Fromagination, Llc
Fromagination, LLC is a Madison, Wisconsin-based artisan cheese retailer founded in 2007 that sells 148+ Wisconsin and specialty cheeses, curated gift sets, and complementary foods through a single Capitol Square shop, nationwide e-commerce, catering, and corporate gifting services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Fromagination, Llc does
Fromagination, LLC is a privately held artisan cheese retailer founded in 2007 by Ken Monteleone and headquartered at 12 South Carroll Street on Capitol Square in Madison, Wisconsin. The company operates a European-style cheesemonger shop carrying 148+ cheese varieties, with a curated emphasis on Wisconsin artisan producers alongside specialty cheeses from across the United States and Europe. Its product portfolio spans cut-to-order cheese by the pound, sandwiches and salads, pre-curated gift sets ($55-$325), cheese tasting classes ($50-$75 per person), catering trays and cheese cakes for weddings, and corporate gift baskets shipped to multiple addresses nationwide.
The business generates revenue across five streams: in-store retail, e-commerce with UPS shipping to all US states (including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico), local catering within a 10-mile radius, corporate business gifting, and public/private cheese classes. There is no proprietary technology platform; the company relies on a standard e-commerce website, PayPal for payments, UPS for fulfillment, and DoorDash for lunch delivery. The firm is bootstrapped with no external funding, operates with 1-10 employees, and has been continuously active for over 17 years while earning editorial coverage in the New York Times, Food Network, Condé Nast Traveler, Martha Stewart Living, and other major publications.
Customer segments span individual food enthusiasts, corporate clients with multi-address gifting needs, wedding and event planners, and group experience participants. Pricing is per-unit or per-weight with no subscription or contract revenue model. The single physical location, absence of growth capital, and lifestyle-scale headcount indicate a stable, owner-operated specialty retailer rather than a venture-scale business.
Fromagination, Llc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fromagination, Llc
- Legal name
- Fromagination, LLC
- Website
- https://fromagination.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Fromagination, LLC is a Madison, Wisconsin-based artisan cheese retailer founded in 2007 that sells 148+ Wisconsin and specialty cheeses, curated gift sets, and complementary foods through a single Capitol Square shop, nationwide e-commerce, catering, and corporate gifting services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fromagination, Llc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Cheese Retail
- NAICS
- Specialty Food Retailers (4452)
- SIC
- Retail-Food Stores (5400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Gourmet & Fine Food Stores (CRAHAGAG), Grab-and-Go Packaging, Merchandising & Food Safety Programs (Retail Ops) (CRAHAKAL)
Keywords
Where Fromagination, Llc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fromagination, Llc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Retail Cheese and Food Sales: In-store sales of artisan cheeses, sandwiches, salads, and specialty food items at the Madison shop. Cut-to-order service model with per-pound pricing.
- E-commerce and Shipping: Online ordering with nationwide ground and express shipping via UPS. Free shipping on orders over $65 to regional states.
- Catering and Event Services: Catering trays, cheese and charcuterie boards, boxed lunches, and cakes of cheese for weddings and celebrations. Delivered within 10 miles for $25 flat fee.
- Business Gifting: Corporate gift basket orders shipped to multiple addresses nationwide. Customizable gift sets with custom messages.
- Cheese Classes: Public and private cheese tasting classes including wine/beer pairings, holiday boards, and team building events. Classes priced at $50-$75 per person.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual cheese prices range from $9.50 to $216.00 depending on type, aging, and weight |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pre-curated gift sets ranging from $55 to $325 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Public cheese tasting and pairing classes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Catering delivery within 10 miles of shop |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | In-Shop and E-Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Fromagination, Llc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fromagination is a European-style artisan cheesemonger shop that sells cut-to-order Wisconsin and specialty cheeses, curated gift sets, sandwiches, salads, and complementary specialty foods. The retail operation is complemented by an e-commerce store with nationwide UPS shipping, a catering program for weddings and events, a corporate gifting service with multi-address fulfillment, and public and private cheese tasting classes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Artisan Cut-to-Order Cheese European-style cheesemonger service offering 148+ artisan cheeses (predominantly Wisconsin-origin), cut to order from specialty blocks. Priced by weight and variety, ranging from $9.50 (LaClare Goat Milk Feta) to $216.00 (Hook's 12-Year Aged Cheddar). Designed for individual consumers, cheese enthusiasts, and gift purchasers seeking rare aged cheddars, award-winning Wisconsin cheeses, and imported specialty cheeses.
- Curated Wisconsin Artisan Gift Sets Pre-curated gift sets of Wisconsin artisan cheeses and complementary foods, ranging from $55 to $325. Varieties include Wisconsin Originals ($55-$65), Dairyland Gems ($60-$90), Artisan Classics ($75-$105), Wisconsin Celebration ($175-$325), and Award-Winning Collection ($110-$145). Designed for personal gifting, corporate holiday gifts, and special occasion presents.
- Wedding and Celebration Catering Catering service for weddings and celebrations featuring cheese and charcuterie platters, cheese wedding cakes, and on-site cheese cake cutting service. Designed for couples, wedding planners, and event organizers seeking premium cheese presentations for receptions, rehearsal dinners, and bridal party events.
- Catering Trays and Cheese/Charcuterie Boards Catering service providing cheese and charcuterie boards and trays for local events, with delivery within 10 miles of the Madison shop for a $25 flat fee. Designed for local businesses, event organizers, and individuals hosting gatherings.
- Corporate Business Gifting Corporate gifting service offering Wisconsin artisan cheese gift sets shipped to multiple addresses nationwide with custom messages. Manages bulk ordering, multi-address fulfillment, and professional presentation for client gifts, employee appreciation, and corporate events. Designed for businesses, government affairs offices, PR firms, and other organizations seeking premium Wisconsin gift sets.
- Cheese Tasting Classes Public and private cheese tasting classes featuring wine and beer pairings, holiday board creation, and team building experiences. Priced at $50 per person (Cheese Tasting Class), $65 per person (Cheese & Wine Pairing), and $75 per person (Holiday Cheese & Charcuterie Board). Designed for groups, corporate teams, and individuals seeking educational cheese experiences.
- In-Shop Lunch Menu (Sandwiches, Salads, Boxed Lunches) Sandwiches, salads, and boxed lunches prepared in the Madison shop and available for in-store purchase or via DoorDash delivery. Designed for local Madison consumers, downtown workers, and visitors seeking prepared cheese-focused meals.
- In-Shop and E-Gift Cards Gift cards available for in-shop redemption ($25-$300) and electronic delivery ($30-$500). Designed for individuals seeking flexible gift options and recipients who can choose their preferred cheese, gift set, or in-shop experience.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 14 years of continuous operation with hundreds of cheese varieties carried
Companies that use Fromagination, Llc
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Fromagination, Llc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Fromagination, Llc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- DoorDashminorDoorDash partnership for lunch delivery. Fromagination's menu items including sandwiches, salads, and foods are available for order through the DoorDash platform for local delivery to customers.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fromagination, Llc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Whole Foods Market: National premium grocer with deep artisan cheese counters and gift offerings — competes for gourmet and gifting shoppers at far greater scale and procurement power.
- Sartori Cheese: Wisconsin-based specialty cheesemaker with strong DTC gifting and nationwide distribution — competes for the same Wisconsin-provenance consumer and corporate gift spend, but at significantly broader scale.
Direct peers
- Cowgirl Creamery: California artisan cheesemaker operating retail cheese shops, e-commerce shipping, and farm-side educational experiences — directly comparable craft-cheese retail-plus-education model.
- Beecher's Handmade Cheese: Seattle-based cheesemaker-retailer with flagship retail counters in Pike Place and NYC, online ordering, and cheesemaking classes — analogous combination of retail, education, and DTC.
- Wisconsin Cheese Mart: Milwaukee-based Wisconsin cheese specialty retailer with retail store, online shipping, gift baskets, and catering — the closest geographic and assortment peer to Fromagination.
- Di Bruno Bros. Philadelphia artisan cheese, charcuterie, and gourmet foods retailer with multiple locations, e-commerce, catering, and gift baskets — directly overlapping in product mix, gift sets, and corporate gifting.
- Zingerman's: Ann Arbor-based specialty food business operating a flagship deli/cheese counter, mail-order, classes, and corporate gifting — a near-perfect operational analogue with similar community-anchored brand positioning.
- Murray's Cheese: Iconic Greenwich Village cheese shop with nationwide e-commerce, cheesemonger counter service, classes, and a cheese-of-the-month club — a closely analogous retail-plus-online cheesemonger model.
Emerging players
- Jasper Hill Farm: Vermont-based cheesemaker with cellar-aged specialty cheese mail order and a strong farm-to-consumer narrative — overlapping on craft cheese DTC and education, though without a brick-and-mortar shop.
Others
- Goldbelly: National e-commerce marketplace that aggregates iconic American foods (including regional cheeses) for gifting — adjacent channel that competes for the same nationwide gift-recipient customer as Fromagination's shipping business.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fromagination, Llc social profiles
Digital presenceFromagination, Llc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fromagination, Llc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Fromagination, Llc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fromagination, Llc 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 Fromagination, Llc
What does Fromagination, Llc do?
Fromagination is a European-style artisan cheesemonger shop that sells cut-to-order Wisconsin and specialty cheeses, curated gift sets, sandwiches, salads, and complementary specialty foods. The retail operation is complemented by an e-commerce store with nationwide UPS shipping, a catering program for weddings and events, a corporate gifting service with multi-address fulfillment, and public and private cheese tasting classes.
Is Fromagination, Llc a public or private company?
Fromagination, Llc is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Fromagination, Llc founded?
Fromagination, Llc was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Fromagination, Llc based?
Fromagination, Llc is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fromagination, Llc make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Cheese and Food Sales are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce and Shipping, catering and Event Services, business Gifting and cheese Classes.
Who are Fromagination, Llc's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Whole Foods Market and Sartori Cheese. Direct peers are Cowgirl Creamery, Beecher's Handmade Cheese, Wisconsin Cheese Mart, Di Bruno Bros., Zingerman's and Murray's Cheese. Jasper Hill Farm is listed as an emerging player. Goldbelly is listed as an others.
Does Fromagination, Llc have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fromagination, Llc.
What industry is Fromagination, Llc in?
Fromagination, Llc's product category is Specialty Cheese Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHAGAD, Cheese Shops & Fromageries, with a secondary code of CRAHAGAG, Gourmet & Fine Food Stores. Its NAICS code is 4452 and its SIC code is 5400.