Wisconsin produces more cheese than any other state, making more than 3 billion pounds of the savory dairy favorite in 2016 alone, according to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

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.

Biery Cheese cut the ribbon on a production facility in Plover, Wis., in August.

There was absolutely no equipment when Nuestro Queso moved into a shuttered cheesemaking facility in Illinois six years ago. As the company continues to grow, it is still buying processing and packaging machines.

The start-up U.S. dairy Nuestro Queso (‘our cheese’ in Spanish) meets the needs of Hispanic buyers on the East Coast and in the Midwest. The company also is building a following for its award-winning products among non-Latinos who appreciate the natural, fresh cheeses.

Joseph Gallo Farms is using speed, eco-friendly practices and quality to compete with the giant cheesemakers and the small artisan operations on the West Coast.

Joseph Gallo Farms might just be the very model of a modern major cheesemaker. It’s all about use and re-use. Nothing goes to waste at this central California cheesemaking and dairy farming business. What little waste there is is re-purposed into salable ingredients, energy or gray water.

Partners, customer and employees keep us strong

The nimble cheesemakers at Westby Cooperative Creamery can make a dozen different conventional and organic products a day. They process cheeses, yogurts and other cultured dairy foods for private-label accounts, plus Westby’s own award-winning cottage cheese brand.