Jisa Farmstead Cheese

What Jisa Farmstead Cheese does

Jisa Farmstead Cheese is a family-owned farmstead cheese producer based in Brainard, Nebraska. The operation traces back to a working dairy founded in 1946; the family added an on-site cheese plant in the mid-2000s, transitioning the business from raw milk sales into finished farmstead cheese. The farm runs a vertically integrated model: feed is grown on-farm, milk is produced from a 300+ head Holstein herd, and cheese is made in a 6,000 sq ft plant using 10,000–20,000 lb vats. Milk is rbST-free with elevated Omega-3 content, positioning the producer in the differentiated/artisanal segment rather than commodity dairy.

The company's commercial footprint is small and locally rooted. Revenue is generated through three channels: an on-farm storefront, a D2C e-commerce site, and wholesale to regional grocery accounts. The product line comprises approximately 12 cheese bundle SKUs, with 3-piece bundles priced at $23.89 and 6-piece bundles at $45.89 — a packaged, gifting-oriented assortment rather than bulk commodity cheese. The business is bootstrapped (no outside funding), employs 11–50 people, and has limited geographic reach beyond Nebraska and adjacent markets. Third-party recognition includes a third-place finish at the American Cheese Society competition in 2017.

Operationally, the business is a conventional specialty food manufacturer. Process know-how resides in traditional cheesemaking craft and closed-loop herd management rather than in proprietary technology, automation systems, or AI-driven process control. An educational partnership with the University of Nebraska provides agritourism and student engagement but does not constitute a technology platform. The combination of small plant capacity, limited SKU count, family-scale employment, and absence of outside capital indicates a stable lifestyle business rather than a venture-scale growth asset.

Name

Jisa Farmstead Cheese

Legal name

Jisa Cheese

Website

https://jisacheese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jisa Farmstead Cheese is a family-owned, vertically integrated farmstead cheese producer in Brainard, Nebraska, operating since 1946 as a dairy and since 2005 as a cheesemaker, serving D2C, regional grocery, and e-commerce customers with rbST-free, Omega-3 differentiated Holstein-milk cheese bundles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Farmstead Cheese

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (11212)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh/Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Unripened & Soft) (AFAHABAA), Cheese Packaging & Portioning (Retail Packs, Snack Packs, Singles) (AFAHABAI)

Keywords

• Farmstead cheese production
• Artisan dairy products
• Whole milk cheese
• Cheese curd manufacturing
• Direct-to-consumer dairy

Headquarters

HQ city

Brainard

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. Direct Retail Sales: In-store purchases at their Brainard, NE storefront during business hours (M-TH 8am-4pm). Customers can visit the store directly to purchase cheese products.
2. E-commerce Online Sales: Online ordering through their website with shipping and delivery options. They offer various bundle configurations (3-piece and 6-piece) and custom bundles with promotional discounts during fall and winter seasons.
3. Wholesale to Grocery Stores: Distribution to local grocery stores. The company states 'Stop by our storefront or your local grocery to taste the difference.', indicating B2B wholesale relationships with retailers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Jisa Farmstead Cheese produces farmstead cheese from Grade A whole milk sourced exclusively from its own 300+ Holstein dairy herd in Brainard, NE. The company manufactures 25+ cheese varieties (blocks and nuggets) using a 7-step process in 10,000–20,000 lb vats, then sells them as themed and customizable 3-piece and 6-piece bundles via a physical storefront, e-commerce site, and wholesale to local grocery stores.

Product overview

Jisa Farmstead Cheese is a single-location artisan cheese producer offering curated cheese bundles in 3-piece and 6-piece formats, with both pre-curated themed bundles (Garden Party, Wine Party, Boy's Night Out, Favorites, Snack Pack) and customizable bundles. Products are sold in two primary formats: Blocks (8 oz solid cheese portions) and Nuggets (8 oz cheese curd portions). All cheese is made from whole milk produced on the family dairy farm, with varieties including Gouda, Havarti, Cheddar, Jalapeno, Bacon, and specialty flavors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom 3-Piece Cheese Bundle A customizable 3-cheese bundle allowing customers to select three cheese varieties from blocks and nuggets; priced at $23.89.
• Custom 6-Piece Cheese Bundle A customizable 6-cheese bundle allowing customers to choose six varieties from blocks and nuggets; priced at $45.89.
• Daisy's Garden Party Cheese – 3 pc A curated 3-piece cheese bundle featuring garden-themed cheese varieties suitable for garden parties; priced at $23.89.
• Dee Dee's Wine Party Cheese – 6 pc A curated 6-piece cheese bundle designed to pair with wine for wine-themed gatherings; priced at $45.89.
• Duke's "Boy's Night Out" Cheese – 6 pc A 6-piece cheese bundle featuring bold, savory varieties including Smokin' Joe's Nuggets and BLVD Unfiltered Wheat Block; priced at $45.89.
• Lily's Garden Party Cheese – 6 pc A 6-piece cheese bundle featuring Havarti Bell, Tomato Basil, Garden Herb, and Garlic Parsley varieties; priced at $45.89.
• Matilta's Favorite Cheeses – 6 pc A 6-piece bundle featuring Matilta's selected favorite cheese varieties; priced at $45.89, rated 5.00 out of 5 by customers.
• Red's Wine Party Cheese – 3 pc A 3-piece cheese bundle featuring Caraway, Spinach & Artichoke, and Havarti varieties designed for wine pairing; priced at $23.89.
• Rosy's Cheese Curd Snack Pack – 3 pc A 3-piece cheese curd snack bundle; priced at $23.89, rated 5.00 out of 5 based on customer reviews.
• Susie's Favorite Cheeses – 3 pc A 3-piece bundle featuring Susie's favorite varieties including Gouda and Smoked Bacon blocks; priced at $23.89.
• Sweetheart's Cheese Curd Snack Pack – 6 pc A 6-piece cheese curd snack bundle featuring Dill, Ranch, Garlic, New York Cheddar (Award Winning), and California Garlic Pepper varieties; priced at $45.89.
• Torito's "Boy's Night Out" Cheese – 3 pc A 3-piece cheese bundle featuring Jalapeno, Buffalo Wing Nuggets, and BLVD Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale varieties; priced at $23.89.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3rd Place Award - California Garlic Pepper Nuggets at American Cheese Society 2017 competition in Denver, Colorado

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• University of NebraskaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDave Jisa worked with the University of Nebraska to learn cheese-making techniques when milk prices dropped and small dairies struggled to stay afloat. This educational partnership enabled the founding of Jisa's Farmstead Cheese in 2005.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Cabot Creamery: Farmer-owned dairy cooperative producing cheese, butter, and other dairy products. Comparable to Jisa in farmer-owned cooperative structure and craft cheese positioning, but with much broader distribution and product line.
• Sargento: Large cheese manufacturer with national distribution across sliced, shredded, and snack cheese formats. Comparable to Jisa as a packaged cheese producer, but Sargento is a mass-market incumbent with substantially larger scale.
• Tillamook County Creamery Association: Farmer-owned dairy cooperative with national brand recognition and broad cheese and dairy portfolio. Comparable to Jisa as a farmer-owned dairy brand, but operates at a much larger scale with national distribution.

Direct peers

• Vermont Creamery: Artisan dairy and farmstead cheese producer with a vertically integrated, health-conscious brand. Closely comparable to Jisa in craft positioning, rbST-free positioning, and DTC plus wholesale distribution model, though larger and more established nationally.
• BelGioioso Cheese: Major specialty Italian-style cheese maker with vertically integrated production and a wide portfolio. Comparable to Jisa as a vertically integrated cheesemaker selling into retail, though BelGioioso is far larger and more diversified.
• Sartori Cheese: Wisconsin-based artisan cheesemaker with award-winning cheeses and both retail and foodservice distribution. Comparable to Jisa in craft, award recognition, and portfolio of flavor-forward varieties, though Sartori operates at greater scale.
• Jasper Hill Farm: Vertically integrated farmstead cheesemaker operating its own dairy herd and aging caves. Highly comparable to Jisa's farm-to-cheese model, premium craft positioning, and use of single-origin milk from the company's own herd.
• Roelli Cheese: Small-batch Wisconsin craft cheesemaker with an emphasis on artisan, hand-crafted varieties. Comparable to Jisa in farmstead-style craft cheese production, family ownership, and specialty retail positioning at a similar scale.
• Roth Cheese: Family-owned artisanal cheesemaker with a broad portfolio of flavored and specialty cheeses. Comparable to Jisa in family-owned heritage, flavor variety, and presence in specialty retail, though with substantially larger distribution.

Regional players

• Hays Pure Cheese: Regional small-batch cheesemaker focused on specialty and artisanal cheese production. Comparable to Jisa in craft, scale, and family-owned structure, though operating in a different geographic region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jisacheese
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jisa-farmstead-cheese

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 Jisa Farmstead Cheese