ICCO Cheese Company

What ICCO Cheese Company does

ICCO Cheese Company is a fourth-generation, family-owned B2B food manufacturer specializing in grated cheeses (Parmesan, Romano, and shelf-stable Cotija) and bread crumbs (plain, Italian-seasoned, gluten-free, non-GMO, and organic), founded in 1934 in Brooklyn, NY and now operating from a single state-of-the-art facility at One Olympic Drive, Orangeburg, NY. The company blends cheeses sourced from Italy, Argentina, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the US into made-to-order products tailored to specific customer specifications, and serves a base of more than 200 clients primarily in the tri-state area.

The company's underlying technology is conventional industrial food manufacturing rather than software-driven: high-speed grated cheese and bread crumb production lines, a fully automated fluid bed drier system (installed 1987), advanced drying controls for moisture and shelf life, computerized and calibrated scales, and PETE-based packaging (adopted 2002) with in-house can production added in 2008. Order infrastructure includes an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system and client information systems integration to support direct computer-to-computer transactions with retail and food service buyers.

ICCO generates revenue through one-time product sales (cheese and bread crumb SKUs) and private label manufacturing, with a private label program anchored by ShopRite since 1958 and additional relationships with grocery retailers and food service operators. Pricing is quote-based and determined by customer specifications, order volume, and packaging requirements, and is not publicly disclosed. The company holds AIB International Superior Rating, FDA HACCP program participation, and New York State plant certification, and is recognized through regional manufacturing and business excellence awards. Distribution is regional and direct, with no disclosed e-commerce, digital marketplace, or external capital activity.

Name

ICCO Cheese Company

Legal name

ICCO Cheese Company, Inc.

Website

https://iccocheese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ICCO Cheese Company is a fourth-generation, family-owned B2B manufacturer of grated cheeses and bread crumbs, founded in 1934 and based in Orangeburg, NY, serving more than 200 grocery retailers and food service clients across the US tri-state area through made-to-order production and private label programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cheese Manufacturing

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Grated, Shredded & Sliced Cheese Manufacturing (Value-Added Cuts) (AFAHABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cheese Powder, Sauce & Flavor Systems Manufacturing (AFAHABAE), Cheese Packaging & Portioning (Retail Packs, Snack Packs, Singles) (AFAHABAI), Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)

Keywords

• Grated cheese manufacturing
• Bread crumb production
• Private label dairy
• Specialty food ingredients
• Food contract manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Orangeburg

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, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Cheese Product Sales: ICCO generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses, combining domestic and imported cheeses from Italy, Argentina, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and the US. Products are sold in various packaging formats including PETE jars, deli cups, and resealable bags.
2. Bread Crumb Products: Sale of plain and Italian-flavored bread crumbs along with specialty items including organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO bread crumbs. Family recipes date back to 1934.
3. Private Label Manufacturing: ICCO packages products under customer private labels, including the ShopRite private label program launched in 1958 and ongoing private label relationships with retailers.
4. Custom/Specialty Products: Made-to-order customized product offerings including mixes, batters, seafood coatings, tempura, cracker meal, popcorn seasoning, mac and cheese powder, and onion crisps.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ICCO Cheese Company manufactures grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses, plain and Italian-flavored bread crumbs, and a range of specialty food ingredients (gluten-free, non-GMO, organic, mixes, batters, popcorn seasoning, mac-and-cheese powder, onion crisps) at its Orangeburg, NY facility. All products are made-to-order to customer specifications and offered under ICCO's own brands, private label programs (including ShopRite), and custom formulations. The company serves over 200 B2B clients, primarily grocery retailers and food service operators, in the U.S. tri-state area.

Product overview

ICCO Cheese Company offers a unified product portfolio centered on grated cheeses (Parmesan and Romano) and bread crumbs. The core offerings include Grated Parmesan Cheese and Grated Romano Cheese, supplemented by plain and Italian-flavored Bread Crumbs. Specialty products include Gluten Free Bread Crumbs (2013), Non-GMO items (2015-2016), Organic Bread Crumbs, and the innovative Shelf-Stable Cotija Grated Cheese (2014). Related products include Mixes & Batters, Mac and Cheese Powder Mix, Popcorn Seasoning, and Onion Crisps. All products are made-to-order with customization available, and offered in various packaging options including PETE jars, deli cups, and composite canisters. The company sources cheeses from Italy, Argentina, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the USA, combining domestic and imported varieties with recipes dating back to 1934.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grated Parmesan Cheese Premium grated Parmesan cheese blended from carefully selected domestic and imported cheeses sourced from Italy, Argentina, Australia, Ireland, and the USA; offered in PETE jars, deli cups, and resealable bags for grocery retailers, private label programs, and foodservice operators.
• Grated Romano Cheese Grated Romano cheese blended with domestic cheeses to customer specifications; supplied to grocery retailers and foodservice buyers in multiple packaging formats.
• Plain Bread Crumbs Traditional plain bread crumbs produced from family recipes dating to 1934, available in various canister sizes and environmentally friendly packaging formats for retail and private label customers.
• Italian-Flavored Bread Crumbs Italian-flavored bread crumbs made from 1934 family recipes, blended with 11 herbs and spices while preserving toasted crumb texture; sold to grocery retailers and foodservice operators.
• Gluten Free Bread Crumbs Gluten-free bread crumbs developed in 2013 for consumers with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease; part of ICCO's response to gluten-free market trends.
• Non-GMO Bread Crumbs Non-genetically modified bread crumbs developed in 2015 to address consumer demand for non-GMO food ingredients.
• Non-GMO Grated Parmesan Cheese Non-GMO certified grated Parmesan cheese introduced to meet growing consumer preference for non-genetically modified ingredients.
• Organic Bread Crumbs Organic-certified bread crumb products for consumers seeking organic food ingredients, sold to grocery retailers and private label customers.
• Shelf-Stable Cotija Grated Cheese First shelf-stable Cotija grated cheese developed in 2014, representing ICCO's innovation in shelf-stable Latin cheese for retail and foodservice customers.
• Mixes and Batters (Seafood, Tempura, Cracker Meal) Made-to-order mixes and batters for seafood, tempura, and cracker meal applications, supplied to grocery and foodservice customers.
• Mac and Cheese Powder Mix Powder mix for preparing macaroni and cheese dishes, supplied as a custom ingredient to grocery retailers and foodservice customers.
• Popcorn Seasoning Popcorn seasoning products manufactured to customer specifications for grocery retailers and foodservice operators.
• Onion Crisps Onion crisp products sourced from Michelle Farms and distributed alongside ICCO's cheese and bread crumb products.

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

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA)minorOthersIndustry association representing the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries. IDFA membership includes 550 companies within a $125-billion industry. Located in Washington, D.C.
• Cheese Importers Association of AmericaminorOthersIndustry association providing resources for cheese importers and related businesses. ICCO participates as a member to stay informed on industry matters.
• AIB InternationalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAIB provides food protection, education, and applied baking science services. ICCO has achieved AIB International Superior Rating, demonstrating commitment to food safety and supply chain protection.
• Michelle FarmsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMichelle Farms produces gluten-free bread crumbs and onion crisps that are distributed alongside ICCO products. Their products are referenced in ICCO recipes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Saputo Inc. Major North American dairy manufacturer with significant retail and foodservice cheese exposure, including grated and specialty cheese formats. Comparable product category and customer channels, but operates at vastly larger scale as a multinational incumbent.
• Kraft Heinz (Kraft grated cheeses): Mass-market packaged food company with a prominent grated Parmesan/Romano product line competing for the same shelf space and foodservice customers as ICCO. Comparable category, but vastly larger scale and brand spend.
• TreeHouse Foods: Large U.S. private label food manufacturer with a broad portfolio including grated cheese and dry/bakery product lines. Overlaps with ICCO in private label B2B manufacturing, custom formulation, and grocery retail customers, but operates at national scale with a much wider product set.
• Lactalis American Group: U.S. arm of the world's largest dairy group, producing branded and private label cheese products across multiple categories. Overlaps with ICCO's grated cheese, Italian cheese, and private label offerings as a scaled competitor with far greater resources.

Direct peers

• Masters Gallery Foods: Private label cheese specialist producing shredded, grated, sliced, and snack cheeses for major U.S. grocery chains. Closely comparable to ICCO's core private label grated cheese business model, customer base (retail grocery), and made-to-order approach.
• Sargento Foods: Family-owned U.S. cheese manufacturer with a leading position in shredded/grated natural cheese for retail and foodservice. Directly comparable to ICCO in grated cheese category, scale (mid-sized), and B2B/private label go-to-market, though Sargento is far larger and more nationally distributed.
• Bel Brands USA: Manufacturer of branded and private label cheese products including shredded/grated formats. Comparable product portfolio and B2B retail customer base; larger multinational parent (Bel Group) gives it broader resources than ICCO's family-owned model.
• Great Lakes Cheese: Large U.S. private label and packaged cheese manufacturer serving retail and foodservice customers. Comparable to ICCO across grated cheese formats and private label customer mix, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Contadina (Ronzoni/Sovos Brands): Producer of Italian-style bread crumbs and related dry pantry products under the Contadina brand. Directly comparable to ICCO's bread crumb business, including Italian-flavored and plain varieties sold through grocery channels.

Emerging players

• 4C Foods: U.S. specialty food company known for bread crumbs, grated cheese (including Parmesan and Romano), and Italian-style pantry items. Comparable product mix to ICCO's bread crumb and grated cheese offerings, with a similar mid-sized, family-business character.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 ICCO Cheese Company