Emmi Roth, a Fitchburg, Wis.-based producer of specialty cheese, said it is acquiring Great Lakes Cheese’s blue cheese plant in Seymour, Wis. Emmi Roth makes award-winning Wisconsin-made blue cheeses, including Roth Buttermilk Blue, a creamy raw milk blue cheese; Roth Buttermilk Blue Affinée, an aged version of Buttermilk Blue; and Roth Moody Blue, a small-batch smoky blue cheese.

With the purchase of the Great Lakes Cheese plant, Emmi Roth said it will be able to not only expand its blue cheese production, but also increase its capabilities to develop new blue cheese products and packaging solutions.

“We believe in the blue cheese category and see this as an opportunity to strengthen our position in the market,” said Tim Omer, Emmi Roth’s president and managing director. “This acquisition gives us access to a talented group of cheesemakers and provides us with additional resources to expand our current production and develop new blue cheese products for our customers.”

Emmi Roth will assume ownership of Great Lakes Cheese’s Seymour factory, related land, productions facility and equipment on Feb. 28, 2019.

“We know Emmi Roth to be as passionate about cheese and as committed to its employees as we are,” said John Epprecht, vice president, Great Lakes Cheese. “They are well positioned to guide Seymour’s business and its dedicated workforce into the next stage of growth.”

Great Lakes Cheese’s Seymour plant currently employs 50 people; Emmi Roth said it will offer continued employment to all employees at the Seymour location.

“We look forward to welcoming the employees at Great Lakes Cheese into our family of award-winning cheesemakers,” Omer said.

With the acquisition, Emmi Roth will have four locations in Wisconsin, also including Monroe, Platteville and Fitchburg, employing nearly 300 people.