How One Wisconsin Cheesemaker is Leading the Way for Women

As cheesemaking transitioned from farmstead dairies and home kitchens to larger commercial production facilities, it went from a predominantly female-led activity to one that was dominated by men. But in the past few decades, women began creating artisan cheese once more, earning attention and accolades often for cheeses that featured sheep or goat milk. Pioneers of that artisan movement include Laura Chenel, Mary Keehn of Cypress Grove, Sue Conley and Peggy Smith of Cowgirl Creamery, and Allison Hooper of Vermont Creamery. But as those pioneers have moved into retirement, who is taking their place? And how will the next “cheese platter ceiling” be shattered, namely management roles at some of the larger cheese producers?

One maker that’s earned a reputation for a female-friendly environment is Emmi Roth, based in Monroe Wisconsin. The company, which has over 300 employees and annual revenues of $350 million, is owned by Switzerland’s largest milk processor, Emmi Group, which employs 8,600 people in 95 nations worldwide.

The Women of Emmi Roth

Women have visible, higher-level roles in many departments of Emmi Roth. The executive leadership team is 40 percent female, 1 of 3 production managers is female, and the marketing team is 100 percent female. “I’m grateful to work with such a talented, dynamic, passionate team,” says Heather Engwall, vice president of marketing. “My goal is to nurture a team that’s supportive of one another and in which everyone feels empowered and motivated to give their best.” Engwall says that the company’s supportive environment is based on the belief that people are hired for the job and not for their gender. “Tim Omer, our managing director, encourages and supports me to lead my team and peers and always says that we have to take care of ourselves and our family first, and that’s something we all take to heart.”

Challenging the Dismal Status Quo

Still, especially on the technical side, where research and development specialist Madeline Kuhn works, there are only a handful of women. “Wisconsin is the only state that requires a license to produce cheese, so you can dive into the data,” Kuhn says. “There are 1,200 licensed cheesemakers in the state, and only 60 are women. Of the 64 master cheesemakers, only one or two are women.” She takes heart, however, in knowing that four of those 60 licensed cheesemakers are working at Emmi Roth right now. In addition to herself, she mentions Shelby Sheppard, plant manager for the blue cheese and gorgonzola facility in Seymour; Platteville production facility team leader Jennifer Venglish; and Ashley O’Connor, a member of the Monroe-based cheesemaking team.

For Kuhn, it’s all about the way diversity, as she puts it, “challenges the status quo of the way people think and act. When you bring in new blood, those people will have a different way of looking at situations and solving problems, and that’s a good thing for everyone involved.”

The Next Phase

The value women bring to the company is clear, says Kuhn. “I think we’re seeing a change in this industry, and I consider myself to be part of it. I grew up on a dairy farm, where I had great examples of women entrepreneurs who started artisan businesses, and they really are rock stars. But that’s not where it ends, because the next step is moving to other areas of the industry, like technical, manufacturing and operations. I know that welcoming and celebrating diversity in those areas would benefit all of us.”

Creative License

So how is this “new blood” helping Emmi Roth produce world-class cheese? Kuhn proudly shares that she was on the team that partnered with Amazon Fresh to create four new possibilities for a variety of flavored gouda. The choices were serrano cilantro, hot honey, chimichurri and spinach artichoke, and voting for a favorite was open to the public. After spinach artichoke was declared the winner, the company sped to deliver to the marketplace within 60 days. “There was a lot of excitement around this project, and I got to be involved from conception, to communication, to a fast-track production, seeing it all the way through,” Kuhn says. “The initial launch sold out in many areas, and we’ve gotten a lot of good feedback.”

Kuhn has worked on an aged gouda product that was in development for three years. “In making it, I was inspired by some of my favorite aged goudas,” she says. “One of my favorite things about this type of cheese is the presence of tyrosine crystals, the amino acids produced during the breakdown of the cheese. To me, those are the signs of a well-aged cheese that’s been taken care of.

“I made a range of different recipes and then tucked them all into our cellars,” she says. “All of them were good, and I ended up landing on a recipe I kind of fell in love with.”

Speaking of which, Kuhn sums up her feelings for this industry and for the new directions it’s been taking to be more inclusive, reminding us – and possibly herself, too – why it’s so great to do this kind of thing for a living. “Cheese is a labor of love,” Kuhn says, “and I hope more women get a chance to change things up in the industry very soon.”