Sartori Cheese: A Wisconsin Original

Sartori Cheese is an award-winning, family-run cheese company based in Wisconsin. It was founded in 1939 by Italian immigrant Paolo Sartori, who brought his heritage and passion for cheesemaking to the Midwest. The company has since been led by four generations, each with their own style but united under one mission: to make the best cheese in the world. Sartori Cheese sources high-quality cow's milk from local, generational family-owned farms in Wisconsin, transforming it into unique, award-winning artisan cheeses. The company's offerings include Italian-inspired varieties like Parmesan and BellaVitano, as well as innovative flavours such as Sriracha and Italian Herb Cheddars.

Sartori Cheese was founded in 1939 by Paolo Sartori

Sartori Cheese is known for its award-winning artisan cheeses, partnering with Wisconsin family farms to transform high-quality cow's milk into unique and delicious cheeses. The company's success can be attributed to the creativity and ingenuity of its team, as well as its commitment to family, authenticity, ingenuity, integrity, and humility.

One of Sartori Cheese's notable creations is the BellaVitano®, a cow's milk cheese introduced in 2008. This cheese is inspired by traditional Italian farmstead cheese, starting out like Parmesan with a creamy, rich texture and light fruity notes. The basic type, BellaVitano Gold, has won several awards, including "Best New Cheese in the World" at the 2008 World Cheese Awards and "Grand Champion" at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest.

In addition to BellaVitano, Sartori Cheese offers a range of flavoured versions, such as Balsamic, Black Pepper, Merlot, Raspberry, Chai, and Espresso. The company also experiments with soaking and hand-finishing the BellaVitano in different flavours to enhance its attributes. Sartori Cheese has also introduced Italian-inspired artisan cheddars, including Sriracha and Italian Herb Cheddars, showcasing their ongoing innovation and dedication to crafting exceptional cheeses.

Since its founding in 1939 by Paolo Sartori, Sartori Cheese has become a renowned and award-winning cheese company, known for its commitment to quality, creativity, and family values. The company's heritage and passion for cheesemaking continue to drive its success and shape its future endeavours.

The company is based in Wisconsin

Sartori Cheese is headquartered in Wisconsin, a state known for its rich history of agriculture and dairy farming. The company was founded in 1939 by Paolo Sartori, an Italian immigrant who brought his heritage and passion for cheesemaking to the Midwest. Wisconsin's dairy farming culture and strong work ethic made it the ideal place for Paolo to establish his business.

Sartori Cheese has thrived in Wisconsin due to its partnerships with local family-owned farms. The company sources all its milk from these Wisconsin farms, ensuring high-quality cow's milk for their cheese production. Sartori's cheesemaking facilities are strategically located within 70 miles of their partner farms to reduce carbon emissions from diesel fuel. This proximity also allows for fresh milk to be quickly transported to the cheesemaking facilities, maintaining its quality.

Wisconsin's agricultural heritage has provided Sartori Cheese with generational family farmers who share the company's values and commitment to excellence. These farmers are stewards of the land, treating their farms and animals with the utmost love and care. They take pride in their work, from planting and harvesting to milking their cows, ensuring the best quality milk for cheesemaking.

The company's location in Wisconsin has also influenced its product offerings. For example, Sartori's award-winning BellaVitano cheese, introduced in 2008, is handcrafted in Plymouth, Wisconsin. This cow's milk cheese is inspired by traditional Italian farmstead cheese, combining creamy texture, fruity notes, and a sweet and tangy finish. The success of BellaVitano, along with other artisan cheeses, has solidified Sartori's reputation as a leading cheesemaker in Wisconsin and beyond.

Sartori Cheese's deep roots in Wisconsin and its collaboration with local farms have been key to its success. The company's commitment to quality, innovation, and family values has made it a beloved fixture in the state's renowned dairy industry. By staying true to its Wisconsin heritage, Sartori Cheese continues to create award-winning products that are recognised both nationally and internationally.

Sartori Cheese makes award-winning BellaVitano cheese

Sartori Cheese has been making award-winning cheese since 1939, when Paolo Sartori brought his Italian heritage and passion for cheesemaking to Wisconsin, founding the company.

The company's success has largely been derived from the creativity and ingenuity of its team, with each generation of the Sartori family leadership bringing its own style while remaining united under one mission: to make the best cheese in the world.

Sartori Cheese introduced BellaVitano in 2008, a cow's milk cheese inspired by a traditional Italian farmstead cheese. It starts out like Parmesan, with a creamy, rich texture and light fruity notes, and a sweet and tangy finish. The crunch comes from calcium lactate crystals that form as the cheese ages. Shortly after its introduction, BellaVitano won 'Best New Cheese in the World' at the 2008 European-hosted World Cheese Awards.

Since then, Sartori has continued to experiment with soaking and hand-finishing the BellaVitano cheese wheels in different flavours, with the goal of enhancing the attributes of the Sartori Original. The basic type of BellaVitano is the Gold variety, which was named Grand Champion at the 2013 World Dairy Expo. Other flavoured versions include Balsamic, Black Pepper, Merlot, Raspberry, Chai, and Espresso.

Sartori's Master Cheesemakers and team of over 40 licensed cheesemakers apply their extensive technical expertise to every aspect of cheesemaking, carefully crafting each product with unique flavours and textures. The company's heritage has helped shape its core values: Family, Commitment, Authenticity, Ingenuity, Integrity, and Humility.

The company's core values include family, commitment, authenticity, ingenuity, integrity and humility

Sartori Cheese was founded in 1939 by Paolo Sartori, an Italian immigrant who brought his heritage to Wisconsin. Paolo had a passion for cheesemaking, which sparked a successful family-run business that has thrived for generations. The company's core values include family, commitment, authenticity, ingenuity, integrity and humility.

Family has been at the heart of Sartori Cheese since its inception. Paolo's passion for cheesemaking was shared by his descendants, who have each contributed to the company's success over the years. Joe, a cheesemaker at heart, perfected classic Italian cheese recipes, while Jim guided the company towards focusing on world-renowned American Originals. The current president, Bert Sartori, is dedicated to sharing their award-winning cheese with the world while also investing in the team, creameries, and community.

The commitment to the craft of cheesemaking is evident in the rigorous Master Cheesemaker Program, which requires years of dedication and expertise. Sartori's team of over 40 licensed cheesemakers showcases their passion and ingenuity in developing unique flavours and textures. The company's heritage and values have shaped their commitment to creating award-winning artisanal cheeses.

The authenticity of Sartori Cheese is rooted in its Italian heritage and Wisconsin dairy farming history. The company takes pride in its location in Wisconsin, with its rich agricultural history and dairy farming traditions. Sartori Cheese was founded in the historical East Main Caves, a special family landmark where they continue to hand-finish their cheese. The company's family crest symbolises its values, with cows acknowledging their farm-to-fork ethos and the state of Wisconsin representing their home and the source of the finest cheese.

Ingenuity has been a key driver of Sartori Cheese's success. The company has invented and patented cheese curd mixing and stretching machines, providing consumers with consistent, high-quality Italian cheese. They constantly experiment with new flavours and techniques, such as soaking and hand-finishing their BellaVitano cheese in different flavours to enhance its attributes. This ingenuity has led to numerous awards, including "Best New Cheese in the World" at the 2008 World Cheese Awards and "Grand Champion" at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest.

Integrity is demonstrated in Sartori Cheese's commitment to sustainability and supporting local family farms. Their cheesemaking facilities are located close to partner family farms to reduce carbon emissions, and they source 100% of their water from well water. The company values the stewardship of the land demonstrated by the farmers they work with and is dedicated to turning high-quality milk into high-quality cheese.

Finally, humility is reflected in Sartori Cheese's recognition of their heritage and the hard work of their team. They acknowledge the humble beginnings of their founder, Paolo Sartori, and his entrepreneurial spirit. The company also values the dedication and expertise of their Master Cheesemakers, who make a lifetime commitment to their craft. This humility, combined with their other core values, has contributed to Sartori Cheese's success and reputation as an award-winning cheese producer.

Sartori Cheese works with local, family-owned farms

Sartori Cheese has been crafting artisanal cheese since 1939 when Paolo Sartori brought his Italian heritage to Wisconsin and founded the company. Sartori Cheese works with local, family-owned farms to source high-quality cow's milk, which is essential for making their award-winning cheese.

The company's partnership with Wisconsin family farms is a key part of its success. Wisconsin's rich agricultural history has allowed Sartori to work with generational farmers who share the company's values and dedication to producing high-quality milk. The farms are located within 70 miles of Sartori's cheesemaking facilities to reduce carbon emissions from diesel fuel.

Sartori's commitment to sustainability extends beyond fuel emissions. The company sources 100% well water for its dairy cows, which can consume up to 30 gallons of water per day. Additionally, Sartori family farms grow 90% of their own feed and source almost 100% of the remaining feed locally. This local approach not only supports the community but also ensures the quality and freshness of the ingredients used in their cheese.

The farmers that Sartori works with are stewards of the land. They treat their farms and animals with the utmost love and care, whether planting, harvesting, or milking cows. This dedication to their craft aligns with Sartori's own passion for cheesemaking. The company's Master Cheesemakers have years of expertise and are committed to transforming high-quality milk into unique, award-winning artisan cheeses.

Through their collaboration with local, family-owned farms, Sartori Cheese upholds its heritage, values, and commitment to producing the best cheese in the world. Together, they create delicious, high-quality cheese that has been recognised and enjoyed by cheese lovers worldwide.

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