Cheese Chalet Inc

What Cheese Chalet Inc does

Cheese Chalet Inc, operating as Ehlenbach's Cheese Chalet, is a family-owned specialty cheese retailer founded in 1966 and currently in its third generation of family management. The company is headquartered at 4879 County Road V in DeForest, Wisconsin, and operates a physical retail storefront open seven days a week alongside a nationwide e-commerce website (ehlenbachscheese.com) and phone-based ordering. The business stocks over 230 Wisconsin-made cheese varieties across 25 categories—ranging from basic cheddars at roughly $7.99/lb to ultra-premium 21-year sharp cheddar at $99.99/lb—alongside Wisconsin-made summer sausages, snack sticks, gourmet foods (salsas, honey, mustards, seasonings), curated gift baskets, and branded merchandise anchored by the "Sissy the Cow" mascot.

Revenue is generated through direct product sales via in-store visits, online orders, and phone orders, with electronic gift certificates and shipping/handling fees as secondary revenue streams. The customer base consists of Wisconsin cheese enthusiasts and gift buyers, local Wisconsin residents who visit the store, and nationwide online shoppers seeking authentic Wisconsin artisan cheeses. The company markets through its website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, BBB accreditation, and Google Reviews, with no formal partnerships, no outside funding, and no M&A activity. The technology stack is limited to a standard e-commerce platform with no mobile app, API, or disclosed AI capabilities.

Name

Cheese Chalet Inc

Legal name

Ehlenbach's Cheese Chalet Inc

Website

https://ehlenbachscheese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Cheese Retail

NAICS

Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Specialty Food Retailers (4452)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cheese Aging/Affineur Services (Maturation & Cave-Aging) (AFAHABAH), Cheese Packaging & Portioning (Retail Packs, Snack Packs, Singles) (AFAHABAI)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese retail
• Wisconsin specialty cheeses
• Cheese gift baskets
• Aged cheddar cheese
• Smoked cheese varieties

Headquarters

HQ city

DeForest

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail and E-commerce Product Sales: The company generates revenue through direct sales of Wisconsin-made cheeses, aged cheeses, smoked cheeses, gourmet foods, sausages, snacks, and souvenir merchandise both in-store and through their e-commerce website. Products are sold at varying price points per pound or per unit, with gift baskets and specialty items commanding premium pricing.
2. Gift Certificates: Electronic gift certificates with instant delivery allow customers to purchase gift cards online that can be redeemed for products, providing flexible gifting options and driving future sales.
3. Shipping and Handling: Revenue is generated through shipping charges for online orders, with special handling services like signature confirmation available for an additional fee to protect product quality during transit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ehlenbach's Cheese Chalet is a family-owned Wisconsin cheese retailer offering over 230 varieties of artisan Wisconsin-made cheeses across 25 categories, including aged cheddars up to 21 years, on-site smoked cheeses, blue cheeses, Italian varieties, and unique specialty creations. The business operates a physical retail storefront in DeForest, WI alongside a nationwide e-commerce store, and supplements cheese with Wisconsin-made sausages, snack sticks, gourmet accompaniments, curated gift baskets, branded souvenirs, and electronic gift certificates.

Product overview

Ehlenbach's Cheese Chalet is a family-owned Wisconsin cheese retailer offering over 230 different cheese products across 25 categories. The core offering consists of artisan Wisconsin-made cheeses including aged cheddars (up to 21 years), specialty blues, smoked cheeses made on-site, Italian varieties, and unique specialty creations. The business operates as an e-commerce platform with a physical retail location, supplemented by gift basket programs featuring curated cheese selections, Wisconsin-made sausages and snack sticks, gourmet food accompaniments (salsas, honey, mustards, seasonings), and branded merchandise including cheese-themed plush toys and Sissy the Cow souvenirs. The company also offers electronic gift certificates for online purchases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sissy the Cow: Company mascot featuring a cow character used on merchandise including plush toys, ornaments, magnets, and tin cans.

Products and services

• Aged Cheese Aged cheddar and swiss cheeses ranging from 2 to 21 years, including specialty aged varieties such as 21 Year Sharp Cheddar, 17 Year Old White Sharp Cheddar, and 2 Year Old Aged Swiss. Targeted at cheese enthusiasts seeking deeply aged, premium Wisconsin-made cheeses.
• Blue Cheese Blue cheeses including Wisconsin Blue Cheese, Winnie the Blue Cheese with honey, Steakhouse Blue Cheese with au jus, and specialty blue cheese creations made on-site.
• Brick and Havarti Cheeses Brick and Havarti style cheeses including Mild Brick, Garlic Brick, Wisconsin Havarti, Jalapeno Havarti, Muenster varieties, Butterkaese, and Limburger.
• Cheddar Cheeses Cheddar varieties from mild to extra sharp, including Smoked Mild Cheddar, Applewood Smoked 4 Year Cheddar, 8 Year Old Sharp Cheddar, and flavored cheddars such as Maple Cheddar, Honey Malt Lager Cheddar, and Mango Fire Cheddar.
• Cheese Curds Fresh cheese curds including Morel Mushroom and Leek Cheddar Curds, plus batter mix for making deep-fried cheese curds at home.
• Cheese Spreads Spreadable cheese products including Sharp Cheddar Spread, Hickory Smoked Cheddar Spread, Port Wine Spread, Bacon Spread, Horseradish Spread, Garlic and Herb Spread, and Jalapeno Hot Pepper Spread.
• Colby, Jacks, and Gouda Cheeses Variety of Monterey Jack, Colby, and Gouda cheeses including Pepper Jack, XXX Habanero Jack, Morel Mushroom and Leek Jack, Garden Vegetable Jack, Gouda, and Wisconsin Cranberry Gouda.
• Italian Cheeses Italian-style cheeses including Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina, Bellavitano Cheese, and Chardonnay Bellavitano.
• Smoked Cheeses On-site smoked cheeses using applewood, hickory, cherrywood, and pecan wood, including Hickory Smoked Baby Swiss, Applewood Smoked Buttery Swiss, Smoked Gouda, Cherrywood Smoked Havarti, and Hickory Smoked Jalapeno Havarti.
• Swiss Cheeses Swiss-style cheeses including Baby Swiss, Buttery Swiss, Golden Swiss, Lacey Swiss, Swiss Gruyere, and smoked varieties.
• Unique and Specialty Cheeses Specialty cheese creations including Chocolate Cheese Fudge (Havarti with cocoa), Portabella Mushroom and Chive, Pico de Queso Cheddar, Baked Bread Cheese, Blueberry Cheese, and other infused varieties.
• Gift Baskets and Boxes Pre-made gift boxes including Mother's Day Gift Box, Say Cheese, Cheese and Crackers, Taste of Wisconsin, and Sissy's Best, featuring curated selections of cheeses, sausages, and accompaniments.
• Sausage and Salami Wisconsin-made sausages including Summer Sausage, Venison Sausage, Buffalo Sausage, Elk Sausage, Turkey Sausage, Football Sausage, Hard Salami, and Landjaeger varieties.
• Snack Sticks and Beef Jerky Snack sticks and jerky including Beef Stick Packs, Beef and Cheddar Sticks, Elk Sticks, Buffalo Sticks, Venison Sticks, and Jalapeno Cheddar Landjaeger.
• Gourmet Products Gourmet food items including 12 varieties of Salsa (Cherry, Corn, Cranberry, Mango, Peach, Pineapple, Strawberry, among others), Ehlenbach's Gourmet Seasonings, Wisconsin Natural Acres Honey, Cherry Honey Mustard, and Ehlenbach's Fruit Butters.
• Souvenirs and Merchandise Cheese Chalet branded merchandise including Cheese Plush toys (Buttery Swiss, Wisconsin Blue, Smoked Gouda), Sissy the Cow Wooden Ornament, 3D Magnet, Rubber Magnet, Key Chains, Canned Sissy the Cow, and spreader with hardwood handle.
• Electronic Gift Certificates Instant delivery electronic gift certificates for online purchases, available in any amount and redeemable in the online store.
• Candy Gourmet candy including Oh My Gouda-ness Mayana Chocolate Bar featuring Dark Chocolate with Smoked Gouda Cracker Crunch, caramel, and smoked sea salt.
• Low Fat and Low Salt Cheeses Health-conscious cheese options including Farmers Cheese and Lacey Swiss (reduced fat, reduced sodium, gluten-free, lactose-free).
• String Cheese String cheese varieties offered as part of the Wisconsin cheese assortment.
• Pasteurized Processed Cheeses Pasteurized processed cheese varieties offered as part of the Wisconsin cheese assortment.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Roth Cheese: Wisconsin-based specialty cheese producer (now part of Emmi) offering aged, smoked, and flavored varieties in retail and gifting formats. Comparable Wisconsin-origin premium cheese portfolio with national distribution.
• Zingerman's: Michigan-based specialty food retailer and mail-order business offering cheeses, meats, and curated gift assortments nationally. Comparable specialty food gifting and direct-to-consumer mail-order model.
• Sartori Cheese: Established Wisconsin artisan cheese manufacturer with premium aged and flavored varieties sold through retail and own DTC channels. Comparable aging expertise and overlapping product lines.

Direct peers

• Murray's Cheese: Specialty cheese retailer with shops, e-commerce, and a national shipping program offering curated cheese assortments, subscriptions, and gift boxes. Closest scaled analog of the cheese shop / e-commerce model.
• Wisconsin Cheese Mart: Wisconsin-based retailer offering a wide assortment of artisan Wisconsin cheeses, sausages, and gift baskets shipped nationwide. Most direct competitor — same product mix, same customer base, similar e-commerce-led model.
• Pasture Pride Cheese: Family-owned Wisconsin cheese company producing aged cheddars, jack, and flavored varieties with consumer online sales. Comparable Wisconsin heritage, aging expertise, and DTC orientation.
• Beecher's Handmade Cheese: Artisan cheese maker and retailer operating flagship stores and online sales of flagship and aged cheeses plus grocery accompaniments. Comparable make-and-sell cheese retail model with a strong flagship-store presence.
• Cheese Brothers: Wisconsin cheese brand curating boxed cheese and sausage assortments for online gifting and subscription. Direct competitor in the DTC Wisconsin cheese gift segment.
• Henning's Wisconsin Cheese: Family-owned Wisconsin cheese shop specializing in aged cheddars, cheese curds, sausages, and gift boxes with nationwide shipping. Closely comparable portfolio and target audience.

Regional players

• Wisconsinmade.com: Online marketplace aggregating Wisconsin-made food and gift products, including cheeses, sausages, and gift baskets. Competes for the same DTC Wisconsin-specialty-food gifting customer online.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Ehlenbachs
• Facebookfacebook.com/ehlenbachscheese
• Pinterestpinterest.com/Ehlenbachs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cheese-chalet-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Cheese Chalet Inc