in the Gold categories.<ref name="NHBest23" /><ref>{{Cite web |first=Jayashree |last=Narayanan |date=2023-11-18 |title=Meet Mausam Narang whose artisanal cheeses won big for India at the World Cheese Awards 2023 in Norway |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/meet-mausam-narang-whose-artisanal-cheeses-won-big-for-india-at-the-world-cheese-awards-2023-in-norway-9028848/ |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

In 2026, at the fourth edition of the Mundial do Queijo do Brasil—a prestigious blind-tasting competition featuring nearly 2,700 entries—her cheeses won medals in the Super Gold, Gold and Silver categories.<ref name="IEHR26" />

Following these victories, Narang and her team received formal recognition and public commendation from the [[Prime Minister of India]] for their contributions to the artisanal craft in the country.<ref name="IEHR26" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Narang, Mausam}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Mumbai]]

Mausam Narang - Revision history

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