Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese’s Chocolate Mascarpone Wins Best in Class
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese’s Chocolate Mascarpone took home Best in Class accolades in the Flavored Soft Cheese category at the 2023 United States Cheese Championships, with Fresh Mozzarella placing in the Top 3 of the Fresh Mozzarella category.
This year’s contest saw 2,249 entries from 197 producers representing 35 states.
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese’s Top 5 accolades by class and place are:
- Open Class, Flavored Soft Cheeses: Chocolate Mascarpone (first); Marinated Fresh Mozzarella (fourth)
- Fresh Mozzarella: Fresh Mozzarella (second, third)
“It’s an honor to see our products recognized on a national stage,” said George Crave, founder of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese. “We’re proud of our award-winning legacy that spans each of our handcrafted products.”
First-place Chocolate Mascarpone is the perfect way to add an elegant touch to everyday recipes, including desserts, charcuterie boards and fruit trays. Find recipes using the award-winning product on the Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese website and purchase their award-winning cheese today.
The U.S. Cheese Championship has been held biennially since 1981. 2023 marks the 21st edition of the contest, hosted in Green Bay, Wis., by the Wisconsin Cheese Maker’s Association. The contest is open to cheesemakers across the nation and is evaluated by a panel of skilled technical judges. Cheeses are scored by flavor, body and texture, salt, color, finish, packaging and more.
The Crave family farms 2,500 acres of productive land in south-central Wisconsin, growing soybeans, corn and alfalfa to use as nutritious feed for their Holstein cows. From the biodigester to water recovery and recycling, sustainability is top-of-mind on the farm and cheese factory. The Crave Brothers Farm LLC and Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese LLC use 100 percent green power and are carbon-negative businesses.
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produces food service and retail sizes of Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Part-skim Mozzarella, Oaxaca, Farmer’s Rope String Cheese and Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds.
Crave Brothers will be exhibiting at the 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show at the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin – Wisconsin Cheese Pavilion . For more information, contact Roseanne Crave, sales & marketing manager at roseanne@cravecheese.com or visit cravecheese.com.
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Cal-Maine Promotes Walters to COO, Whiteman to VP, Operations
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. has promoted Todd Walters to chief operating officer and Matt Whiteman to vice president, operations.
Walters joined Cal-Maine Foods in 1997. Since 2011, he has served as V\vice president of operations for the company’s operations in South Texas, as well as our subsidiary Wharton County Foods, LLC’s facility in Boling, Texas. He previously served in management positions at other locations of the Company in Mississippi, Kansas, New Mexico, and Ohio.
Walters has served on the Board of The Ohio Poultry Association and The Texas Poultry Federation, where he is an ex-officio member. He is also an active member of the United Egg Producers. Walters is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture with a major in poultry science.
Whiteman has been employed with Cal-Maine Foods since 2011. He most recently served as general manager of the Waelder, Texas, operations. Prior to this, he served in management positions at various locations including Edwards, Miss.; Bremen, Ky.; Guthrie, Ky.; and Boling, Texas.
Whiteman is active in the Texas poultry industry and is currently the President of the Texas Egg Council, along with serving as a Board Member of the Texas Poultry Federation. Whiteman is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a bachelor’s degree in poultry science.
Sherman Miller, president and chief executive officer of Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., said, “We are pleased to announce these important new leadership changes. Todd Walters is well qualified to assume this role, having extensive experience with the various aspects of our operations across different locations and market regions. He has done an exceptional job at every stage of his 26-year career with Cal-Maine Foods. He is also a recognized leader outside the company as an active member of industry associations. We will continue to benefit from his valuable insight and experience as we pursue our goal to be an efficient and sustainable producer.
“Matt Whiteman brings over 12 years of dedicated service to the company and has played an important role in managing our Texas operations. His previous experience working at our other locations and knowledge of other markets bring an added perspective to this leadership role. We welcome him to our operations management team, and we look forward to working with Matt as we continue to serve our valued customers in the Texas markets,” Miller said.
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. is primarily engaged in the production, grading, packing, marketing and sale of fresh shell eggs, including conventional, cage-free, organic, pasture-raised, free-range and nutritionally enhanced eggs. The company, which is headquartered in Ridgeland, Miss., is the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the United States and sells the majority of its shell eggs in states across the southwestern, southeastern, mid-western and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.
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Schuman Sets Record at US Championship Cheese Contest
Schuman Cheese, world-class fourth-generation cheese maker, is proud to announce a slew of wins at the prestigious 2023 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. Setting a record, Schuman is the first brand in history to sweep an entire category in the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, securing first place in the Parmesan Category with the brand’s Organic Copper Kettle Parmesan, as well as second through fifth place, and a number of additional category wins with products from its flagship brand, Cello.
For 75 years, Schuman has consistently set a standard for industry excellence; this record comes on the heels of being the first brand in history to sweep a full category in the World Championship Cheese Contest in 2022, as well as being named Grand Champion at the 2022 World Dairy Expo. Schuman has been honored to receive several additional first place accolades in 2022 at the Wisconsin State Fair and American Cheese Society Competition, solidifying the brand as a leader in the cheese industry.
Schuman’s flagship brand, Cello, received 2023 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest recognition across the Parmesan, Mascarpone, Asiago, Romano, Semi-Soft, Soft, Hard, and Flavored categories, emerging as a contest star. On a mission to help consumers “Cheese Confidently,” by making specialty cheese less intimidating for all, Cello maintains an unwavering commitment to producing the highest quality varietals that consumers have come to expect.
First place Schuman Cheese awards in the 2023 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest include:
Schuman Organic Copper Kettle, Parmesan Category
Cello Mascarpone, Soft Cheese Category
Cello Asiago, Asiago Category
Cello Fontal, Semi-Soft Cheese Category
Additional Schuman Cheese wins across the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest include:
Second Place Wins:
Cello Organic Copper Kettle Parmesan, Parmesan Category
Cello Mascarpone, Soft Cheese Category
Cello Traditional Romano, Hard Cheeses Category
Cello Creamy Dill Fontal, Semi-Soft Cheeses, Flavored Category
Third Place Wins:
Cello Extra Aged Copper Kettle Parmesan, Parmesan Category
Cello Black Pepper and Roasted Garlic Fontal, Semi-Soft Cheeses, Flavored Category
“We are deeply honored to once again receive this level of recognition across multiple categories in an esteemed industry contest,” said Christophe Megevand, master cheesemaker at Schuman Cheese. “I want to thank the Lake Country Dairy team for their hard work and craftsmanship. For 75 years, Schuman Cheese has upheld a promise to honor the true art of cheesemaking. We are proud to see those foundational values resonating across the industry and celebrate the craft we are all extremely passionate about.”
Looking ahead, Schuman Cheese plans to continue innovating and expanding upon their portfolio in new and unique ways. Delivering diverse flavors and innovative formats to consumers’ kitchens, the brand is excited to honor these most recent accolades by continuing to lead category growth ahead.
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