Mackenzie River, L.l.c.

What Mackenzie River, L.l.c. does

Mackenzie Creamery is a privately held, family-owned artisan goat cheese producer founded in 2007 by Jean Mackenzie in Hiram, Ohio. The company manufactures hand-crafted fresh chèvre from 100% hormone-free goat milk sourced from local dairies within a 45-mile radius of its 30-acre farm, producing 14 distinct flavor variants spanning plain, savory (Garlic Chive, Herbs de Provence, Black Truffle, Scapegoat Pesto, Olive), sweet (Apricot Ginger, Cranberry Orange, Honey, Chocolate Raspberry), and seasonal (Pumpkin, Sweet Fire) profiles. The creamery operates from a converted barn facility featuring geothermal heating/cooling and recycled-material insulation, and was permanently preserved in 2010 under Ohio's Clean Ohio Agricultural Easement Purchase Program.

The business generates revenue through three channels: wholesale distribution of bulk cheese to grocery stores, specialty shops, and restaurants across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic (managed directly by Rob DeMuch, who joined in 2010); direct-to-consumer e-commerce via an online shop launched in 2020, selling themed and build-your-own 6-cheese bundles at $65 with free shipping and temperature-controlled fulfillment; and seasonal farmers market sales. The company has earned multiple national and international awards, including 1st Place at the 2020 World Championship Cheese Contest and 2019 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, and has been profiled in The New York Times, Town & Country, and Cleveland Magazine. Mackenzie Creamery operates with a small team (1-10 employees), is bootstrapped with no external investors, and holds no patents; its primary defensible assets are its award-validated brand, regional distribution network, and regulatory-cleared farm site.

Name

Mackenzie River, L.l.c.

Legal name

Mackenzie Creamery

Website

https://mackenziecreamery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mackenzie Creamery is a family-owned artisan goat cheese producer founded in 2007 in Hiram, Ohio, manufacturing hand-crafted fresh chèvre in 14 flavors from locally sourced milk for wholesale distribution to regional grocery, specialty, and restaurant accounts and direct-to-consumer e-commerce bundle sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Goat Cheese (Specialty Dairy)

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh/Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Unripened & Soft) (AFAHABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB), Cheese Packaging & Portioning (Retail Packs, Snack Packs, Singles) (AFAHABAI)

Keywords

• Artisan goat cheese
• Fresh chevre production
• Specialty dairy products
• Farmstead cheese manufacturing
• Wholesale cheese distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Hiram

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer Online Sales: E-commerce sales of bundled goat cheese products through company website. Customers build their own bundles or purchase themed bundles (Savory, Sweet, Season, G.O.A.T.) at $65 per bundle of 6 cheeses. Includes free shipping for qualifying orders.
2. Wholesale Distribution: B2B sales of artisan goat cheese to grocery stores, specialty shops, and restaurants throughout Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Rob DeMuch oversees distribution and sales to retailers and food service operators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mackenzie Creamery produces and sells fresh hand-crafted artisan goat cheese (chèvre) in a broad catalog of flavor varieties, made from milk of its own dairy goats. Products are sold both wholesale to grocery retailers and restaurants in the Midwest/Mid-Atlantic region and direct to consumers through an online shop that ships perishable cheese nationwide in temperature-controlled packaging, alongside curated bundles and branded merchandise.

Product overview

Mackenzie Creamery is an artisan goat cheese producer offering hand-crafted, all-natural fresh chèvre in 14 distinct flavor varieties, ranging from plain to sweet (Chocolate Raspberry, Honey, Cranberry Orange) and savory (Garlic Chive, Herbs de Provence, Pesto, Black Truffle) options. The company also offers seasonal and themed cheese bundles (Savory, Sweet, G.O.A.T., seasonal) as a platform-plus-bundles model, allowing customers to purchase individual flavors or curated multi-flavor packages for direct-to-consumer delivery via their online shop launched in 2020.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Original Chèvre

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple national cheese competition wins including 2020 World Championship Cheese Contest 1st Place, 2019 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest 1st Place, and American Cheese Society wins in 2016, 2014, 2011, 2009
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and foundational.

• Local Area FarmerscoreOthers · 1 January 2010Local farmers lease fields from Mackenzie Creamery to grow organic hay, supporting the local farming community. The company also sources 100% hormone-free goat milk from local dairies within a 45-mile radius, creating economic opportunities for local farmers. Increased demand for locally produced goat milk has translated to new jobs and career opportunities for local farmers.
• Retail and Distributor PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale distribution partnerships with retailers and distributors throughout Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, including grocery stores, specialty shops, and restaurants.
• Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture (PASA)foundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerJean Mackenzie took cheesemaking classes through PASA which led to the founding of Mackenzie Creamery. The class at PASA was the catalyst for starting the business in 2007.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Red Hawk Dairy: Small-scale artisan goat cheese producer with regional distribution and DTC sales. Comparable craft, farm-based production model with limited geographic footprint, similar to Mackenzie's Midwest regional profile.

Direct peers

• Haystack Mountain Cheese: Colorado-based artisan cheese producer with goat cheese offerings and broader portfolio. Comparable craft positioning, retail distribution, and awards pedigree, though with larger scale and broader product range.
• Cypress Grove Chevre: Iconic U.S. goat cheese producer (now owned by Emmi) known for Humboldt Fog and a range of fresh chèvres. Most analogous competitor in artisan goat cheese branding, award pedigree, and national grocery distribution.
• Woolwich Dairy: Canadian specialty goat cheese maker focused on fresh chèvres with branded retail SKUs. Comparable product format (fresh goat cheese, flavor variety) and grocery channel strategy, with overlapping foodservice distribution.
• Vermont Creamery: One of the most recognized U.S. artisan goat cheese makers, producing fresh chèvres, cultured butters, and aged cheeses. Direct competitor in the premium fresh goat cheese category with overlapping grocery and foodservice distribution, though at significantly larger scale.
• Laura Chenel's Chèvre: Pioneering American fresh goat cheese brand with broad flavor portfolio and national retail presence. Directly comparable product line (fresh chèvres, multiple flavors) and overlapping grocery/foodservice channel strategy.
• Coach Farm: New York-based artisan goat cheese producer with fresh and aged chèvres, broad national distribution, and chef/foodservice relationships. Comparable premium positioning and product format overlap with Mackenzie Creamery's fresh chèvres.
• Capriole Dairy: Indiana-based artisan goat cheese maker producing fresh chèvres and aged goat cheeses with strong awards record. Comparable Midwest craft producer with multi-channel (wholesale, DTC, farmers market) distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Rogue Creamery: Oregon-based artisan cheese producer known for blue cheeses with national and international distribution and strong awards pedigree. Adjacent comparable in craft positioning, award leadership, and multi-channel strategy.
• Jasper Hill Farm: Vermont-based artisanal cheese maker and affineur with broader portfolio (cow, goat, mixed milk) and significant award recognition. Comparable craft positioning and DTC/retail strategy but operates a larger, vertically-integrated cheese cave business.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/108828519155808
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mackenzie-creamery

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 Mackenzie River, L.l.c.