Foremost Farms

What Foremost Farms does

Foremost Farms USA is a privately held dairy cooperative founded in 1995 through the consolidation of Wisconsin Dairies Cooperative and Golden Guernsey Dairy Cooperative, with subsequent acquisitions of Morning Glory Farms from Associated Milk Producers (1995) and the merger with Stacyville (Iowa) Cooperative Creamery (2006). The cooperative is owned by hundreds of Midwest dairy farm members located across seven states and is governed by an elected member board of directors with no external parent or private equity ownership. Headquarters are in Middleton, Wisconsin, with operations spanning seven manufacturing plants (Appleton, Clayton, Greenville, Lancaster, Marshfield, Reedsburg, and Richland Center) and one headquarters office, each manufacturing facility operating 365/24/7.

The cooperative produces four core product lines from member-supplied Grade A, rBST-free milk: cheese (Italian- and American-style varieties including mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, and muenster, with annual production exceeding 500 million pounds), butter (USDA Grade AA, Kosher- and Halal-certified, sold in retail four-stick one-pound packages and 55-pound foodservice blocks from the Reedsburg plant), dairy ingredients (whey, lactose, and whey protein concentrates derived as by-products of cheese manufacturing), and fluid milk products (condensed skim, cream, nonfat dry milk, reverse osmosis skim and whole milk, and custom blends). Greenville alone processes up to six million pounds of raw milk per day, and member-owners reached an annual aggregate of six billion pounds of milk in 2012. Technical capabilities include a proprietary cheese standardization process implemented in 2017 and a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker program.

Revenue is generated through a B2B, sales-led go-to-market model: products are sold to "top brands and category leaders" in retail under customer store brands and to foodservice and food processing customers in bulk formats, while dairy ingredients are supplied to food, beverage, infant nutrition, and animal feed manufacturers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Total capital invested in dairy infrastructure reached approximately $240 million during the cooperative's first ten years, with the $50 million 2010 Appleton mozzarella doubling representing the largest single capital expansion. The company pursues a Net Zero by 2050 sustainability goal under the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment and FARM Animal Care guidelines.

Name

Foremost Farms

Legal name

Foremost Farms USA

Website

https://foremostfarms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Foremost Farms USA is a Midwest dairy cooperative owned by hundreds of member farmers across seven states. It operates seven manufacturing plants producing award-winning cheese, butter, dairy ingredients, and fluid milk products for retail store-brand and foodservice customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Manufacturing

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Creamery Butter Manufacturing (311512)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue) (AFAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh/Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Unripened & Soft) (AFAHABAA), Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL)

Keywords

• Dairy cooperative
• Cheese manufacturing
• Butter production
• Dairy ingredients
• Fluid milk processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Baraboo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Cheese Sales: Production and sale of 100% all-natural cheeses including Italian and American-style varieties. Produces more than a half billion pounds of premium Wisconsin cheeses annually for retail and foodservice customers representing respected top brands and category leaders.
2. Butter Sales: Production and sale of award-winning butter made with 100% real cream meeting USDA Grade AA specifications, Kosher- and Halal-certified. Sold under retail customer store brands and in 55-pound bulk blocks for foodservice and food processing customers.
3. Dairy Ingredients: Fluid and powdered dairy products delivering nutrition, quality and superior functionality in food, beverage, infant nutrition and animal feed markets. Includes whey, lactose and whey protein concentrates as by-products of cheese manufacturing.
4. Fluid Milk Products: High-quality milk used for cheese, butter and dairy ingredients manufacturing, as well as fluid milk products including condensed skim, cream, nonfat dry milk, reverse osmosis skim milk and whole milk and innovative blends developed in partnership with customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Foremost Farms is a dairy cooperative that produces and sells cheese (Italian- and American-style varieties including mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, and muenster), butter (USDA Grade AA, Kosher- and Halal-certified), dairy ingredients (whey, lactose, whey protein concentrates), and fluid milk products. The cooperative sells primarily B2B to retail and foodservice customers, with retail customers marketing the products under their own store brands.

Product overview

Foremost Farms operates as a dairy cooperative offering four core product lines: Cheese (Italian- and American-style varieties including mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, and muenster), Butter (USDA Grade AA, Kosher- and Halal-certified), Dairy Ingredients (whey, lactose, and whey protein concentrates from cheese production byproducts), and Milk (fluid products including condensed skim, cream, and reverse osmosis varieties). The cooperative utilizes milk from member farms across seven Midwest states to produce these products through its seven manufacturing plants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• More than half a billion pounds of premium, 100% all-natural Wisconsin cheeses produced annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ginkgo BioworkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Foremost Farms partnered with Ginkgo Bioworks in 2023 to better utilize low-value byproducts from dairy processing. This strategic partnership focuses on biotechnology applications to extract additional value from co-products.
• Kerry Bio ScienceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Partnership with Kerry Bio Science to market pharmaceutical lactose. Kerry provides technology and market access for pharmaceutical-grade dairy ingredients.
• National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForemost Farms is represented in NMPF through executive leadership and employees serving as board members. NMPF develops policies and advocacy for dairy producers across the United States.
• Innovation Center for U.S. DairycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForemost Farms adopted the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy's U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment, progressing toward Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The cooperative participates in Food Safety workshops hosted by major dairy processors.
• Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForemost Farms abides by FARM Animal Care guidelines for 100% of member-owners' cows to ensure dairy products are sourced from safe, ethical environments. Also partners with FARM Environmental Stewardship (FARM-ES) program.
• NewtrientminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForemost Farms partners with Newtrient, which works to advance dairy sustainability and environmental stewardship. The cooperative participated in a webinar spotlighting soil health practices in Wisconsin's Driftless Region.
• Dairy Industry PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a major dairy cooperative, Foremost Farms maintains partnerships across the dairy industry for supply chain integration, technology sharing, and market development. Whey protein demand surge driven by 'protein-maxxing' trend and GLP-1 drugs affects the entire industry.
• Dairy Management Inc. (DMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForemost Farms is represented in DMI through leadership participation. DMI works to drive dairy product innovation and consumer demand.
• Center for Dairy ResearchminorOthersForemost Farms supports the Center for Dairy Research through giving and donations, advancing dairy industry research and innovation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Schreiber Foods: Major dairy/food company specializing in cheese, yogurt, and dairy ingredients for retail and foodservice. Directly comparable as a large B2B dairy manufacturer serving branded and private-label customers.
• Leprino Foods: World's largest mozzarella producer and a major whey ingredient supplier. Direct peer in mozzarella manufacturing scale, dairy ingredient by-products, and foodservice customer relationships.
• Agropur: Canadian dairy cooperative with significant U.S. operations producing cheese, whey ingredients, and butter. Comparable cooperative structure and product portfolio with overlapping retail and foodservice customers in North America.
• Associated Milk Producers: Dairy marketing cooperative representing Upper Midwest dairy farmers with cheese and dairy ingredient manufacturing. Direct peer to Foremost Farms in cooperative model, geography, and product portfolio; previously divested regions to Foremost Farms in 1995.
• Great Lakes Cheese: Major U.S. natural cheese manufacturer supplying retail private-label, foodservice, and industrial customers. Comparable as a private-label-focused cheese manufacturer competing for the same retail and foodservice accounts.
• Prairie Farms Dairy: Midwest-based dairy cooperative producing fluid milk, cheese, butter, and dairy ingredients. Direct peer as a farmer-owned cooperative operating in overlapping Midwest geographies with similar B2B customers.
• Land O'Lakes: Major U.S. agricultural cooperative with a sizable dairy foods business (butter, cheese, ingredients) serving retail and foodservice channels. Highly comparable cooperative structure and product mix to Foremost Farms.
• Hilmar Cheese Company: Large-scale cheese and whey ingredient manufacturer producing cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, and whey products for retail and ingredient customers. Closely comparable in cheese and dairy ingredient focus and B2B customer mix.
• Dairy Farmers of America: The largest U.S. dairy cooperative, also owned by dairy farmer members, with a comparable diversified product portfolio spanning cheese, butter, milk, and dairy ingredients. Directly comparable as a member-owned B2B dairy manufacturer supplying retail and foodservice customers.

Broad incumbents

• Saputo: One of the largest dairy processors globally with extensive U.S. cheese, butter, and ingredient operations. Broad incumbent competitor in the same categories with significant scale advantages and branded retail presence.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/foremostfarmsusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foremostfarms
• Xx.com/foremostfarms

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Foremost Farms