California Artisan Cheese Guild

What California Artisan Cheese Guild does

The California Artisan Cheese Guild (CACG) is a member-driven nonprofit trade association founded in 2006 and headquartered in Oakland, California, that serves as the central connective platform for the state's artisan cheesemaking ecosystem. Its membership spans commercial cheesemakers and dairy producers, trade professionals (distributors, retailers, brokers, chefs, educators, consultants), professional cheese mongers, and enthusiast turophiles, all of whom gain networking, education, promotional representation, and discounted event access through tiered annual memberships ranging from $50 to $200. The Guild does not produce or sell cheese; it acts as an industry association orchestrating collective advocacy, education (notably the Curd Chronicles webinar series and partnerships with UC Davis and Cal Poly SLO's Dairy Innovation Institute), and signature consumer-facing events including the annual SF Cheese Fest on Treasure Island and the three-day California Artisan Cheese Festival in Sonoma County.

Its business model is a hybrid of recurring subscription revenue from four membership tiers, event ticket sales (e.g., festival marketplaces with 20+ cheesemakers offering 100+ cheeses), classifieds/employment listings, and partnership-driven content and education programming. Distribution and go-to-market are community-led and event-driven: the Guild recruits members and surfaces California artisan cheese to consumers through Instagram (@cacheeseguild), a weekly member newsletter, the cacheeseguild.org website, press coverage (including NBC4 Los Angeles), and direct participation in major cheese festivals. The organization has no proprietary technology platform, API surface, or AI capabilities; its competitive value is the institutional ecosystem of producers, mongers, distributors, food writers, and food safety experts it has aggregated over two decades, validated by a 2026 Governor Newsom State Proclamation and recognition as the foremost cheese organization in California.

Internally, the Guild is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected from the membership and led day-to-day by Executive Director Alyssa Gilbert, supported by officers drawn from major California cheese brands and retailers (Cypress Grove, Cowgirl Creamery, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Gus's Community Market, Murray's Cheese alumni). The organization effectively serves as industry association, talent network, and consumer marketing vehicle for the California artisan cheese category, with strategic alliances spanning academic institutions (UC Davis, Cal Poly), national bodies (American Cheese Society), and complementary nonprofits (California Cheese Trail, California Artisan Cheese Festival, Epicurean Connection, Cheese Science Toolkit).

Name

California Artisan Cheese Guild

Legal name

California Artisan Cheese Guild

Website

https://cacheeseguild.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The California Artisan Cheese Guild is a member-driven nonprofit trade association founded in 2006 and headquartered in Oakland that connects California artisan cheesemakers, trade professionals, mongers, and enthusiast turophiles through tiered memberships, signature consumer events (SF Cheese Fest, California Artisan Cheese Festival), and educational programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cheese Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Food, Drink & Culinary Community Festivals (Community-Led) (MPAGAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese guild
• Cheesemaker trade association
• Cheese industry events
• Artisan cheese education
• Cheese membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The Guild generates revenue through annual membership fees from four categories: Cheesemaker/Dairy Producer ($100+ annually), Trade Professional ($100+ annually), Cheese Lover/Turophile ($60 annually), and Professional Cheese Monger ($50 annually).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The California Artisan Cheese Guild is a member-driven nonprofit trade association that connects and supports California's artisan cheesemakers, mongers, distributors, retailers, and cheese enthusiasts through a four-tier annual membership program, signature public events (SF Cheese Fest, California Artisan Cheese Festival), an educational webinar series (Curd Chronicles), a weekly members-only newsletter, and a job/classifieds board. It does not produce or sell cheese itself; rather, it serves as the unifying industry body and community platform for California's artisan cheese sector.

Product overview

The California Artisan Cheese Guild is a member-driven nonprofit organization that promotes artisan cheese and cheesemaking in California through membership services, public events, and educational programs. Rather than selling cheese products directly, the Guild operates as a platform connecting cheesemakers, mongers, distributors, food writers, and cheese enthusiasts. Its core offerings include four membership tiers (Cheesemaker/Dairy Producer, Trade Professional, Professional Cheese Monger, and Cheese Lover/Turophile), signature events such as the SF Cheese Fest and California Artisan Cheese Festival, the Curd Chronicles educational webinar series, a weekly members-only newsletter, and a job/classifieds board. The Guild does not offer a technology product or platform with integrations, APIs, or AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guild Membership Programs Four-tier annual membership program (Cheesemaker/Dairy Producer $100+, Trade Professional $100+, Professional Cheese Monger $50, Cheese Lover/Turophile $60) providing cheesemakers, trade professionals, mongers, and enthusiast members with networking, voting rights, board eligibility, and first-access to Guild events and member-only information.
• SF Cheese Fest Annual celebration of California artisan cheese held each September at Gold Bar Distillery on Treasure Island, featuring tastings from California makers paired with wines, craft beers, and bites, including VIP early access and exclusive whiskey and cheese pairing experiences.
• California Artisan Cheese Festival Three-day annual festival held in Sonoma County featuring producer tours, educational seminars, and a Sunday Marketplace where consumers can purchase cheese directly from cheesemakers; 10% of ticket sales are donated to local nonprofit organizations.
• Curd Chronicles Webinar Series Virtual educational webinar series from the local cheese community featuring educational content about cheesemaking science and artisan cheese topics.
• Weekly Member Newsletter Members-only email newsletter providing first-hand information about equipment for sale, job opportunities, internships, seminars, food safety updates, and important changes in the cheese community.
• Job Opportunities & Classifieds Board Classified listing service for the cheese community; free for CACG members and $25 for non-members, posting equipment for sale, job opportunities, land, farm, or creamery listings for sale or lease.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UC Davis Dairy Teaching and Research FacilitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2026The UC Davis Dairy Teaching and Research Facility, located on the main campus at UC Davis with a milking herd of 105 cows, provides educational resources for cheesemakers. The Guild has been honored to host classes for cheesemakers taught by UC Davis professors and researchers.
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo - Dairy Innovation InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCal Poly's Dairy Innovation Institute helps fortify the existing California cheesemaker community and inspire the next generation of cheesemakers through their four-day Introductory Artisan Cheesemaking short course geared toward anyone planning to start a small cheese business.
• American Cheese SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe American Cheese Society is a national organization that provides the cheese community with educational resources and networking opportunities while encouraging the highest standards of cheesemaking focused on safety and sustainability.
• California Cheese TrailcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCalifornia Cheese Trail promotes artisan cheesemakers and family farmers by connecting people to cheesemakers, tours, cheesemaking classes, and cheese events throughout California through their website and mobile app.
• The Epicurean ConnectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Epicurean Connection hosts hands-on cheesemaking classes on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with private and corporate classes available on and off site. The Guild promotes these classes through their job opportunities and classifieds.
• Cheese Science ToolkitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cheese Science Toolkit is a blog intended to be a science guidebook for those who interact with cheese after it has been made: cheesemongers, cheese buyers, and all-around curd nerds, helping address the knowledge gap on cheese science.
• Sartori CompanyminorOthersSartori Company, a fourth-generation family-owned cheesemaker based in Plymouth, Wisconsin, acquired Rumiano Cheese Company in May 2025 and operates a facility in Crescent City, California with approximately 50 team members.
• SF Cheese FestcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSF Cheese Fest is an annual celebration of California artisan cheese, held each September, where the Guild hosts an endless Grazing Table and connects cheesemakers with consumers at the Ferry Building Grand Hall in San Francisco.
• California Artisan Cheese FestivalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe California Artisan Cheese Festival is a nonprofit organization that donates 10% of ticket sales to local nonprofit organizations, with the California Artisan Cheese Guild as the primary beneficiary.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Slow Food USA: National nonprofit championing traditional, artisanal, and sustainable food through events, education, and advocacy — overlapping thematically with the Guild's artisan-cheese mission but broader in food-category scope.
• California Milk Advisory Board: California state-order dairy promotion body representing all dairy (not just cheese), running consumer marketing campaigns. A board member of the Guild works at CMAB, evidencing close industry alignment even though it is a checkoff-funded promotion board rather than a member association.
• Dairy Council of California: California-focused nutrition education and dairy advocacy organization funded by the dairy checkoff. Adjacent to the Guild in serving California dairy stakeholders but focused on nutrition policy and education rather than artisan producer support.

Broad incumbents

• Specialty Food Association: Largest U.S. trade association for the specialty food industry, offering membership, the Fancy Food Shows, education, and awards. Overlaps with the Guild's mission but covers all specialty food, not just cheese, and operates at national scale.

Direct peers

• American Cheese Society: National membership-based nonprofit for the cheese community that operates the same model — annual conferences, certification (CCP), education, and industry advocacy — but at U.S.-wide scope rather than California-only.
• Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association: State-level cheese industry trade association representing dairy manufacturers, with a parallel member-driven structure focused on advocacy, education, and industry events — directly comparable in form and function, scaled to Wisconsin's larger cheese economy.
• Vermont Cheese Council: State-level nonprofit trade group promoting Vermont cheesemakers through events, education, and collective marketing — a closely analogous model to the California Guild, with similar artisanal focus and tourism-driven promotion.

Emerging players

• Cheese School of San Francisco: Bay Area specialty cheese education provider offering classes and certifications. Competes with the Guild's Curd Chronicles on the education axis in California but is a for-profit school rather than a member association.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/cacheeseguild
• Xx.com/cacheeseguild
• Facebookfacebook.com/CAcheeseguild
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-artisan-cheese-guild

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 California Artisan Cheese Guild