Renard’s Cheese Store

What Renard’s Cheese Store does

Renard's Cheese Store is a fourth-generation family-owned artisan cheese producer founded in 1961 and headquartered in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (Door County). The company manufactures specialty cheeses and distributes them across multiple channels: direct-to-consumer retail at its flagship Door County store, e-commerce shipping, wholesale distribution under the Rosewood Dairy brand, the Melt Bistro restaurant concept, and international export. The business employs 101-250 people and operates as a vertically integrated cheesemaker with branded retail, food service, and export operations from a single production hub.

The company serves a diversified customer base spanning individual consumers (in-store and online), major US regional grocery chains including H-E-B, Jewel-Osco, Festival Foods, and Brookshire, international hypermarkets such as Lulu Hypermarket, and wholesale distributors. Products reach over 1,000 retail locations globally, with established international presence in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and the Cayman Islands. Revenue is generated through retail cheese and gift sales, e-commerce shipping, wholesale food service accounts, restaurant operations at Melt Bistro, and export sales.

Operationally, Renard's is investing in production capacity via a factory expansion project and has employed a Master Cheesemaker (Chris Renard, certified in Mozzarella and Cheddar) as a credentialed technical lead. The company has received approximately $200,000 in cumulative grants from the University of Wisconsin's Center for Dairy Research in 2023 and 2024 to fund product and process development. A planned November 2025 trade mission to Saudi Arabia indicates continued geographic expansion intent into the Middle East. The business operates without disclosed PE/VC backing and has no documented AI or proprietary technology capability.

Name

Renard’s Cheese Store

Legal name

Renard's Cheese

Website

https://renardscheese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Renard's Cheese Store is a fourth-generation family-owned artisan cheesemaker in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, producing specialty cheeses distributed via DTC retail, e-commerce, wholesale (Rosewood Dairy), a restaurant (Melt Bistro), and international channels across 1,000+ retail locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Cheese

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh/Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Unripened & Soft) (AFAHABAA), Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue) (AFAHABAB), Processed Cheese & Cheese Spreads Manufacturing (Slices, Loaves, Spreadable) (AFAHABAD), Cheese Wholesale (AFAIAEAC), Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese production
• Specialty cheese retail
• Wholesale dairy distribution
• Cheese manufacturing
• Door County cheese

Headquarters

HQ city

Sturgeon Bay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct Retail Sales: In-store sales at Sturgeon Bay flagship location offering 100+ varieties of artisan cheese, gourmet goods, jams, jellies, mustards, pie fillings, crackers, sweets, and gifts.
2. E-commerce Online Sales: Shopify-based online storefront with nationwide shipping, offering cheese curds, artisan cheeses, gourmet goods. Ships fresh cheese Monday through Thursday year-round.
3. Melt Bistro Dining: On-site restaurant serving homestyle comfort foods with award-winning artisan cheeses. Offers indoor dining, outdoor patio, pet-friendly picnic area, and catering services. Open breakfast, lunch, and dinner year-round.
4. Wholesale & Distribution: Wholesale cases and bulk sizes through Rosewood Dairy to businesses from small companies to global distributors. Offers custom recipes and contract manufacturing. Label options include no label, private label, or Renard's Cheese label.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Renard's Cheese Store produces and sells handcrafted artisan cheeses (over 100 varieties including string cheeses, cheese curds, cheese spreads, cheddars, and specialty varieties) made from fresh local milk sourced from small family farms in Door and Kewaunee Counties, Wisconsin. The company operates a flagship retail store in Sturgeon Bay, the Melt Bistro restaurant, a nationwide Shopify e-commerce storefront, and wholesale distribution through Rosewood Dairy to retailers and distributors in the U.S. and international markets.

Product overview

Renard's Cheese Store is a fourth-generation family-owned artisan cheese business in Door County, Wisconsin, established in 1961. The company operates as a single unified brand offering handcrafted award-winning cheeses made from fresh, local milk sourced from small family farms in Door and Kewaunee Counties. The core product portfolio centers on Artisan Cheese including string cheeses (Whip String Cheese, String Cheese), cheese curds, cheese spreads (Port Wine, Morel and Leek, Cherry Cheddar, Balsamic Caramelized Onion), and traditional cheddars. Supporting products include Door County Coffee and Premium Beef Sticks from Old Wisconsin. The business operates multiple service channels: a flagship Sturgeon Bay retail store (open 7 days a year-round), the Melt Bistro dining service (breakfast, lunch, dinner with indoor/outdoor seating and catering), an e-commerce online store for nationwide shipping, wholesale and bulk cheese distribution through Rosewood Dairy, and a store locator service with over 1000 retail locations across the US and internationally in the Middle East (UAE, Kuwait, Qatar) and Cayman Islands. The company participates in export trade missions and offers corporate gifting and fundraising programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Melt Bistro: Homestyle comfort food restaurant located inside Renard's Cheese, serving artisan melts, signature burgers, and handmade pizzas made with award-winning cheeses. Offers dine-in, outdoor patio, and catering services.

Products and services

• Whip String Cheese An 8 oz sealed string cheese product listed as a bestseller and award-winning cheese, sold to retail consumers via the Sturgeon Bay store and online.
• Terrific Trio Cheese
• Yellow Cheese Curds (Sealed)
• Port Wine Cheese Spread
• Cherry Cheddar with Door County Cherries
• Morel and Leek Cheese Spread
• Medium Cheddar Cheese
• Traditional Hoop Cheddar Cheese, Cracker Cut
• Balsamic Caramelized Onion Cheddar Cheese
• String Cheese (Sealed)
• Premium Beef Stick Bites
• Door County Coffee
• Gourmet Goods Collection
• Wholesale and Distributor Cheese Service
• Bulk Cheese Varieties
• Sturgeon Bay Retail Store
• Melt Bistro
• Catering Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 2168 customer reviews with excellent satisfaction rating
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Food Export–Midwest and Food Export–NortheastcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 November 2025Food Export USA's Focused Trade Mission to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (November 18-20, 2025) brings together U.S. producers including Renard's Cheese Store with GCC distributors for one-on-one business matchmaking sessions. The mission strengthens U.S.-GCC trade relationships and expands access to American specialty, premium, and value-added food products. Renard's participates alongside other producers like Greenhead Lobster, Maine Dayboat Scallops, Simply Organic Maple, and Nebraska Popcorn Sales.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BelGioioso Cheese Company: Wisconsin-based specialty Italian-style and traditional cheesemaker with broad retail distribution, private-label capabilities, and an artisan positioning similar to Renard's. Comparable on wholesale + retail hybrid model and Wisconsin-sourced milk.
• Roth Cheese (Emmi Roth): Wisconsin specialty cheesemaker known for aged cheddars and alpine-style cheeses, now owned by Emmi Group. Direct overlap with Renard's award-winning cheddar and flavored specialty cheese lines.
• Sartori Cheese: Fourth-generation, family-owned Wisconsin artisan cheese maker producing award-winning cheddar, parmesan, and flavored cheeses with nationwide distribution. Most direct comparable to Renard's on heritage, scale, channel mix, and product portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Sargento Foods: Wisconsin-headquartered national cheese manufacturer with broad retail presence in string cheese, shreds, and snacks. Larger and broader-portfolio competitor in the same Wisconsin cheese category.
• Cabot Creamery Co-operative: Farmer-owned Vermont dairy co-op producing award-winning cheddars and dairy products with national distribution. Overlaps with Renard's on farmer-owned storytelling and cheddar-led product line.
• Schuman Cheese: Family-owned specialty cheese company offering branded, private-label, and foodservice cheese programs with nationwide U.S. distribution. Comparable to Rosewood Dairy's wholesale and private-label capabilities.
• Tillamook County Creamery Association: Oregon-based farmer-owned dairy co-op with a multi-category premium portfolio (cheese, ice cream, yogurt, butter). Comparable on farmer-owned provenance narrative and aggressive D2C/brand-building motion, but at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Wisconsin Cheese Mart: Wisconsin specialty cheese retailer and mail-order shipper offering curated artisan cheese assortments. Comparable D2C / gifting motion and Wisconsin artisan cheese assortment to Renard's e-commerce store.

Emerging players

• Jasper Hill Farm: Vermont-based artisan cheese maker specializing in aged, raw-milk, and farmstead cheeses with national wholesale distribution. Comparable on small-batch, terroir-driven, award-winning positioning.
• Beecher's Handmade Cheese: Seattle-based artisan cheese maker with retail stores, café/restaurant, and wholesale — closely mirrors Renard's retail + bistro + wholesale hybrid model, with a tourist flagship store analog.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/renardscheese
• Facebookfacebook.com/renardscheese
• Instagraminstagram.com/renardscheese
• Xx.com/renardscheese
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/renardscheese

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Renard’s Cheese Store