Decatur Dairy

What Decatur Dairy does

Decatur Dairy is a small, privately held artisan cheese manufacturer based in Brodhead, Wisconsin, operating since the early 1940s. It is structured around a cooperative supply chain of 70+ member farms across Green, Rock, and Lafayette Counties, which feed milk into a single production facility originally built in 1942 and expanded in 2000 with an additional 7,200 square feet of make, packaging, and cooler space. The company produces more than 40 cheese varieties, with cheese curds, Havarti, Muenster, Brick, and specialty Swiss (including proprietary Stettler Swiss and Colby-Swiss marbled varieties) as its core lines, supplemented by Pine River cheese spreads, artisanal meats, mustards, gift boxes, branded merchandise, and e-gift cards.

Master Cheesemaker Steve Stettler — a third-generation cheesemaker and four-time graduate of the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker program certified in six cheese types — is the central technical and creative driver; his work has earned repeat Best of Class honors at the World Championship Cheese Contest (Cheese Curds in 2022 and 2024; Brick in 2024) and a 2026 Class Sweep in Havarti and Flavored Havarti. Decatur monetizes through direct-to-consumer channels — an on-site retail store with samples, grilled cheese, and picnic facilities, plus nationwide e-commerce shipping — alongside regional wholesale distribution to 26+ independent grocers and specialty retailers across Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan, and seasonal farmer's markets. Pricing is unit-based, ranging from $6.44/lb for Brick to $19.50/lb for aged Sharp Cheddar, with gift boxes priced $40–$85 including shipping. The business is family-owned (Steve and Glennette Stettler), operates with 1–10 employees, and has no external institutional funding or M&A history, positioning it as a craft-scale, award-validated regional cheese brand rather than a scaling consumer packaged goods company.

Name

Decatur Dairy

Legal name

Decatur Dairy, Inc.

Website

https://decaturdairy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Decatur Dairy is a small, family-owned artisan cheese manufacturer in Brodhead, Wisconsin, producing 40+ award-winning cheese varieties under Master Cheesemaker Steve Stettler for direct-to-consumer sales, regional grocers, and farmer's markets across the Midwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Cheese Manufacturing

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Food Manufacturing (311), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cheese Packaging & Portioning (Retail Packs, Snack Packs, Singles) (AFAHABAI), Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese production
• Cheese curd manufacturing
• Specialty Wisconsin cheese
• Artisan cheesemaking
• Dairy product retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Brodhead

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cheese and Dairy Product Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling artisanal cheeses, cheese curds, cheese spreads, and related dairy products through direct retail and e-commerce channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Decatur Dairy manufactures and sells over 40 varieties of artisanal cheeses and cheese curds at its Brodhead, Wisconsin facility, including award-winning cheese curds, Havarti, Muenster, Brick, Cheddar, Colby Longhorn, Swiss varieties, and signature creations such as Stettler Swiss and Colby-Swiss marbled cheese. Products are sold through the on-site retail store, e-commerce website, regional grocery stores, and seasonal farmer's markets. Complementary offerings include cheese spreads, artisanal meats, mustards, gift boxes, custom cheese trays, branded merchandise, and digital gift cards.

Product overview

Decatur Dairy is a small artisanal cheese company based in Brodhead, Wisconsin, producing world-class cheeses since the 1940s. The company operates as a cooperative with over 70 co-op members and manufactures approximately 40 cheese varieties under the Decatur brand. Their product portfolio centers on award-winning cheese curds (notably winning Best of Class in 2022 and 2024 World Championship Cheese Contest), artisanal cheeses including Havarti, Muenster, Brick, Colby Longhorn, Butterkase, and specialty Swiss varieties, complemented by Pine River Cheese Spreads, artisanal meats, mustards, gift boxes, custom cheese trays, branded merchandise, and gift cards. Steve Stettler serves as Master Cheesemaker, certified in six cheese types. The company sells directly to consumers via their retail store and e-commerce website, with products available at over 25 retail locations throughout the Midwest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Decatur Cheese Curds Fresh cheese curds produced by Decatur Dairy in numerous flavors, available for direct purchase by individual consumers through the on-site store and online store. Cheese curds won Best of Class at the World Championship Cheese Contest in both 2022 and 2024.
• Decatur Cheeses Artisanal cheeses under the Decatur brand, including Havarti varieties (Plain, Dill, Herb, Pepper, Smoked Mediterranean Herb), Muenster varieties (Plain, Jalapeno, Smoked, White, Bacon, Smoked Pepper), Brick, Cheddar, Colby Longhorn, Co-Jack, Gouda, Smoked Gouda, Butterkase, Farmers, and specialty varieties (Basil Farmers, Colby Swiss, Stettler Swiss, Golden Swiss, Fontina, Smoked Cheddar, White Cheddar, Chedster, Asiago, String Cheese, Beer Cheddar, Ghost Pepper Cheddar, Ukrainian).

Quantifiable outcome

• Best of Class Cheese Curds - World Championship Cheese Contest 2022 & 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA)minorOthersDecatur Dairy participates in WCMA events and auctions. The 2026 WCMA Novonesis Reception and Championship Cheese Auction featured 106 gold medal cheeses, with proceeds supporting dairy industry education, training, and research including a $90,000 commitment to the Wuethrich Family/Grassland Dairy Center of Excellence at UW-River Falls.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sartori Cheese: Wisconsin-based artisan cheese maker producing award-winning cheeses including aged cheddar, parmesan, and specialty varieties. Most directly comparable as another Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker-driven brand competing in the same craft cheese awards and specialty retail channels as Decatur.
• BelGioioso Cheese: Wisconsin-based specialty cheese manufacturer producing Italian-style and American specialty cheeses including mozzarella, parmesan, and provolone. Comparable as a Wisconsin-rooted cheese maker serving both retail and foodservice with an award-driven premium positioning.
• Carr Valley Cheese: Wisconsin artisan cheesemaker with 80+ cheese varieties and multiple Master Cheesemakers, selling direct, online, and at regional retailers. Closely mirrors Decatur's craft positioning, broad SKU portfolio, and award-based marketing approach.
• Roth Cheese: Wisconsin-based specialty cheese brand focused on alpine and European-style cheeses like Grand Cru and Havarti. Highly comparable on European-style cheesemaking expertise, premium retail positioning, and overlapping cheese varieties (notably Havarti).
• Widmer's Cheese Cellars: Long-standing Wisconsin cheese maker specializing in brick, muenster, and cheddar using traditional methods, with on-site retail. Direct overlap with Decatur on signature cheese types (brick, muenster), traditional methods, and direct-to-consumer retail model.
• Burnett Dairy: Wisconsin farmer-owned cooperative cheese maker with retail store and direct e-commerce. Comparable business model combining cooperative supply, on-site retail, and direct shipping of artisan cheeses.
• Pine River Dairy: Wisconsin cheese spread and dairy products maker whose spreads are already carried by Decatur Dairy. Comparable as a Wisconsin specialty dairy brand selling into the same retail and gift box channels.

Emerging players

• Babcock Dairy Store: University of Wisconsin-Madison dairy store producing artisan cheeses including cheese curds. Comparable on award-winning Wisconsin cheese curds and on-site retail, though anchored to an academic institution rather than an independent cooperative.

Broad incumbents

• Organic Valley: Large Wisconsin-based dairy cooperative with farmer-ownership structure similar to Decatur's 70+ co-op members. Provides a benchmark for cooperative-scale dairy businesses, though far larger and focused on organic fluid dairy rather than specialty cheese.
• Sargento Foods: Major Wisconsin cheese company producing shredded, sliced, and snack cheese products at national scale. Represents the scaled Wisconsin cheese incumbent against which Decatur competes for premium shelf space in regional grocery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/decaturdairy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/decatur-dairy-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Decatur Dairy