Major Cheese Makers and Brands

While almost everyone all over the world loves to eat cheese, there are some vastly different choices within this food category. There are various preferences from individual to individual, but the difference can also vary from country to country.

Cheese displayed outside a shop
Cheese displayed outside a shop

This is probably one of the main reasons why the global cheese market is so fragmented. Even the leading brands in this market only make up around 10 percent of the whole. This is actually a good thing, as competition keeps up the quality of our cheese options.

If you’re a fan of cheese or want to know more about your choices, the first step is to take a look at the top brands available today. Like buying good cigars you need, to do your homework. We can start here, and then work out way up to a richer cheese experience. This way, we can enjoy our meals more and also have more options on the cheese board when guests come over:

Kraft Foods

The Kraft Foods Group, Inc. is based in America and is almost synonymous with everyday cheese in that part of the world. They’re a manufacturing and processing group and have been merged with the Kraft Heinz company. There are several Kraft products that are easily available to most families, with most of their offerings including processed cheese.

Kraft Singles are probably among the most popular kinds of cheese in the United States. This isn’t because of their taste or quality, both of which are middling at best. No, the popularity of these slices is mainly due to their convenient packaging and mild flavor. They’re especially in demand for packing kids’ school lunches and picnics.

Another popular offering of Kraft Foods is their famous mac and cheese. Kraft Mac and Cheese is available in instant form, with the packaging containing almost everything one needs for making a whole meal. It might not be the healthiest way to go, but these boxes have found popularity with busy families and young kids. You can check out the original mac and cheese from Kraft to see whether it’s up your alley:

Other products from Kraft include their grated Parmesan cheese, a great three-cheese blend, Monterey Jack cheese cubes, shredded Colby Jack cheese, and much more. There are also sharp cheese options as well as spiced pepper cheeses available, though these are a bit harder to acquire.  Be sure to visit here as well.

Philadelphia

Many people associate the name of Philadelphia Cheese with natural cream cheese. Instead of cream cheese spread, many health enthusiasts and keto followers have turned towards the Philadelphia cream cheese for healthy fat intake.

The Philadelphia company has been around for over a century and has probably shaped the cream cheese standard in the local market. They’re committed to using whole dairy ingredients, as opposed to many smaller manufacturers who might add vegetable fat and other solids to their ‘cheese’.

Interestingly, Philadelphia cheese did not originate in Philadelphia. It was actually produced and developed in upstate New York, and it was the reputation that gave it the name

There have been many rumors about the name, including theories that the recipe was invented in Philadelphia and then stolen by cheese brokers. However, the truth is probably that the cheese was of such high quality that it was named for Philadelphia, which was known as the center for the best dairy in the country.

The brand is now owned by Kraft Foods but is a name in its own right. It’s worth over $500 million today. It’s well-known as the market leader when it comes to cream cheese in particular. Its closest competitor is Borden, but their sales are only about a tenth of Philadelphia’s.

Today, there are also many more cream cheese flavor options than before. The Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese With Chive and Onion is one of the most popular ones:

Sargento

Calling itself the “Home of the Real Cheese People”, the Sargento brand comes from a family-owned and operated venture. It has its headquarters in Wisconsin, which is also an area that’s famous for its cheese0making. While the main headquarters might be in Plymouth, there are several other facilities at Hilbert, Elkhart Lake, and Kiel.

Sargento is best known for its natural cheeses, which come in many forms and packaging options. For instance, you can get sliced, shredded, and grated cheese from them, as well as cheese in tiny snack packs. This company was the first one to sell already –shredded cheese in a package, and also the pioneer in zippered cheese packaging. This set a whole new trend for convenience cheese lovers across the world.

In addition to cheese, Sargento also provides appetizers and sauces to various restaurant and food manufacturers. Their cheese-themed trucks are a normal sight all across the country.

If you want a little taste of Sargento’s offerings, the Balanced Breaks Single Serve Snack is a good start. This includes creamy and natural cheddar cheese, sea-salted roasted almonds, and dried cranberries.  You can take them on trips, pack them as school snacks, or snack on them during a game. Check them out and see whether they’re suitable for your routine.

President

Président is a French-based dairy brand and is currently owned by the parent company Lactalis, which is based in Laval. Created back in 1933, President was the brainchild of André Besnier. While also a popular brand for butter, this company is known for its range of traditional cheese in an industrially-produced manner.

André Besnier was already a well-known character in the dairy business in France when he came up with President. He coined the name as a tribute to the fact that there were presidents of almost every in France—fishermen, veterans, etc. It also refers to the presidential government that had a successful profile in 1958.

One of the most popular offerings of the President company is its Brie cheese. Brie itself is a French cheese that we usually serve as part of a dessert or as an appetizer at the beginning of the meal. It’s also eaten as a snack in many countries, as used as an ingredient in entrees, sandwiches, soups, dressings, sauces, etc.

President gives us the Brie Round Soft Ripened Cheese in an 8-ounce packaging. According to user reviews, this cheese is so delicious that it doesn’t last for very long. Some might not like the ripe smell or the hint of blue cheese, but that’s a matter of personal preference. The taste is also salty, so you might want to consider that before ordering.

In any case, we should read up on some guidelines on how to buy cheese online. This is the first step towards obtaining high-quality cheese from the best brands without having to compromise on our comfort.

Vermont Shepherd

These cheese provided by Vermont Shepherd are amongst the oldest ones in the country. They’re also very well-known, as the mixed milk cheese are make from the milk of local sheep on a 250-acre farm in Vermont. These cheese wheels are made in small batches of ten to thirty in order to maintain the original quality and taste.

Vermont Shepherd has won conservation awards in 2002 and 2006 due to their quality farming, soil improvement,  and responsible use of pastures plus water resources. Purchasing from this company is hence a responsible choice as well as a safe one.

The cheese here is aged using man-made caves and wooden boards. The atmosphere is damp and cool, so the resulting rinds are natural and free of any plastic.

Grafton Village Cheese

The Grafton Village Cheese products are made with raw milk,  which results in a creamy and smooth flavor. These are not mass-produced cheeses, but are naturally flavored, aged, and made by hand according to the village tradition.

This company was founded by dairy farmers back in 1892.  Since they had no way to refrigerate their surplus milk, they wanted to turn it into a food item that wasn’t so delicate. Even today, the venture uses only premium raw milk for small local farms owned by families.

While the physical stores of Grafton Village Cheese provide a wide variety of cheese, gourmet products, gifts, and sample, their products are also available online. Their aged cheddar is one of the most popular options:

The Cowgirl Creamery

The Cowgirl Creamery was founded in the early 1990s by two female friends  named Peggy Smith and Sue Conley. The pair started their careers in the most famous kitchens within San Francisco. Having learned a lot in the food industry, they started their own business in a small town called Pt. Reyes Station.

Their venture started out as Tomales Bay Foods and was focused on helping the farms and dairies of West Marin to supply their products to the best chefs in the Bay Area. They also had a small cheeesemaking room, where they used milk from a neighboring creamery to make fresh cheeses.

After more than two decades later, this company now has several awards, retail stores, and two creameries under their belt. They also produced thousands of tons of cheese, which is sold to around 500 stores as well as online. One of the more popular products from this name is the Mt Tam cheese, which is a salty and creamy version available here

Cabot Creamery

The Cabot Creamery Cooperative is an American venture, and owned locally by dairy farmers located in New England. It’s also partly owned by the Agri-Mark Cooperative company. As a cooperative dealing in agricultural marketing

Start out wither an investment of a mere $3,700, this cooperative was launched in order to make butter with the excess milk produced from local cows. When the products became too may, they sent them down south and also started making cheese in 1930.

Today, there are several Cabot facilities scattered all over the country, including Vermont and Maine. There’s also a very wide range of Cabot goods, which are quite popular among their audience.

Magazines have listed the Cabot cheddar as being amongst the greatest cheeses in the work. The Cabot Monterey Jack was also given an award by the American Cheese Society in 2008. This is an easily-melted cheese that’s also naturally lactose free. We can purchase it online as well as in stores:

Conclusion

Some people might prefer to buy locally-sourced, aged, artisan cheeses from their local deli or a gourmet cheese store. This option is probably good for their health and taste experience, but it’s not always possible for everyone. If you don’t want the hassle of picking out a proper cheese to go with your toppings and savories, one of the brands described above would probably do just as well.

At the very least, these popular packaged cheese brands will assure us of a meal that will suit everyone’s palates. Try out one of the names discussed above if you haven’t already; you might be surprised at the convenience and excellent taste!  Be sure you have the proper accessories to enjoy your cheese such as a cheese knife as well.

Whether you are shifting in a new apartment or renovating your kitchen, equip your kitchen counter with the best tools in the market that will ultimately enable you to cook whatever is that you crave for. With irregular food habits you should be well prepared especially if you live in the suburbs of a city where you can’t have whatever you like whenever you like. Appliances like a best pressure cooker air fryer or best indoor grill for steaks let you prepare almost anything with the precise taste of your inclination.