Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese

What Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese does

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese LLC is a third-generation, family-owned dairy and farmstead cheese producer headquartered in Waterloo, Wisconsin. The company operates a fully vertically integrated production model on a 2,500-acre farm, managing 2,200 dairy cows (with over 1,900 milking at any given time and roughly 2,100 calves born annually) and processing the milk on-site into artisanal cheeses. Its product line centers on Fresh Mozzarella (including Bocconcini, Ciliegine, Medallions, Ovoline, Perline, and marinated varieties) as the flagship, alongside Mascarpone, Chocolate Mascarpone, Farmers Rope String Cheese, Oaxaca, and Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds (discontinued in 2025 with potential return). Production is supported by proprietary farmstead infrastructure, including a 320-foot stainless-steel pipeline pumping milk directly from the dairy to the cheese factory, a DeLaval rotary milking parlor capable of milking 1,100 cows in 4.5 hours with three staff, and an anaerobic methane digester that converts manure and whey into renewable electricity sufficient to power the equivalent of one average Wisconsin home per hour of operation.

The company monetizes primarily through one-time sales of cheese products distributed via a multi-channel mix: a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store shipping nationwide, retail partnerships with national and regional grocers (Whole Foods, HEB, Sendiks, Woodmans, Metcalfe's Market), and foodservice distributors (Gourmet Foods International, Kraemer Cheese, Certco, International Gourmet Foods, Fortune Fish & Gourmet). Customer segments span end consumers, specialty retail/deli departments, and foodservice operators. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based through retailers and the online storefront. Headcount is approximately 90 full-time employees (with the broader firmographic band reported at 101–250), supported by seven family members in operational and ownership roles. The company has accumulated more than 200 industry awards since 2008, including 2012 Whole Foods Supplier of the Year (Cheese Category) and the 2008 World Dairy Expo Dairymen of the Year.

The business is privately held with no external funding rounds or parent company, operating under Wisconsin LLC jurisdiction. Ownership has transitioned across generations — from founders Charles and George Crave (farming since 1978, farm purchased in 1980) to a second-generation ownership group in 2015 (Andy and Patrick Crave) and the most recent addition of Roseanne Crave in 2025. Brand Ambassador roles are held by founder George Crave and former Vice President Debbie Crave. The firm maintains an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and operates a content-marketing engine built around 150+ recipes, but has no public mobile app, no disclosed AI capabilities, and no patent portfolio.

Name

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese

Legal name

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese LLC

Website

https://cravecheese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese is a third-generation family-owned dairy and farmstead cheese producer in Waterloo, Wisconsin, vertically integrating a 2,200-head herd into artisanal cheeses (Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Oaxaca, String Cheese) sold through retail, foodservice, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Farmstead Cheese

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (112120)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh/Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Unripened & Soft) (AFAHABAA), Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL), Cheese Packaging & Portioning (Retail Packs, Snack Packs, Singles) (AFAHABAI)

Keywords

• Farmstead cheese
• Artisan cheese production
• Fresh mozzarella
• Specialty dairy products
• Farmstead dairy

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

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. Cheese Product Sales: Direct sales of farmstead cheeses through e-commerce and retail partners, including Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Chocolate Mascarpone, Farmers Rope String Cheese, Oaxaca, and Cheddar Cheese Curds

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produces handcrafted farmstead cheeses from milk pumped directly via a 320-foot pipeline from its own 2,200-head dairy herd in Waterloo, Wisconsin. Its Farmstead Classics lineup includes Fresh Mozzarella (in multiple forms), sweet cream Mascarpone, Chocolate Mascarpone, Farmers Rope String Cheese, Oaxaca, and Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds, distributed through an online store, retail grocery partners, and foodservice distributors.

Product overview

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese is a family-owned farmstead cheese company based in Waterloo, Wisconsin, producing handcrafted cheeses made from milk from their own dairy herd. The company operates as a single unified product offering centered on farmstead artisan cheeses, with Fresh Mozzarella as the flagship product alongside Mascarpone, Chocolate Mascarpone, Farmers Rope String Cheese, Oaxaca, and Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds (discontinued 2025). All products are produced on the farm using milk from their 2,200-head dairy operation and distributed through retailers in the Midwest and nationally through HEB.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Farmstead Classics: Product line featuring handcrafted farmstead cheeses including Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Chocolate Mascarpone, Farmers Rope String Cheese, and Oaxaca

Products and services

• Fresh Mozzarella Handcrafted fresh mozzarella made from milk pumped directly from the farm's own dairy herd via a 320-foot pipeline in Waterloo, Wisconsin. Available in multiple forms including Bocconcini, Ciliegine (cherry-sized balls), Medallions, Ovoline, Perline (pearl-sized), and Marinated Fresh Mozzarella for retail and foodservice use.
• Mascarpone Sweet cream Italian-style Mascarpone cheese handcrafted on the Wisconsin farmstead using milk from the company's own 2,200-cow herd, used in both sweet and savory culinary applications by retail and foodservice buyers.
• Chocolate Mascarpone Award-winning chocolate-flavored soft cheese made from the company's sweet cream Mascarpone base as a specialty dessert cheese. Recognized with multiple championships including American Cheese Society Top 20 Cheeses, a 2021 World Dairy Expo Grand Champion award, and a Wisconsin State Fair Grand Master Cheesemaker award.
• Farmers Rope String Cheese Part-skim string cheese made using the traditional pasta filata method where the curd is hand-stretched, available in standard and Skinny Sticks formats, and sold to retail and foodservice customers as a portable, snackable cheese.
• Oaxaca Cheese Latin American-style handcrafted braided melting cheese similar to Mozzarella, ideal for use in traditional dishes such as quesadillas and other melted-cheese applications for retail and foodservice customers.
• Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds Fresh Cheddar cheese curds produced on the farmstead in Waterloo, Wisconsin, sold historically as a traditional squeaky-textured Wisconsin dairy snack. The product was discontinued in 2025 but may return.

Quantifiable outcome

• Electricity generation sufficient for one average Wisconsin home per hour of operation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

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

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gourmet Foods InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational foodservice and specialty grocery distributor offering Crave Brothers cheese products to foodservice customers and retailers across the country
• Kraemer CheesecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Wisconsin-based distributor and retailer carrying Crave Brothers products, operating both distribution and retail store operations
• CertcocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distributor serving Wisconsin and surrounding areas with grocery and foodservice products including Crave Brothers cheese
• International Gourmet FoodsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialty food distributor carrying artisanal cheese products
• Fortune Fish & GourmetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGourmet food distributor specializing in specialty and artisanal products for foodservice customers

Scale indicators5 records

Direct peers

• Roth Cheese: Wisconsin specialty cheese maker offering a farmstead-style artisan portfolio with national retail presence. Comparable premium positioning and Wisconsin roots with overlapping specialty cheese competition.
• Minerva Dairy: Wisconsin farmstead cheese producer with national distribution across cheeses, butter, and dairy ingredients. Comparable farm-to-table brand story with broader portfolio including non-cheese dairy.
• BelGioioso Cheese Company: Family-owned Wisconsin cheese maker producing Italian-style cheeses including fresh mozzarella, mascarpone, and ricotta. Most direct comparable given shared Wisconsin base, Italian-style cheese portfolio, and premium/gourmet positioning.
• Baker Cheese: Wisconsin string cheese and cheese curd manufacturer. Strong comparable on string cheese/Skinny Sticks and cheese curds (the latter is a category Crave Brothers recently exited), with similar regional branded model.
• Klondike Cheese Company: Wisconsin-based cheese manufacturer producing Oaxaca, string cheese, and mozzarella varieties. Closely comparable on product mix (especially Oaxaca and string cheese) and Wisconsin farmstead heritage.
• Grande Cheese Company: Wisconsin-based cheese and whey products manufacturer serving foodservice and industrial channels. Comparable on Wisconsin location and Italian-style cheese portfolio (mozzarella, provolone), with stronger foodservice/ingredients orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Lactalis USA: US arm of the French multinational Lactalis, producing Italian-style cheeses (mozzarella, mascarpone, ricotta) across brands like Galbani. Overlaps directly with Crave Brothers' hero product portfolio at premium and mainstream retail tiers.
• Saputo Cheese USA: North American arm of Canadian dairy giant Saputo Inc., manufacturing mozzarella and other Italian-style cheeses at scale. Competes on retail shelves in the same fresh mozzarella category but at a much larger and broader portfolio scale.
• Sargento Foods: Wisconsin-headquartered cheese company with broad retail presence across cheese snacks, shreds, and specialty cheese. Operates nationally with deeper marketing budgets and shelf coverage in retail channels where Crave Brothers competes.
• Galbani (Lactalis brand): Lactalis-owned Italian cheese brand offering mozzarella, ricotta, and mascarpone across US retail. The most direct mainstream Italian-style competitor on the same hero SKUs as Crave Brothers, but at much higher scale and brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mxcl2300
• Facebookfacebook.com/CraveBrosCheese
• Instagraminstagram.com/cravecheesellc/?hl=en
• Xx.com/cravebroscheese

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese