Carr Valley Cheese
Carr Valley Cheese is a fourth-generation, family-owned artisanal cheesemaker in La Valle, Wisconsin, producing over 100 specialty cheeses across four plants and selling through eight retail stores, wholesale distribution, e-commerce, and a corporate gifting program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1902
- HeadquartersLa Valle, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Carr Valley Cheese does
Carr Valley Cheese Company, Inc. is a fourth-generation, family-owned artisanal cheesemaker headquartered in La Valle, Wisconsin, operating four cheese production plants and eight company-owned retail stores across the state. Founded in 1902 (with the firmographic record listing 1883), the company produces over 100 specialty cheese varieties using cow, goat, and sheep milk sourced from long-tenured small Wisconsin dairy farms, with techniques combining traditional methods and innovative affinage. Its product portfolio centers on aged cheddars (including cave-aged and smoked variants), Italian-style fontinas, specialty goat-milk cheeses such as the award-winning Snow White Goat Cheddar, and signature blends like Cranberry Chipotle Cheddar and Cocoa Cardona.
The business operates a four-channel go-to-market model: direct-to-consumer sales through its eight Wisconsin retail locations; wholesale distribution to food service operators and specialty retail cheese shops with a one-case minimum, 7-day lead time, and 180-day shelf-life guarantee, fulfilled via Spee-Dee Delivery in the Midwest and UPS nationwide; e-commerce via a Wisconsin Cheese Mart partnership; and a customized corporate gifting program targeting enterprise buyers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; wholesale operates on unit pricing with order minimums while corporate gifting uses bespoke per-box quotes. The company claims over 750 national and international competition awards and self-identifies as the most award-winning cheesemaker in North America, anchored by Master Cheesemaker and Owner Sid Cook (Chairman of the Board) and Master Cheesemaker Bob Koenig. In March 2026, Heather Engwall was appointed Managing Director to professionalize operations and broaden national brand recognition.
Carr Valley is privately held with no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, subsidiaries, or M&A activity. The firm is actively operating, employs 51-100 people, holds no patents or trademarks in the data set, and has no public API, mobile app, or disclosed AI/ML capability — its competitive position rests on craft expertise, brand equity, multi-plant production capacity, and an integrated retail-wholesale footprint rather than on technology differentiation.
Carr Valley Cheese firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Carr Valley Cheese
- Legal name
- Carr Valley Cheese Company, Inc.
- Website
- https://carrvalleycheese.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1902
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Carr Valley Cheese is a fourth-generation, family-owned artisanal cheesemaker in La Valle, Wisconsin, producing over 100 specialty cheeses across four plants and selling through eight retail stores, wholesale distribution, e-commerce, and a corporate gifting program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Carr Valley Cheese industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisanal Cheese
- NAICS
- Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151)
- SIC
- Dairy Products (2020), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue) (AFAHABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB), Grated, Shredded & Sliced Cheese Manufacturing (Value-Added Cuts) (AFAHABAF), Processed Cheese & Cheese Spreads Manufacturing (Slices, Loaves, Spreadable) (AFAHABAD), Cheese Wholesale (AFAIAEAC)
Keywords
Where Carr Valley Cheese is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Valle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Carr Valley Cheese business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Retail Sales: Sale of cheese products directly to consumers through eight company-owned retail stores in Wisconsin
- Wholesale Distribution: Bulk and wholesale cheese sales to food service and retail businesses nationwide, with 7-day lead time and one-case minimums
- E-commerce: Online cheese sales through Wisconsin Cheese Mart partnership
- Corporate Gifting: Customized corporate gift box programs with individualized approach at various price points
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate Gifting - Customized boxes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wholesale - Minimum Order |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Carr Valley Cheese product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Carr Valley Cheese crafts over 100 varieties of artisanal cheeses using cow, goat, and sheep milks sourced from small Wisconsin farms, combining traditional cheesemaking with innovative affinage methods. The company operates four cheese plants and eight retail stores in Wisconsin, distributes cheese wholesale to food service and retail businesses nationwide, sells online via a Wisconsin Cheese Mart partnership, and offers customized corporate gifting programs.
Product overview
Carr Valley Cheese Company is a fourth-generation family-owned artisanal cheese company established in 1902, operating four cheese plants and eight retail stores in Wisconsin. The company produces over 100 specialty cheese varieties, with flagship products including aged cheddars, smoked cheeses (Apple Smoked Fontina, Apple Smoked Cheddar, Apple Smoked Garlic Cheddar), cave-aged varieties, and unique specialty offerings like Cranberry Chipotle Cheddar, Snow White Goat Cheddar, and Cocoa Cardona. The company utilizes cow, goat, and sheep milk sourced from small Wisconsin farms. Business operations include wholesale distribution with 7-day lead times and 180-day shelf life guarantees, a corporate gifting program offering customized gift boxes, and direct-to-consumer retail sales through eight Wisconsin retail locations and the Wisconsin Cheese Mart online platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Apple Smoked Fontina Award-winning fontina cheese smoked over apple wood, with a smooth, buttery texture and smoky flavor notes, sold to retail consumers, wholesale buyers, and food service customers.
- Fontina Italian-style fontina cheese with rich, earthy flavors and excellent melting properties, suited for cooking applications and retail/ food service use.
- Apple Smoked Cheddar Sharp cheddar cheese infused with apple wood smoke, offering a distinctive smoky taste profile for retail, wholesale, and food service customers.
- Cave Aged Cheddar Traditional cheddar aged in caves to develop complex, intense flavors with crystalline texture, sold across retail, wholesale, and food service channels.
- Cranberry Chipotle Cheddar Cheddar blended with dried cranberries and chipotle peppers for a sweet and spicy flavor combination, sold across consumer and wholesale channels.
- Apple Smoked Garlic Cheddar Cheddar with garlic flavoring smoked over apple wood for added depth, sold across retail, wholesale, and food service channels.
- Smoked Creamy Kasa Creamy, spreadable cheese with smoky flavor notes, sold across retail, wholesale, and food service channels.
- Snow White Goat Cheddar Award-winning white goat milk cheddar that won Best of Show at the 2008 American Cheese Society Competition; part of Carr Valley's portfolio of over 50 original cheese varieties using cow, goat, and sheep milks.
- Cocoa Cardona Distinctive original cheese variety in Carr Valley's portfolio of more than 50 original varieties, made using the company's multi-milk cheesemaking capabilities.
- Wholesale Program Wholesale distribution of cheese products in bulk wheels, random weight retail cuts, and exact weight retail pieces, with one-case minimum order, 7-day lead time, and a 180-day shelf life guarantee. Shipping uses Spee-Dee Delivery in the Midwest and UPS nationwide with insulated coolers.
- Corporate Gifting Program Customized corporate gift box service for businesses, creating unique gift boxes tailored to client vision at desired price points, with options for general gift messages and included cards for client and colleague gifts.
- Retail Store Network Direct-to-consumer retail sales of Carr Valley cheeses through eight retail cheese stores across Wisconsin: La Valle (Factory & Retail), Fennimore (Factory & Retail), Mauston (Factory & Retail), Mauston (Retail Store), Mazomanie, Sauk City, and Wisconsin Dells.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 750 national and international awards
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Carr Valley Cheese
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Carr Valley Cheese technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Carr Valley Cheese partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Wisconsin Cheese MartcoreWisconsin Cheese Mart serves as Carr Valley Cheese's preferred e-commerce retailer. While the company's online store was transitioning, customers are directed to Wisconsin Cheese Mart for online purchases of Carr Valley Cheese products. This partnership enables direct-to-consumer online sales.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Carr Valley Cheese competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Emmi Roth: Wisconsin-based specialty and aged cheese producer (Roth Cheese, Grand Cru) that competes head-to-head with Carr Valley in foodservice and retail channels; the recent Carr Valley hire of former Emmi Roth VP Marketing Heather Engwall underscores direct operational overlap.
- Sartori Cheese: Plymouth, Wisconsin-based fourth-generation artisan cheesemaker producing award-winning aged cheddars and Italian-style cheeses at a similar scale; directly comparable on product category, channel mix (retail, foodservice, gifting), and Wisconsin heritage positioning.
- BelGioioso Cheese: Family-owned Wisconsin specialty cheesemaker offering Italian-style and aged cheeses across retail and foodservice; comparable to Carr Valley in artisan positioning and multi-channel distribution but with broader national foodservice penetration.
- Holland's Family Cheese: Wisconsin artisan cheesemaker best known for Marieke Gouda; similar scale, family ownership, award-driven premium positioning, and farm-sourced milk narrative make it a near-direct peer in the specialty Midwest cheese segment.
- Rogue Creamery: Oregon-based award-winning artisan cheesemaker (notably blue cheeses) operating at a comparable scale with farm-sourced milk and a strong national specialty/gourmet footprint; directly comparable on artisanal positioning and export channels.
- Jasper Hill Farm: Vermont-based farmstead cheesemaker producing cave-aged, raw-milk, and bloomy-rind cheeses with a national reputation among cheese professionals; mirrors Carr Valley's affinage-driven craft model and farm-to-cheese sourcing story.
- Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company: California farmstead cheesemaker producing award-winning original and aged cheeses from a single-herd dairy; comparable artisan positioning, farm-sourced milk narrative, and national specialty distribution.
- Cypress Grove: California-based artisan cheesemaker (Humboldt Fog) now owned by Saputo; provides a relevant comparable on premium specialty positioning and award-driven brand equity, while illustrating the strategic value of an artisan asset to a large dairy acquirer.
- Beecher's Handmade Cheese: Washington-state based artisan cheesemaker with own retail stores, restaurant presence, and nationwide wholesale; comparable in combining craft cheesemaking with multi-channel DTC and foodservice distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Tillamook County Creamery Association: Oregon farmer-owned dairy cooperative producing a broad portfolio of cheeses, ice cream, and dairy products at significant scale; overlaps with Carr Valley in farm-sourced cheese and national grocery distribution but competes across price tiers rather than in the premium artisan niche.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Carr Valley Cheese financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Carr Valley Cheese leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Carr Valley Cheese funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Carr Valley Cheese M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Carr Valley Cheese
What does Carr Valley Cheese do?
Carr Valley Cheese crafts over 100 varieties of artisanal cheeses using cow, goat, and sheep milks sourced from small Wisconsin farms, combining traditional cheesemaking with innovative affinage methods. The company operates four cheese plants and eight retail stores in Wisconsin, distributes cheese wholesale to food service and retail businesses nationwide, sells online via a Wisconsin Cheese Mart partnership, and offers customized corporate gifting programs.
Is Carr Valley Cheese a public or private company?
Carr Valley Cheese is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Carr Valley Cheese founded?
Carr Valley Cheese was founded in 1902. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Carr Valley Cheese based?
Carr Valley Cheese is headquartered in La Valle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Carr Valley Cheese make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Distribution, E-commerce and corporate Gifting.
Who are Carr Valley Cheese's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Emmi Roth, Sartori Cheese, BelGioioso Cheese, Holland's Family Cheese, Rogue Creamery, Jasper Hill Farm, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, Cypress Grove and Beecher's Handmade Cheese. Tillamook County Creamery Association is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Carr Valley Cheese have an API?
No public API is recorded for Carr Valley Cheese.
What industry is Carr Valley Cheese in?
Carr Valley Cheese's product category is Artisanal Cheese. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAHABAB, Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue), with a secondary code of AFAKAKAB, Cheese Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 311513 and its SIC code is 2020.