Cheese Merchants

What Cheese Merchants does

Cheese Merchants is a privately held, vertically integrated cheese manufacturer founded in 1998 by Pasquale Greco and currently led by the third-generation Greco family (Bob Greco, President and CEO). The company controls the full supply chain from raw milk procurement to finished goods — including production, aging, conversion (grating, shredding, shaving, wedging, dehydrating), and distribution — across three facilities totaling more than 1 million square feet in Illinois and Wisconsin, anchored by a 100-million-pound aging facility purpose-built for the hard Italian cheese category. Operations are overseen by Steve Bechel, one of only eight Wisconsin Master Cheesemakers in America in the Parmesan category.

The product portfolio spans four categories — hard Italian cheese (Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, Fontina, Grana Padano), fresh mozzarella and Oaxaca (via Toscana, acquired 2022), specialty cheeses (Bleu, Feta, Goat, Gorgonzola, Mascarpone, Swiss, Cheddar), and plant-based dairy-free alternatives (Selfish Cow brand) — sold under six brands including heritage labels Eau Galle (since 1945) and Mama Francesca. The business serves three primary B2B segments: foodservice providers (restaurants, hotels, hospitals, colleges/universities), food manufacturers, and retailers (including private label). Distribution is conducted via direct sales nationwide, with no disclosed international operations.

Revenue is generated through quote-based B2B product sales with customizable packaging and conversion services tailored to customer specifications. The company does not disclose pricing, revenue figures, or ownership structure beyond family control. Recent strategic emphasis has been on category expansion (plant-based via Selfish Cow), inorganic growth (Toscana 2022, Dairy State 2023), and capacity buildout (100M-lb aging facility), with SQF food safety certification valid through March 2027 supporting institutional buyer requirements.

Name

Cheese Merchants

Legal name

Cheese Merchants

Website

https://cheesemerchants.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Cheese Merchants is a vertically integrated, family-owned B2B cheese manufacturer serving foodservice, food manufacturing, and retail customers with hard Italian, fresh mozzarella, specialty, and plant-based cheeses across multiple heritage and acquired brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cheese Manufacturing

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grated, Shredded & Sliced Cheese Manufacturing (Value-Added Cuts) (AFAHABAF), Fresh/Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Unripened & Soft) (AFAHABAA), Cheese Packaging & Portioning (Retail Packs, Snack Packs, Singles) (AFAHABAI), Cheese Powder, Sauce & Flavor Systems Manufacturing (AFAHABAE), Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)

Keywords

• Cheese manufacturing
• Hard Italian cheese
• Custom cheese packaging
• Plant-based cheese
• Cheese conversion services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bartlett

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cheese Product Sales: Sale of cheese products including hard Italian cheeses, fresh mozzarella, specialty cheeses, and plant-based alternatives. Revenue generated through direct B2B sales to foodservice providers, manufacturers, and retailers. Products sold in various formats including wheels, wedges, shredded, grated, shaved, and custom packaging.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cheese Merchants is a vertically integrated B2B cheese manufacturer and converter that produces, ages, and packages hard Italian, fresh mozzarella, specialty, and plant-based cheeses in customizable formats (wheels, wedges, shredded, grated, shaved, dehydrated, blocks) for foodservice providers, food manufacturers, and retailers. The company operates three facilities spanning over 1 million square feet, supported by a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker and a portfolio of six brands covering traditional and dairy-free cheese categories.

Product overview

Cheese Merchants operates as a vertically integrated cheese provider offering a portfolio of cheese brands and products. The core brand specializes in hard Italian cheese (grated, shredded, shaved, dehydrated, or wedged) since 1998. The portfolio includes six sub-brands: Toscana (award-winning fresh mozzarella since 1993), Eau Galle (artisanal Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago since 1945), Mama Francesca (heritage hard Italian cheeses), Dairy State (Wisconsin cheese blocks), and Selfish Cow (plant-based dairy-free cheeses). Products span four main categories: Hard Italian Cheese, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Specialty Cheese, and Plant-Based Cheese. The company offers products in various formats including wheels, blocks, wedges, shredded, grated, shaved, crumbled, loaves, logs, balls, cubes, and tubs. Mama Francesca Reserve represents the premium artisan line made with 400,000 lbs. of fresh milk daily.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Toscana: Award-winning fresh mozzarella and Oaxaca cheeses produced since 1993 using high-quality ingredients and manufacturing processes.
• Eau Galle
• Mama Francesca
• Dairy State
• Selfish Cow

Products and services

• Cheese Merchants (Hard Italian Cheese brand) Hard Italian cheese brand offering grated, shredded, shaved, dehydrated, wedged, and block formats for B2B foodservice, food manufacturer, and retail customers. Positioned as an industry leader in the hard Italian cheese category since 1998.
• Toscana (Fresh Mozzarella brand) Fresh mozzarella and Oaxaca cheese brand producing award-winning cheeses using high-quality ingredients and manufacturing processes from locally sourced milk co-ops. Offers fresh mozzarella in loaves, logs, and totes (Perline Celiegine, Bocconcini, Ovoline) for foodservice and retail customers.
• Eau Galle (Artisanal Hard Italian brand) Artisanal hard Italian cheese brand producing wheels of Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago cheeses in Wisconsin under Master Cheesemaker Steve Bechel. Family-owned heritage since 1945 and integrated into Cheese Merchants' vertically operated production.
• Mama Francesca (Heritage Hard Italian brand) Heritage hard Italian cheese brand named after President and CEO Bob Greco's grandmother (Nonna Francesca). Produces high-quality hard Italian cheeses for foodservice and retail customers, including the Mama Francesca Reserve artisan line made by Master Cheesemaker Steve Bechel.
• Dairy State (Wisconsin Cheese Blocks brand) Wisconsin-made cheese block brand acquired by Cheese Merchants in 2023. Produces high-quality cheese blocks to support foodservice and food manufacturing customers, including as part of Cheese Merchants' vertical integration in Rudolph, Wisconsin.
• Selfish Cow (Plant-Based Cheese brand) Plant-based and dairy-free cheese brand dedicated to creating delicious plant-based cheese with super cheesy pull and meltiness. Beloved by pizza makers and food manufacturers, and used by restaurateurs such as 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani. Available in Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Parmesan varieties.
• Speciale No Melt Style Cheeses No-melt style cheese products formulated to maintain consistent texture in long-hold foodservice environments such as hotels, hospitals, and colleges and universities. Ideal for salad bars and buffets.
• Mama Francesca Reserve Artisan Line Premium artisan cheeses made by Master Cheesemaker Steve Bechel using fresh milk from local dairy farms. Available in 8 oz. wedges of Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, Fontina, and Creamy Formaggio, plus Fresh Deli Cups and a 3-Cheese Shredded Blend.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25+ years of industry leadership in hard Italian cheese category

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Saputo: One of the largest dairy processors in North America with a broad cheese portfolio across retail, foodservice and ingredient channels. Directly comparable in B2B cheese manufacturing and category coverage, though much larger and more diversified.
• Bel Brands USA: U.S. subsidiary of Bel Group, producing branded cheese products (e.g., The Laughing Cow) and B2B cheese offerings. Comparable as a diversified cheese manufacturer with foodservice and retail exposure.
• Schreiber Foods: Large private dairy and cheese company supplying foodservice operators and retailers with processed and natural cheese products. Comparable as a major privately held B2B cheese converter.
• Lactalis USA: U.S. operations of the world's largest dairy group, with major Italian cheese brands (Galbani, Sorrento) and B2B presence. Directly comparable in hard Italian cheese manufacturing and foodservice distribution.
• Dairy Farmers of America: Largest U.S. dairy cooperative operating significant cheese manufacturing capacity across ingredient and foodservice channels. Comparable as a vertically integrated dairy processor with national B2B distribution.
• Upfield (Violife, Country Crock): Global plant-based foods group with major dairy-free cheese brands (Violife). Comparable to Cheese Merchants' Selfish Cow brand as the dominant incumbent competing in the plant-based cheese category.

Direct peers

• Leprino Foods: Largest mozzarella and pizza cheese manufacturer in the world, supplying foodservice operators and pizza chains. Highly comparable in mozzarella and Italian-style cheese production targeting pizza manufacturers and foodservice.
• Sargento Foods: Family-owned natural cheese manufacturer specializing in shredded, sliced and snack cheese formats. Closely comparable in conversion capabilities, hard Italian cheese portfolio, and B2B channel mix.
• Great Lakes Cheese: Major private-label and contract cheese manufacturer with extensive conversion and aging capabilities. Directly comparable as a private, integrated cheese converter serving foodservice, retail and ingredient customers.
• Hilmar Cheese: Vertically integrated cheese and whey products manufacturer with significant conversion and aging capacity for ingredient customers. Comparable in scale, vertical integration, and ingredient/foodservice channel mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cheesemerchantsCMA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cheesemerchantsof-america
• Instagraminstagram.com/cheesemerchants_
• Xx.com/CheeseMerchants

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Cheese Merchants