History

Founded in 1994 in cooperation with the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, the Wisconsin Specialty Cheese Institute was born out of recognition that the state’s specialty cheese companies could benefit from coming together to share information, ideas and support.

For more than 160 years, cheesemaking in Wisconsin has been a central part of the state’s cultural identity. As the nation’s leader in cheese production, Wisconsin is known for the quality and diversity of its cheeses, as well as for its rich cheesemaking heritage. Today, because consumers are demanding more unique, distinctively flavored cheeses, specialty cheeses are the fastest-growing category in Wisconsin. For the cheesemaker, specialty products are a means both to strengthen margins and to create signature products that set them apart.