3 Ways Wisconsin Cheesemakers are Responding to COVID-19

In March shelter in place orders took effect and cheesemakers around the country took a major hit. Because of cheese’s short shelf life by nature, time was ticking. If the cheese didn’t make its way into stores quickly, it would likely spoil. Also, financially, cheesemakers were not prepared to lose both their retail and restaurant business. But at the same time, with home chefs cooking up a storm, there was a demand for cheese.

In Wisconsin, where 26 percent of the country’s cheese is crafted (that’s 3.6 billion pounds), and its cheesemakers lead the nation with 818 million pounds of specialty cheese, 3 Dairy State cheesemakers responded to COVID-19 with ingenuity and a creative marketing strategy. One reason they could quickly spur into action? Many Wisconsin cheesemakers are boutique in size, rack up awards at national and international contests, and are known names among local chefs and foodies. Here’s how they used those connections to still keep the cheese supply humming.

Home Delivery

Landmark Creamery

This mostly sheep’s-milk cheese producer in Paoli is, luckily, near the capital city of Madison but with eateries—their regular customers—on pause this proximity was no longer a benefit. But co-founder Anna Landmark recognized people still craved cheese. They just might need it brought to their door. She launched home deliveries on Saturday afternoons to 8 local towns, including Madison, of orders that are at least $30. But the orders weren’t just about cheese. Landmark folded in products (meat, vegetables, eggs, chocolate, tea, fresh cut flowers, etc.) from other local farms to bring a veritable grocery cart to consumers’ front porch. Orders must be placed by midnight on the Thursday prior and can also be picked up at the creamery’s store if desired.

Curbside Service

Hook’s Cheese Company

With distribution either at a screeching halt or significantly slowed to some of the country’s top fine-dining restaurants, this husband-wife-owned cheesemaker in Mineral Point needed to pivot— fast. Its cheese is sold at some of the most coveted cheese boutiques (including The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills) and restaurants (like Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard’s Girl and the Goat in Chicago, and Morels inside Las Vegas’ Palazzo Hotel) in the country. Julie and Tony Hook also operate a stand at the nation’s largest producer-only farmers’ market—Dane County Farmers’ Market, hosted on Madison’s Capitol Square—which converted to a drive-up format this spring. Orders placed online are picked up at a local conference center. Hook’s Cheese Company joins 5 other cheesemakers in the new model.

New Distribution

Clock Shadow Creamery

As one of only 2 urban creameries in the country—the other is Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, in Seattle’s Pike Place Market—this creamery relies on pedestrian traffic (it’s in Milwaukee’s hip and burgeoning Walker’s Point) to support its shop. On certain days of the week, pre-COVID-19, one could view cheese being made through a glass wall. Owner Bob Wills signed up with EatStreet so cheese fans could still obtain his products during the lockdown, such as cheese curds so fresh they squeak and various flavors of cheddar (including bacon black-pepper and Cajun). The creamery has always carried a few products from other cheesemakers, including Koepke Family Farms/LaBelle Cheese. Now, orders are delivered door to door on the same day. Wills also slashed prices as much as half off so the cheese could move—quickly.

Kristine HansenJuly 15, 2020American, Wisconsin