Websterville, Vt. – Responding to rapidly growing demand for their aged goat cheese, Vermont Creamery completed a significant expansion to their aged cheese facility in Websterville, Vermont adding 14,000 square feet and more than quadrupling cheesemaking capacity. The $4 million expansion is the largest investment made by the Creamery in more than 30 years of business and will allow them to meet projected demand for their signature aged goat cheeses-Bonne Bouche, Cremont, Coupole, and Bijou-into the next decade.
"Aged geotrichum-rinded goat cheeses are incredibly popular in Europe and we are seeing similar trends in demand here in the U.S.," said Adeline Druart, general manager of Vermont Creamery. "The cheese no one had heard of ten years ago is now the fastest growing in our product line."
The original aged cheesemaking facility opened in 2006. That year, Vermont Creamery sold about 5,000 cases, mostly to specialty food shops and cheesemongers. Last year, they sold over 100,000 cases of aged cheese, including sales to major national retailers such as Whole Foods Market and Wegmans.
The facility is the culmination of years of learning about the ideal environment for "geo" cheeses – the soft-ripened cheeses that have earned Vermont Creamery international recognition. The state of the art expansion includes a high tech atmospheric control system that manages ventilation, moisture, temperature, and particle filtration-all meticulously calibrated for optimum ripening and rind development.
"Cheese is alive," said Druart, "and all of these factors have a big impact on the final product."
Vermont Creamery first introduced Bonne Bouche, a goats' milk cheese that is lightly sprinkled with ash and aged for about ten days, in 2001. The cheese, which has won numerous national and international awards, is distinguished by a naturally wrinkled, geotrichum rind and creamy interior. Reminiscent of the Loire Valley cheeses of France, where Vermont Creamery co-founder Allison Hooper learned the craft of cheesemaking, Bonne Bouche is French for "good mouthful." Today, Vermont Creamery's aged line includes four cheeses-Bonne Bouche, Cremont, Coupole, and Bijou.
The completion of the aged cheese expansion comes on the heels of Vermont Creamery's grand opening of Ayers Brook Goat Dairy last summer. Ayers Brook, which is one of 12 dairies that provides milk to Vermont Creamery, is the country's first demonstration goat dairy, offering farmers an open-book model for sustainable goat dairy farming. Between the aged expansion and the dairy, Vermont Creamery has added 14 jobs in the past year.
"The big picture here is a network of flourishing family farms, supported by strong sales of goat cheese," said Bob Reese, co-founder of Vermont Creamery. "We have taken a big leap of faith as we enter our fourth decade of cheese making."
Barre, Vt. based Groleau Construction completed the aged expansion on time and within budget, with the help of local contractors including Dexter Electric, Hutch Concrete, and New England Air Systems. Timing was of critical importance to the Creamery, who wanted plenty of time for the cheese to acclimate to its new surroundings before filling orders for the busy holiday season.
About Vermont Creamery
Combining the European tradition of cheesemaking with Vermont's terroir, Vermont Creamery's line of fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter, and crème fraîche have won over 100 national and international awards. In their 30th year of business, Vermont Creamery supports a network of more than 15 family farms, promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. B Corp Certified in 2014, Vermont Creamery is the founder of Ayers Brook Goat Dairy, the country's first demonstration goat dairy. For more information, visit www.vermontcreamery.com.
Source: Vermont Creamery
