Capriole

What Capriole does

Capriole is a family-owned artisan goat cheese producer operating from an 80-acre farm in Greenville, Indiana, since 1976 (with commercial cheesemaking beginning in 1988). The company manufactures a diverse portfolio of hand-crafted goat cheeses — fresh chèvres, bloomy-rind wheels (Flora, Sofia, Wabash Cannonball, Piper's Pyramide), aged tommes (Julianna, Old Kentucky Tomme), washed-rind cheeses (Mont St. Francis), and specialty flavored products (O'Banon, Tea Rose, Wasabi Log, Bourbon Chocolate Hearts) — produced in small batches via hand-ladling of 400-gallon vats in a roughly 1,000 sq ft creamery. Production relies on traditional Loire Valley French techniques including vegetable ash application and cultivation of specific mold cultures (Penicillium Candidum, Geotrichum Candidum, Brevibacterium linens), with milk now sourced from Indiana Amish farmers and the Quality Dairy Goat Producers Cooperative in Wisconsin following the 2012 sale of the company's own herd.

The company sells through three primary channels: a direct-to-consumer online store (2-tier flat-rate shipping of $30-$40, 10-day lead time), a nationwide network of independent cheese shops, gourmet retailers, and Whole Foods Markets across all 50 US states, and direct restaurant/food-service accounts anchored by notable Chicago chefs (Paul Kahan, Sarah Stegner, Carrie Nahabedian). Pricing is premium across the portfolio, ranging from about $10 for a 3oz Wabash Cannonball to $130 for a full 4lb wheel of Old Kentucky Tomme. Capriole has accumulated multiple American Cheese Society awards (including Best in Show for Wabash Cannonball) and a 2020 Good Food Award for Sofia, and operates with a current headcount of 11-50 employees under third-generation family leadership (Sam Schad as General Manager, Piper Schad on marketing/branding) following founder Judy Schad's transition out of daily operations.

Name

Capriole

Legal name

Capriole, Inc.

Website

https://capriolegoatcheese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Capriole is a family-owned artisan goat cheese producer in Greenville, Indiana, hand-crafting fresh, bloomy-rind, aged, and washed-rind goat cheeses using traditional French methods, sold direct-to-consumer online, through specialty retailers across all 50 US states, and to fine-dining chefs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Goat Cheese Manufacturing

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB), Cheese Packaging & Portioning (Retail Packs, Snack Packs, Singles) (AFAHABAI)

Keywords

• Artisan goat cheese
• Bloomy rind cheese
• Handmade cheese
• Washed rind cheese
• Aged goat cheese

Headquarters

HQ city

Greenville

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Cheese Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer and wholesale/retail sales of artisan goat cheeses including fresh chevré, ripened cheeses, aged cheeses, and specialty seasonal products. Products sold in various formats (individual pieces, cases) with pricing ranging from $10-$130 per item.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Capriole manufactures and sells a comprehensive portfolio of hand-crafted artisan goat cheeses produced in small batches at its Greenville, Indiana creamery using traditional French Loire Valley cheesemaking methods. The product line spans fresh chèvres, bloomy-rind and washed-rind ripened cheeses, aged tommes, and seasonally flavored specialties, sold through its own online store, a nationwide network of independent cheese shops and retailers, regional distributors, and directly to restaurants and chefs.

Product overview

Capriole is an artisan goat cheese company offering a diverse portfolio of hand-crafted goat cheeses. The company operates as a single unified product line centered on goat dairy products, including fresh chèvre (the foundational product), bloomy-rind ripened cheeses (Flora, Sofia, Wabash Cannonball, Piper's Pyramide), aged cheeses (Julianna, Old Kentucky Tomme), washed-rind cheeses (Mont St. Francis), and specialty flavored cheeses (O'Banon, Tea Rose, Fromage à Trois, Bourbon Chocolate Hearts, Wasabi Log). All cheeses are hand-ladled and produced in small batches at their Greenville, Indiana creamery, with products sold through online ordering, retailers nationwide, and restaurants. The company was founded in 1988 and is now in its second generation of family ownership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Chèvre Capriole's foundational hand-ladled fresh goat cheese, slightly lemony and acidic with a cloud-like texture, sold in buche or log formats and a 2003 American Cheese Society award winner.
• Flora Delicate bloomy-rind round chevre that is grassy and light as a marshmallow when young, intensifying and becoming more dense and creamy as it ages; ripened 7–10 days, sold as 6 oz rounds or 6-pack cases.
• Wabash Cannonball Expressive small 3 oz sphere ripened cheese rolled in vegetable ash that ripens quickly and has won numerous awards including ACS Best in Show.
• Sofia Sweet and dense ripened cheese inspired by Loire Valley cheeses with a light, delicate paste that becomes richer and creamier over 5–7 weeks post-production; Capriole's most popular ripened cheese and 2020 Good Food Award winner.
• Piper's Pyramide Pyramid-shaped cheese bright and refreshing with a spicy, smoky edge from smoked paprika; takes 10 days in production and ships very young; multiple ACS award winner including 2016.
• Julianna Approximately 1 lb wheel aged 4–8 months, buttery and smooth but nuttier and firmer, finished with Herbes de Provence, calendula petals, and safflower petals.
• Old Kentucky Tomme One of the first aged goat cheeses in the U.S., mild, buttery and melty with white mushroom overtones; smooth paste with a bloomy rind when young, with a crusty darker rind and lipase kick as it ages; sold as a full ~4 lb wheel.
• Mont St. Francis 1 lb semi-firm goat-milk washed-rind cheese bathed in imperial stout beer, funky and pungent with a sweet, smoky finish; known for extra-fine texture matched to hearty flavor and beefy nose.
• O'Banon Fresh 6 oz goat cheese round wrapped in bourbon-soaked chestnut leaves, with bright tart-fruit flavor balanced by underlying sweetness and a mild tannic note; long shelf life, marketed for gifting.
• Tea Rose Vacuum-packaged 6 oz fresh lactic cheese with fragrant herbs, rose petals, and fennel pollen that complement the light, delicate paste of fresh bright chèvre, evoking the spirit of spring.
• Fromage à Trois Italian-style torta layering fresh Capriole chèvre with basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and dried parsley; sold exclusively on the Capriole online store as a limited holiday release.
• Bourbon Chocolate Hearts Limited-edition seasonal 6 oz heart-shaped cheese blending hand-ladled fresh goat cheese, Callebaut Belgian dark chocolate, and plump bourbon-soaked raisins; available January through May.
• Wasabi Log 8 oz fresh goat cheese log infused with wasabi, combining the lactic tang of fresh goat cheese with wasabi's subtle heat; also available in a 5-pound format for foodservice.

Quantifiable outcome

• ACS Best in Show winner for Wabash Cannonball
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Quality Dairy Goat Producers Cooperative (Hedrich Family)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established with Hedrich family of Quality Dairy Goat Producers Cooperative in Wisconsin. The Hedrichs are committed to freshest, locally sourced milk from animals fed a healthy diet of grains and forage. Their award-winning cheeses reflect shared values of artisanal quality. This collaboration represents Cheesemakers working together to create best artisanal cheeses.
• Indiana Amish FarmerscoreOthersCapriole currently purchases milk supply from Amish farmers in Indiana. These farmers originally bought Capriole's goat herd when it was sold in 2012. Base cost of delivered milk is $55-$60 cwt from March-October and $70-$75 cwt November-February.
• Huber Orchard and WineryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly partnership in 1988 where Capriole hauled 70 gallons of milk twice weekly to Huber Orchard and Winery to try out home cheesemaking skills in a small show-and-tell facility. This was the beginning of their commercial cheesemaking journey.
• Cypress Grove (Mary Keehn)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriendship with Mary Keehn of Cypress Grove during goat shows, lasting friendship that inspired products like Fromage à Trois. Both are legendary figures in American goat cheese movement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Vermont Creamery: Vermont Creamery is a leading U.S. producer of artisan goat and cow milk cheeses with broad foodservice and retail distribution. Directly competes with Capriole in the fresh chèvre and bloomy-rind categories nationwide.
• Cowgirl Creamery: Northern California artisan creamery producing premium cheeses with strong retail and foodservice relationships. Comparable to Capriole in scale, artisanal positioning, and emphasis on storytelling and farmer relationships.
• Laura Chenel's Chevre: Laura Chenel's is a California-based pioneer of American chèvre with a portfolio of fresh and aged goat cheeses. Direct competitor in fresh chèvre and ripened goat cheese categories sold through retailers and chefs.
• Rogue Creamery: Oregon-based creamery known for award-winning blue and aged cheeses with nationwide distribution and foodservice penetration. Comparable to Capriole in artisanal pedigree, ACS awards, and Whole Foods/cheese shop channel presence.
• Cypress Grove: Founded by Mary Keehn, Cypress Grove is one of the original pioneers of American artisan goat cheese alongside Capriole. Both brands are credited with launching the U.S. goat cheese movement and have inspired each other's product lines (e.g., Fromage à Trois).
• Jasper Hill Farm: Vermont-based creamery renowned for award-winning aged and washed-rind cheeses. While cow-milk focused, Jasper Hill's emphasis on cave-aging, surface ripening with Brevibacterium linens, and direct relationships with fine-dining chefs makes it a strong artisanal peer in the U.S. craft cheese space.
• Redwood Hill Farm: Northern California goat dairy producing artisan fresh and aged goat cheeses, yogurts, and kefirs. Competes with Capriole in the premium goat cheese category across specialty retailers and natural foods channels.
• Haystack Mountain Cheese: Colorado-based artisan cheese producer with a notable goat cheese portfolio (including award-winning aged goat tommes). Comparable in scale and artisanal positioning to Capriole with similar retail and foodservice distribution.

Broad incumbents

• BelGioioso Cheese: Wisconsin-based specialty Italian cheese manufacturer offering a wide portfolio including fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and select goat cheese products. Broader portfolio than Capriole but overlaps in specialty retail and foodservice channels with similar premium positioning.

Others

• Quality Dairy Goat Producers Cooperative: Wisconsin cooperative (Hedrich family) supplying goat milk to Capriole. Functions as an upstream milk supplier partner rather than a competitor, but is a key structural element of Capriole's supply chain and shared artisanal values.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CaprioleGoatCheese
• Instagraminstagram.com/capriolegoatcheese
• Xx.com/capriolecheese

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Capriole