Crooked Face Creamery

What Crooked Face Creamery does

Crooked Face Creamery is a privately held, founder-operated artisan cheesemaker based in Skowhegan, Maine, producing handcrafted small-batch cheeses from whole milk sourced from local Jersey cows, with no preservatives and a limited, locally-sourced ingredient list. The company's core technology is its craft process — most notably a signature cold-smoking technique that imparts distinct flavor without cooking the product — applied across a focused product portfolio of whole-milk ricotta, fresh cheeses, aged cheeses, and the flagship Up North Applewood Cold Smoked Ricotta, which has been designated Food & Wine Magazine's #1 Soft Cheese in America (March 2026) and received a Bronze Medal at the 2025-26 World Cheese Awards. The creamery also sells accoutrements, curated gift boxes, branded merchandise, and in-store-only locally-raised meats.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market: a single physical retail store at 42 Court Street in Skowhegan (seasonal summer hours, closed Mondays and Tuesdays), a Shopify-based e-commerce site with nationwide shipping for cheese and gift boxes, and a Maine-only wholesale channel serving specialty food shops, bakeries, farmers' markets, and farm-to-table restaurants. Customer segments are primarily individual consumers seeking premium artisan cheese and gourmet gifting, with a secondary business segment of restaurants and specialty retailers using the creamery's products to differentiate local-sourcing menus.

Crooked Face Creamery is bootstrapped and founder-owned, with Amy Rowbottom serving as founder, owner, and cheesemaker; the only disclosed external capital is a $4,700 Maine Technology Institute grant recorded in 2020. The company is a member of the Maine Cheese Guild and has accumulated multiple industry awards (Good Food Award 2021, American Cheese Society recognition, DownEast Best of Maine 2025 nominee) alongside its recent national-press visibility. Pricing is not publicly disclosed on the website and requires direct inquiry, and no revenue figure has been made public.

Name

Crooked Face Creamery

Legal name

Crooked Face Creamery

Website

https://upnorthricotta.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Crooked Face Creamery is a founder-operated, Skowhegan, Maine-based artisan cheesemaker producing handcrafted whole-milk and cold-smoked cheeses for individual consumers, gift buyers, and Maine farm-to-table restaurants through a single retail store, nationwide e-commerce, and regional wholesale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Cheese

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

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), Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese
• Handmade cheese
• Cold smoked ricotta
• Whole milk cheese
• Cheese gift boxes

Headquarters

HQ city

Skowhegan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Cheese Sales: Direct-to-consumer and wholesale sales of handcrafted artisan cheeses through e-commerce, retail store, farmers' markets, specialty shops, and restaurants
2. Gift Boxes: Pre-packaged gift box selections featuring artisan cheeses and accoutrements for direct mail-order gifting
3. Locally-Raised Meats: In-store sales of locally-raised meats alongside cheese products
4. Merchandise: Apparel and gear merchandise sales through e-commerce

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Crooked Face Creamery produces small-batch, handmade artisan cheeses from whole milk sourced from locally raised Jersey cows, using no preservatives and limited ingredients. Its portfolio includes fresh cheeses, aged cheeses, and a signature cold-smoked ricotta, complemented by accoutrements, curated gift boxes, in-store meats and specialty items, and branded merchandise. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via an e-commerce site and a physical retail store in Skowhegan, Maine, and via wholesale through Maine farmers' markets, specialty shops, bakeries, and farm-to-table restaurants.

Product overview

Crooked Face Creamery is an artisan cheese company offering a focused portfolio of handcrafted cheese products. The core offerings include Whole Milk Ricotta, Fresh Cheeses, and Aged Cheeses (including the signature cold-smoked varieties), complemented by Gift Boxes for gifting occasions and Accoutrements for pairing. The company's flagship product is the Up North Applewood Cold Smoked Ricotta, which has received national recognition. Additional offerings include Merch & Apparel and in-store exclusive products (Meats and Specialty Items). All cheeses are handcrafted with whole milk, no preservatives, and locally sourced ingredients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Whole Milk Ricotta Handcrafted whole milk ricotta cheese made from locally sourced ingredients; a foundational product in the Crooked Face Creamery artisan cheese line.
• Aged Cheeses Signature cold-smoked and traditionally aged cheeses featuring distinct savory flavors, including the award-winning varieties.
• Fresh Cheeses Handcrafted fresh cheese varieties made with whole milk and no preservatives, offering creamy texture and rich flavor.
• Up North Applewood Cold Smoked Ricotta Award-winning cold-smoked ricotta named #1 Soft Cheese in America by Food & Wine Magazine (March 2026) and Bronze Medal winner at the 2025-26 World Cheese Awards.
• Accoutrements Gourmet accompaniments and condiments that pair with the cheese selections, available for online purchase.
• Gift Boxes Curated gift boxes featuring selections of artisan cheeses and accoutrements, marketed as 'Send a Taste of Maine' for direct mail-order gifting.
• Merch & Apparel Branded merchandise and apparel featuring Crooked Face Creamery branding, sold through e-commerce.
• Meats Locally-raised meats available exclusively in-store at the Skowhegan retail location, complementing the cheese offerings.
• Specialty Items Specialty food items available exclusively in-store at the Skowhegan retail location.

Quantifiable outcome

• #1 Soft Cheese in America (Food & Wine Magazine, March 2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Maine Cheese GuildminorOthersMember of the Maine Cheese Guild, an organization supporting and promoting Maine's artisan cheese industry. Guild membership provides networking, advocacy, and industry credibility for the creamery.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Murray's Cheese: Iconic New York-based cheese retailer and wholesaler carrying hundreds of artisan cheeses; comparable as a curator and distributor of premium artisan cheeses with strong consumer brand.
• Cabot Creamery: Vermont-based dairy cooperative offering cheese, butter, and other dairy products at national scale; comparable product category with broader portfolio and mainstream retail distribution.

Direct peers

• Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company: California farmstead artisan cheesemaker producing small-batch, award-winning cheeses from a single-herd milk supply; directly comparable in farm-based, single-origin craft cheese model.
• Grafton Village Cheese: Vermont artisan cheese producer specializing in aged cheddar varieties with a strong regional and national presence; comparable in craft cheesemaking and wholesale to specialty retail.
• Rogue Creamery: Oregon artisan cheesemaker with award-winning aged cheeses and national distribution; comparable in craft production, international award recognition, and specialty retail channels.
• Vermont Creamery: Artisan dairy producer of fresh and aged cheeses (including fresh chèvres and cultured butters) using high-quality milk; closely comparable in small-batch craft model and national specialty distribution.
• Cypress Grove: California-based artisan cheesemaker famous for fresh goat milk cheeses; directly comparable as a craft cheesemaker with national specialty distribution and a flagship specialty product.
• Beecher's Handmade Cheese: Washington-based artisan cheese producer with retail storefronts and DTC e-commerce; comparable in combining handmade production, retail experience, and gift-box gifting strategy.
• Jasper Hill Farm: Vermont-based artisan creamery producing award-winning small-batch cheeses with a farm-to-table ethos, comparable in craft-scale operations and premium positioning.

Others

• Maine Cheese Guild: Industry association of which Crooked Face is a member, promoting Maine artisan cheesemakers; relevant as an ecosystem/peer-network participant rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Crooked Face Creamery