COWS Creamery
COWS Creamery is a Prince Edward Island-based division of COWS Inc. producing premium artisan cheese and butter from local Holstein herds, distributed through 13 Canadian retail locations, major grocery chains, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce shipping across Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersCharlottetown, Canada
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What COWS Creamery does
COWS Creamery is a privately-held division of COWS Inc., headquartered at 12 Milky Way in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Founded in 1983 as a single store in Cavendish, PEI, the company has grown to 13 retail locations across Canada. COWS Creamery produces premium artisan cheese and butter using traditional production methods: cheddar cheese is made with thermized (gently heated, not fully pasteurized) milk sourced exclusively from Holstein cows on small PEI farms, using recipes from the Orkney Islands, and aged 12-18 months in an on-site cheese cave. Butter varieties (Sea Salt, Unsalted, and Sea Salt Cultured) contain 84% butter fat versus the 80% standard in regular butters, achieved through slower, longer traditional churning. The product portfolio includes award-winning Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar (Grand Champion Overall at the 2022 SIAL International Cheese Competition), aged cheddar variants, Blue Moo triple cream blue cheese, Moo Crisps baked cheddar snacks, and gift box assortments.
The business operates a dual go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer revenue is generated through a Shopify-powered e-commerce site at cowscreamery.ca, shipping curated gift boxes (priced $99-$135 CAD) via UPS across 10 Canadian provinces. Wholesale and retail revenue flows through distribution to six major Canadian grocery chains — Sobeys, Farm Boy, Loblaws, Longos, Whole Foods, and Metro — plus wholesale channels managed by a dedicated wholesale director. No external funding rounds or institutional ownership are disclosed; expansion has been organic since 1983. Key customer segments are individual gift buyers and food enthusiasts purchasing through both DTC and retail, with retail grocery and wholesale distributors as secondary channels.
COWS Creamery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- COWS Creamery
- Legal name
- COWS Inc.
- Website
- https://www.cowscreamery.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- COWS Creamery is a Prince Edward Island-based division of COWS Inc. producing premium artisan cheese and butter from local Holstein herds, distributed through 13 Canadian retail locations, major grocery chains, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce shipping across Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
COWS Creamery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisan Dairy Products
- NAICS
- Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Creamery Butter Manufacturing (311512)
- SIC
- Dairy Products (2020)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Salted & Unsalted Butter Manufacturing (Retail/Consumer Packs) (AFAHACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sweet Cream Butter Manufacturing (AFAHACAA)
Keywords
Where COWS Creamery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Charlottetown
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
COWS Creamery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: COWS Creamery sells cheese and butter boxes directly to consumers through their Shopify e-commerce website. Products are shipped via UPS across Canada in insulated boxes with ice packs. Direct-to-consumer sales model for individual and gift box purchases.
- Retail Distribution: Products sold through major Canadian retailers including Sobeys, Farm Boy, Loblaws, Longos, Whole Foods, and Metro. Wholesale distribution through channel partners.
- Wholesale: Wholesale distribution to distributors and retailers. Contact managed through Wholesale Manager Andrea White.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sweet & Cheesy Box - $115.00 CAD |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Build Your Own Box - $130.00 CAD |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Over the Moon Box - $135.00 CAD |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | PEI Butter Box - $99.00 CAD |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | PEI Cheddar Box - $99.00 CAD |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Avonlea Clothbound Celebration Box - $99.00 CAD |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
COWS Creamery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
COWS Creamery is a Prince Edward Island dairy producer that manufactures premium artisan cheese (aged cheddars, clothbound cheddar, smoked cheddar, blue cheese) and premium 84% butter fat butters using thermized milk from local Holstein herds and traditional Orkney Islands recipes. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via e-commerce, through curated gift boxes, and via major Canadian grocery retail and wholesale channels.
Product overview
COWS Creamery is a Prince Edward Island-based dairy producer that offers a focused portfolio of premium cheese and butter products. The cheese line includes award-winning Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar (Grand Champion at 2022 SIAL), Extra Old Cheddar, Appletree Smoked Cheddar, and age-veriant cheddars (1-Year-Old, 2-Year-Old, 3-Year-Old), plus Blue Moo triple cream blue cheese. The butter portfolio features three premium varieties (Sea Salt, Unsalted, and Sea Salt Cultured), all containing 84% butter fat. These core products are sold individually and bundled into curated boxes (Sweet & Cheesy Box, Build Your Own Box, Over the Moon Box, PEI Cheddar Box, PEI Butter Box, and Avonlea Clothbound Celebration Box). The company also produces snack items including Moo Crisps, COW Chips, COW Bars, and COWS Chocolates. Products are available through direct online ordering shipped via UPS/FedEx across Canada.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar Award-winning cheddar handmade in the style of traditional English cheddars using recipes from the Orkney Islands. Aged 12-18 months in a cheese cave in Charlottetown, PEI. Made with thermized milk from Holstein cows on small Prince Edward Island farms. Named Grand Champion Overall at the 2022 SIAL International Cheese Competition.
- Extra Old Cheddar Premium aged cheddar produced shortly after the initial cheese launch in 2006, sold through the build-your-own-box assortment and retail channels.
- Appletree Smoked Cheddar Smoked cheddar variety added in 2011, featuring a distinctive applewood smoke flavor profile.
- 1-Year-Old Cheddar Younger cheddar variety from the 2018 product line expansion with a less crunchy texture compared to older varieties.
- 2-Year-Old Cheddar Medium-aged cheddar from the 2018 product line expansion with moderate aging characteristics.
- 3-Year-Old Cheddar Longer-aged cheddar from the 2018 expansion, known for more pronounced Calcium Lactate crystals.
- Blue Moo Triple cream blue cheese launched in 2022 with a deliciously rich, butter-like texture targeted at both blue cheese enthusiasts and novices.
- Sea Salt Butter Premium butter containing 84% butter fat (compared to 80% in regular butters). Made by churning cream slower and longer in traditional churns for a creamier taste and silkier texture. Sea salt added for premium taste. Available in 20 x 250g cases.
- Unsalted Butter Premium unsalted butter containing 84% butter fat. Made by churning cream slower and longer in traditional churns for a creamier taste and silkier texture.
- Sea Salt Cultured Butter Premium cultured butter containing 84% butter fat. Made from cream cultured with active bacteria, giving it a distinctive, slightly tangy taste. Common in Europe and increasingly available in North America.
- Moo Crisps 100% oven-baked COWS Creamery cheddar cheese snacks launched in 2022. Light and airy with a satisfying crunch. Gluten-free, keto-friendly, with 19g of protein per bag.
- Sweet & Cheesy Box $115 CAD curated gift box containing 4 pieces of award-winning COWS Creamery Cheddar (Avonlea Clothbound, Extra Old, 3-Year-Old, and Appletree Smoked), 2 bags of Moo Crisps, 2 tubs of COW Chips, 2 COW Bars (Messie Bessie and Waffle Cone), and 2 boxes of COWS Chocolates.
- Build Your Own Box $130 CAD customizable box allowing customers to select 12 items from available products including various cheddars (Avonlea Clothbound, 1-Year-Old, Extra Old, 2-Year-Old, 3-Year-Old, Appletree Smoked), Moo Crisps, Sea Salt Butter, Unsalted Butter, Sea Salt Cultured Butter, and COW Bars.
- Over the Moon Box $135 CAD curated gift box containing Moo Crisps, 2 premium butters (Sea Salt and Sea Salt Cultured), Receiver Butter Crackers, Atlantic Mustard Mill Wild Blueberry Gourmet Mustard, Glazed Almonds, Maritime Madness Mustard Pickle Hot Sauce, Milk Chocowlate Truffles, and COW Chips.
- PEI Cheddar Box $99 CAD curated box spotlighting six cheddars (Avonlea Clothbound, 1-Year-Old, Extra Old, 2-Year-Old, 3-Year-Old, and Appletree Smoked), Moo Crisps, and Receiver Butter Crackers.
- PEI Butter Box $99 CAD curated box containing 4 pieces of Sea Salt Butter and 4 pieces of Sea Salt Cultured Butter (both 84% butter fat), plus Receiver Butter Crackers.
- Avonlea Clothbound Celebration Box $99 CAD limited-time-only box containing 10 pieces of award-winning Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar aged 12-18 months in PEI cheese cave. Awarded both Canada's and World's Best Aged Cheddar at SIAL International.
Quantifiable outcome
- Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar named Grand Champion Overall at 2022 SIAL International Cheese Competition
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use COWS Creamery
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
COWS Creamery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
COWS Creamery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and operational.
- SobeysmajorMajor Canadian retail chain that carries COWS Creamery cheese and butter products in their stores across Canada.
- LoblawsmajorMajor Canadian retail chain that carries COWS Creamery cheese and butter products in their stores.
- MetromajorMajor Canadian retail chain that carries COWS Creamery cheese and butter products.
- Whole FoodsmajorNatural and organic grocery chain that carries COWS Creamery products, aligning with their premium positioning.
- Farm BoycoreCanadian specialty grocery retailer known for fresh, local products that carries COWS Creamery products.
- LongoscoreOntario-based family grocery retailer that carries COWS Creamery products in their stores.
- UPSoperationalShipping partner for direct-to-consumer orders within Canada. All packages shipped via UPS to ensure timely and reliable delivery.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
COWS Creamery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Saputo: Saputo is the largest Canadian dairy processor, producing cheese, butter, and other dairy products for retail and foodservice across Canada and internationally. Directly comparable as a Canadian cheese and butter manufacturer with overlapping retail distribution and product categories.
- Agropur: Agropur is a major Canadian dairy cooperative manufacturing cheese, butter, and dairy ingredients across North America. Comparable as a Canadian dairy manufacturer with broad retail distribution and similar cheddar and butter product lines.
- Tillamook: Tillamook is a US farmer-owned premium cheese and butter brand with strong consumer brand recognition and a focus on quality differentiation (e.g., higher butter fat content). Highly comparable as a premium, farmer-affiliated dairy brand with similar retail and DTC distribution strategies.
- Kerrygold: Kerrygold is an Irish premium butter and cheese brand owned by Ornua, distributed across North America. Comparable as a premium butter brand with a distinctive quality story (grass-fed, higher butter fat) and a footprint in Whole Foods and other specialty retailers overlapping with COWS Creamery.
- Gay Lea Foods: Gay Lea Foods is a Canadian dairy cooperative producing butter, cheese, and other dairy products. Comparable as a Canadian dairy co-op with overlapping cheese and butter product categories and similar retail distribution channels.
Emerging players
- Vermont Creamery: Vermont Creamery is a US artisan producer of cultured butter and fresh cheeses with a strong premium positioning. Comparable as a smaller-scale, artisan-aligned dairy producer with a similar emphasis on specialty retail and DTC, though focused on cultured butter and fresh cheeses rather than aged cheddar.
- Organic Meadow: Organic Meadow is a Canadian organic dairy cooperative producing fluid milk, cream, butter, and cheese with a focus on organic and grass-fed positioning. Comparable as a smaller Canadian dairy brand with a similar farm-sourced, regional identity, though primarily fluid-milk focused.
- Beemster Cheese: Beemster is a Dutch premium aged cheese brand with a strong specialty retail presence in North America. Comparable as a premium aged cheese (Gouda-style) producer with similar specialty/Whole Foods distribution and a comparable emphasis on artisan aging and provenance.
Broad incumbents
- Lactalis Canada: Lactalis Canada operates the former Parmalat and other Canadian dairy brands, producing cheese, butter, and fluid milk for retail. Comparable as a major Canadian dairy manufacturer with cheese and butter products sold through overlapping grocery channels.
- Arla Foods: Arla Foods is a European dairy cooperative famous for its premium butter (Lurpak) and producing cheese and other dairy products globally. Comparable as a dairy co-op with a strong premium butter brand that competes in the same better-for-you butter category as COWS Creamery.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
COWS Creamery social profiles
Digital presenceCOWS Creamery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
COWS Creamery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
COWS Creamery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
COWS Creamery 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 COWS Creamery
What does COWS Creamery do?
COWS Creamery is a Prince Edward Island dairy producer that manufactures premium artisan cheese (aged cheddars, clothbound cheddar, smoked cheddar, blue cheese) and premium 84% butter fat butters using thermized milk from local Holstein herds and traditional Orkney Islands recipes. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via e-commerce, through curated gift boxes, and via major Canadian grocery retail and wholesale channels.
Is COWS Creamery a public or private company?
COWS Creamery is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was COWS Creamery founded?
COWS Creamery was founded in 1983.
Where is COWS Creamery based?
COWS Creamery is headquartered in Charlottetown, Canada, in the North America region.
How does COWS Creamery make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are retail Distribution and wholesale.
Who are COWS Creamery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Saputo, Agropur, Tillamook, Kerrygold and Gay Lea Foods. Emerging players are Vermont Creamery, Organic Meadow and Beemster Cheese. Broad incumbents are Lactalis Canada and Arla Foods.
Does COWS Creamery have an API?
No public API is recorded for COWS Creamery.
What industry is COWS Creamery in?
COWS Creamery's product category is Artisan Dairy Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAHACAC, Salted & Unsalted Butter Manufacturing (Retail/Consumer Packs), with a secondary code of AFAHACAA, Sweet Cream Butter Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 311513 and its SIC code is 2020.