Idyllic Crescent City, Calif., is known for being the gateway to Redwood National and State Parks, where some of the oldest trees in the United States live. But the small town, which hugs the Pacific Ocean right by the Oregon border, has another claim to fame.
In certain ways, the story of Rumiano Cheese Co. sounds a lot like the American dream. It all began when the Rumianos emigrated from Northern Italy to the San Francisco area during World War I to work first in the mines, and then in the shipyards. A century later, their flourishing cheese company is still in the family.
Thanks to a commitment to food quality, corporate integrity and innovation, Schreiber Foods has built long-lasting customer relationships that have been instrumental to the company’s strong growth.
Schreiber Foods (Schreiber) is among the largest privately held companies in the United States. The dairy processor ranked No. 74 on Forbes' 2018 "Americas' Largest Private Companies" list and posted $5.2 billion in revenues in 2018.
Schreiber Foods’ Fairview cheese-converting plant in Carthage, Mo., is notable not only for its massive size, but also for its high level of automation and dedicated partner-owners.
Visitors to Schreiber Foods' Fairview cheese converting plant in Carthage, Mo., can't help but be a bit awestruck. The sheer size of the facility, 330,000 square feet largely dedicated to converting operations and another 140,000 housing a distribution center, is certainly impressive. But the high level of automation found within the various departments is perhaps even more remarkable.
Emmi Roth could be described as the Apple Inc. of the cheese-making world. Like Apple, especially in its early days, the Fitchburg, Wis. based company is willing to innovate and take risks in its quest to create unique, high-quality products.
With an influx of innovative snacking options, convenient packaging, specialty cheeses and unique flavors, the cheese category claims the MOST CREATIVE title this year.
As consumers continue to seek out food with clean ingredients, protein on the go, freshness and convenience, cheese is the answer to many of those needs. Over the last year, cheese processors have doubled down on portable snack offerings, from cheese bites to snack packs. Hybrid options (think cheese paired with lunch meats, nuts, fruit and pretzels) are popping up everywhere. Portion control and portability are the keys.
Making cheese predates recorded history, but artisan cheesemaking in the U.S. is a relatively new industry. According to a 2016 American Cheese Society (ACS) report, there are more than 900 artisan, farmstead and specialty cheesemakers operating in the United States. While a few artisan cheesemakers have been in business for over 100 years, the average has been making cheese for only 15 years.