Gilman Cheese

What Gilman Cheese does

Gilman Cheese Corporation is a Wisconsin-based processed cheese manufacturer founded in 1948 and headquartered in Gilman, WI, with a second manufacturing facility in Blue Mounds, WI. The company produces shelf-stable processed cheese built around a 98% natural cheese formulation blended with a small number of natural ingredients, then run through a secondary pasteurization and hermetically sealed packaging step to achieve up to 12 months of shelf life (vacuum sealed) or 6 months (gas flushed) without refrigeration. Its catalog spans over 100 flavor SKUs across Everyday Favorites, High Temp, Easy Melt, rBST Free, Organic, Low Moisture, and Shelf Stable categories, with form factors ranging from 0.35 oz sticks to 42 lb blocks, including smoking services using real hickory wood, cut-and-wrap capabilities in custom shapes, and 1:1 CN credit cheese planks for school nutrition.

The business operates as a B2B private label and contract manufacturer. Customers (food brands, retailers, co-packers, school nutrition brokers, distributors, government/MRE suppliers) submit a discovery call, samples, new-item setup, and purchase orders; Gilman produces to order with minimum runs starting at 700 lbs for R&D and scaling to 1,400-2,100 lbs for full production. Pricing is quote-based and undisclosed publicly, with lead times from 3 days (cheese trim) to 6 weeks (deli loaves). Distribution is primarily direct B2B and through broker networks for schools, with limited Amazon retail penetration and bulk/co-packer channels for cheese sticks and trim.

The company has been PE-owned since 2022, when Borgman Capital merged Dairyfood USA into Gilman Cheese under CEO David Delgado to broaden product offerings (Queso Dips, SnackUps, Spreadable Cheese, Smoked Gouda) and capacity. In March 2026, Borgman Capital recapitalized Gilman Cheese with a $30 million debt facility from O2 Sponsor Finance explicitly aimed at funding the company's next growth phase. The combined entity sells across gift pack, snack, school nutrition, airline, retail, distribution, vending, food service, government/MRE, and sporting/outdoor markets.

Name

Gilman Cheese

Legal name

Gilman Cheese Corporation

Website

https://gilmancheese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Gilman Cheese Corporation is a Wisconsin-based B2B manufacturer of shelf-stable processed cheese, producing 100+ flavors under private label for food brands, school nutrition programs, co-packers, distributors, government/MRE, and retail/grocery customers across nine end markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Processed Cheese Manufacturing

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Label & Contract Cheese Manufacturing (AFAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cheese Packaging & Portioning (Retail Packs, Snack Packs, Singles) (AFAHABAI), Grated, Shredded & Sliced Cheese Manufacturing (Value-Added Cuts) (AFAHABAF)

Keywords

• Processed cheese manufacturing
• Private label cheese
• Shelf stable cheese
• Smoked cheese
• Cheese co-packing

Headquarters

HQ city

Gilman

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Label Cheese Manufacturing: Gilman Cheese manufactures shelf stable processed cheese under private label/own brand for B2B customers. Customers provide brand names and label artwork; Gilman handles production. Minimum order quantities start at 700 lbs for R&D runs and 1,400–2,100 lbs for full-scale production. Products are made to order based on purchase orders.
2. Custom Cheese Component Manufacturing: The company produces cheese components (sticks, planks, triangles, squares, rounds, blocks) in various sizes and flavors for co-packers, distributors, and food manufacturers. Products are sold in bulk quantities (e.g., 30lb bags of trim, bulk cheese sticks) for repackaging by customers.
3. School Nutrition Programs: Gilman Cheese partners with brokers and schools to supply cheese for school lunches and meal kits. Products include 1oz and 2oz cheese planks with 1:1 CN (Child Nutrition) credit, serving as a vegetarian meat alternative for school meals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gilman Cheese is a B2B processed shelf-stable cheese manufacturer founded in 1948 and headquartered in Gilman, Wisconsin. The company produces private label cheese products made from 98% natural cheese, offers hickory wood smoking services, and provides cut-and-wrap and co-packing capabilities across two Wisconsin manufacturing facilities.

Product overview

Gilman Cheese is a processed shelf stable cheese manufacturer producing award-winning cheese that is 98% natural, free of oils and fillers. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio including core shelf stable and processed cheese products, private label manufacturing services, and cheese smoking services. The product line spans individually wrapped cheese planks, bulk cheese sticks, deli cheese loaves, cheese squares, cheese trim, and smoked cheeses in over 100 unique flavors. Following the 2022 merger with DairyfoodUSA, the company expanded to include DairyfoodUSA branded products such as Grab 'n Go SnackUps, Glacier Ridge Farms Gourmet Cheese Wedges, Queso Dips, and Spreadable Cheese. The company operates two manufacturing locations in Gilman, WI and Blue Mounds, WI under CEO David Delgado, serving markets including retail, schools, gift packs, airlines, food service, and government programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DairyfoodUSA: A subsidiary brand offering unique products including Grab 'n Go SnackUps, Glacier Ridge Farms Gourmet Cheese Wedges, Moe's Queso Dips, Queso de Casa Dipping Cheese, Dutch's Choice Naturally Smoked Gouda, and Glacier Ridge Farms Gourmet Spreadable Cheese.

Products and services

• Processed Shelf-Stable Cheese
• Private Label Cheese Manufacturing
• Cheese Smoking Services Toll cheese smoking service using hickory wood for customers that bring their own cheese to be smoked, packaged, and distributed.
• Single-Serve Cheese Snack Bars Individually wrapped, single-serve processed cheese snack bars designed for school nutrition, sporting/outdoor, and vending channels.
• Individually Wrapped Cheese Planks Individually wrapped processed cheese planks suitable for school lunch, foodservice, and individual retail consumption.
• Bulk Cheese Sticks Bulk processed cheese sticks supplied to foodservice, school nutrition, and retail customers.
• Deli Cheese Loaves Processed cheese loaves sized for deli slicing, used by retail delis and food service operators.
• Smoked Cheese Products Hickory-wood-smoked processed cheese products sold under the Gilman/DairyfoodUSA brands and via private label.
• Processed Cheese Trim Processed cheese trim and working inventory sold to industrial cheese users and co-packers.
• Cheese Squares Processed cheese squares sold for foodservice and retail applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12-month shelf life for vacuum-sealed products, 6 months for gas flushed products, when stored below 72°F
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DairyfoodUSAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 May 2022DairyfoodUSA and Gilman Cheese Corp. merged to expand product offerings and boost competitiveness in the Wisconsin cheese industry. Both companies retain their individual names and are focused on meeting increasing global demand for processed cheese. The combined entity operates under the leadership of David Delgado, CEO.
• School Nutrition BrokerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGilman Cheese partners with broker networks to reach schools and meal kit programs across the nation for its school nutrition products. These brokers facilitate distribution of Gilman's cheese products with 1:1 CN credit to school districts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hilmar Cheese: Hilmar Cheese is a large-scale private cheese manufacturer producing cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Hispanic-style cheeses, with significant private label and ingredient business. Comparable to Gilman in cheese manufacturing and private label B2B model.
• Schreiber Foods: Schreiber Foods is a large employee-owned dairy company focused on private label and foodservice cheese, cream cheese, and yogurt. It is the closest direct comparable to Gilman in scale and B2B private label cheese manufacturing model.
• Crystal Farms (Schwan's): Crystal Farms is a packaged cheese brand offering shreds, slices, and snacks at retail. It is a direct comparable in packaged processed cheese products, particularly in snacking and shredded formats where Gilman supplies private label.
• Foremost Farms USA: Foremost Farms is a Wisconsin-based dairy cooperative producing cheese, whey, and ingredients for foodservice and retail private label. It is a peer in Wisconsin cheese manufacturing and private label dairy supply.
• Great Lakes Cheese: Great Lakes Cheese is one of the largest private label natural cheese manufacturers in the US, supplying retail and foodservice. It competes head-to-head with Gilman for private label cheese contracts across retail deli, shreds, and snacking formats.
• Bel Brands USA: Bel Brands USA produces processed and snack cheese products (The Laughing Cow, Babybel). It is a direct comparable in shelf-stable and processed cheese manufacturing for retail and foodservice channels.
• Sargento Foods: Sargento is a Wisconsin-based cheese company producing natural and sliced cheese for retail and foodservice, including some private label. It is a regional comparable in cheese product breadth and Wisconsin dairy heritage.

Broad incumbents

• Leprino Foods: Leprino Foods is the world's largest mozzarella manufacturer and a major supplier of dairy ingredients to foodservice and pizza chains. It serves adjacent (cheese ingredient) markets to Gilman's processed and sliced cheese offerings with much greater scale.
• Land O'Lakes (Dairy Foods): Land O'Lakes is a large dairy foods cooperative with a sizable foodservice and private label cheese business. Comparable to Gilman in B2B and private label cheese manufacturing, but operates at vastly greater scale.
• Agropur: Agropur is a large North American dairy cooperative producing cheese, whey, and ingredients with significant US private label and foodservice cheese business. Comparable in private label and processed cheese manufacturing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/gilmancheese
• Facebookfacebook.com/gilmancheese
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gilman-cheese-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/gilmancheese

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Gilman Cheese