Meister Cheese Company

What Meister Cheese Company does

Meister Cheese Company is a fourth-generation, family-owned artisan cheesemaker headquartered in Muscoda, Wisconsin, founded in 1916 by Joseph Meister. The company produces premium specialty cheeses including Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, Havarti, spreads, and flavored specialty varieties, alongside food-grade whey protein concentrate and lactose through its wholly owned subsidiary Muscoda Protein Products. Production is vertically integrated at the Muscoda site, encompassing milk sourcing under the proprietary Cows First animal welfare certification, cheesemaking, aging, packaging with modern random-weight and small-batch equipment, and downstream whey processing via ultrafiltration. Sustainability infrastructure includes a biomass boiler fueled by nearby sawmill woodchips and an anaerobic lagoon wastewater recycling system that reduces natural gas and electricity use.

Name

Meister Cheese Company

Legal name

Meister Cheese

Website

https://meistercheese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Meister Cheese Company is a fourth-generation family-owned Wisconsin cheesemaker producing premium artisan cheeses and whey protein ingredients for food service operators, private label brands, grocery retailers, and direct-to-consumer markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Cheese Manufacturing

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Dry, Condensed, and Evaporated Dairy Product Manufacturing (311514), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whey, Casein & Milk Protein Ingredient Manufacturing (AFAKAKAF), Dairy Protein Ingredients (Whey, Casein/Caseinates, Milk Protein Concentrates/Isolates) (AFAJAHAC), Cheese Whey Collection & Pre-Treatment (Clarification, Standardization) (AFAHAGAA)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese manufacturing
• Specialty cheese production
• Whey protein processing
• Private label cheese
• Food service cheese supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Muscoda

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Food Service Bulk Sales: High-volume B2B sales of artisan cheese to commercial food service operators including restaurants and institutional buyers. Cheese is produced, aged, and packaged under one roof.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Contract manufacturing services for retail brands seeking artisan Wisconsin cheese under their own labels. Customers work directly with Meister family to develop custom cheese flavors and formulations.
3. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Retail sales of cheese products directly to consumers through online store with shipping capabilities throughout the US. Products include Cheddars, Monterey Jacks, Spreads, Colby Jack, Havarti, Specialty Cheese, and Gift Boxes.
4. Whey and Lactose Ingredients: Sale of whey protein concentrate and lactose ingredients to manufacturers globally through Muscoda Protein Products subsidiary.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Meister Cheese Company manufactures award-winning artisan Wisconsin specialty cheeses including Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, Havarti, flavored specialty varieties, and cheese spreads, and through its sister entity Muscoda Protein Products produces food-grade whey protein concentrate and lactose ingredients. Products are produced, aged, and packaged at the company's Muscoda, Wisconsin facility and sold through B2B food service, B2B private label manufacturing, B2B whey ingredient distribution, and B2C e-commerce channels under the Cows First animal welfare sourcing standard.

Product overview

Meister Cheese Company is a fourth-generation, family-owned artisan cheesemaker offering a portfolio of premium cheese products. The core offerings include Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, Havarti, Specialty Cheeses, and Cheese Spreads, all available through direct-to-consumer online sales, food service channels, and private label arrangements. The company operates Cows First, an animal welfare certification program that differentiates its milk sourcing. A sister company, Muscoda Protein Products, produces food-grade whey protein and lactose ingredients for industrial customers globally. Products are manufactured, aged, and packaged at the company's Wisconsin facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kindred Creamery: Brand under which Smoked Cheddar products won awards at Wisconsin State Fair Cheese & Butter Contest

Products and services

• Cheddar Cheeses Award-winning Cheddar cheeses available in Mild, Medium, and Aged varieties, crafted using traditional Wisconsin cheesemaking methods, sold through the Meister Cheese e-commerce store.
• Monterey Jack Cheeses Premium Monterey Jack cheeses including specialty flavored varieties, sold through the Meister Cheese online store.
• Colby Jack Colby Jack cheese combining Colby and Monterey Jack flavors, including the award-winning Muscoda Mayhem Colby Jack variety, available through the Meister Cheese online store.
• Havarti Danish-style Havarti cheeses including award-winning Dill Havarti and other specialty flavors, sold through the Meister Cheese online store.
• Cheese Spreads Soft, spreadable cheese products including the award-winning Bruschetta Jack Spread, available in 7 oz containers through the Meister Cheese online store.
• Specialty Cheeses Unique specialty cheese varieties including Wild Morel & Leek Jack and Chipotle Monterey Jack sold through the Meister Cheese online store.
• Gift Boxes Pre-packaged gift boxes and cheese baskets featuring curated selections of Meister Cheese products sold through the online store.
• Private Label Cheese Manufacturing Custom cheese manufacturing under customer brand names, offering high-volume production, custom flavor development, and flexible packaging options for grocery retail and brand customers.
• Food Service Cheese Supply Bulk cheese products and custom formulations supplied to commercial food service customers including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and institutional buyers.
• Muscoda Protein Products (Whey Protein & Lactose) Food-grade whey-derived protein concentrate and lactose ingredients produced by sister company Muscoda Protein Products, sold to food manufacturers globally.
• Online Gift Cards Digital gift cards available in $10, $25, $50, and $100 denominations, delivered via email for use in the Meister Cheese online store.

Quantifiable outcome

• Won 2026 World Championship in Colby, Best in Class
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Great Lakes Cheese: Large US private label and bulk cheese manufacturer with multiple production facilities. Directly comparable in private label manufacturing, foodservice supply, and Cheddar/Monterey Jack/Jack varieties, though larger and more geographically diversified than Meister.
• Schreiber Foods: Large privately held dairy processor specializing in cheese, yogurt, and dairy ingredients for retail and foodservice private label customers. Directly comparable in private label cheese manufacturing scale and customer mix, though significantly larger and more diversified globally.
• Hilmar Cheese Company: Privately held California-based cheese and whey ingredients manufacturer producing Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and whey protein/lactose ingredients for global markets. Highly comparable vertically integrated cheese-plus-whey model serving food service, private label, and ingredient customers.
• Tillamook County Creamery Association: Farmer-owned dairy cooperative known for premium Cheddar, Jack, and specialty cheeses sold through grocery and foodservice channels nationwide. Comparable in premium branded cheese positioning, family/cooperative heritage, and award-driven marketing.
• Crystal Farms (Michael Foods): Brand-focused cheese and dairy products manufacturer supplying grocery retailers with Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and specialty cheeses. Comparable in private label and branded retail cheese offerings targeting similar end customers.

Broad incumbents

• Agropur Cooperative: Major North American dairy cooperative producing cheese, whey ingredients, and dairy products for retail and foodservice channels. Comparable in private label cheese and whey ingredient offerings, though with broader product portfolio and international reach.
• Saputo Inc. Large publicly traded Canadian dairy company producing cheese, whey ingredients, and fluid dairy across North America and internationally. Overlaps with Meister in cheese manufacturing and whey ingredient production but at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• Bel Brands USA: US subsidiary of Fromageries Bel, manufacturing branded cheese products including The Laughing Cow and Babybel, plus processed and specialty cheeses. Comparable in premium cheese category expertise but operates at significantly larger scale with global brand portfolio.
• Land O'Lakes, Inc. US farmer-owned dairy cooperative producing cheese, butter, and dairy ingredients across retail and foodservice. Comparable in dairy cooperative model and broad cheese portfolio, but operates at much larger scale with deeper retail penetration.

Others

• Dairy Farmers of America: Large US dairy farmer cooperative that supplies raw milk and operates cheese and dairy ingredient manufacturing through subsidiaries. Indirectly comparable as a potential milk supply partner and industry peer, rather than a direct competitor in branded artisan cheese.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/meistercheese
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meister-cheese-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Meister Cheese Company