Westby Cooperative Creamery

Employees of Westby Cooperative Creamery blew away last year’s donation to Bethel Butikk, a local food pantry and thrift shop run by volunteers, by exceeding the contribution goal of 1,962 items. A total of 2,644 items were collected this November representing a 35% increase over 2023’s donation drive. Bethel Butikk provides groceries, toys, clothing and various forms of assistance to thousands of individuals and families in need, with a strong focus on serving Vernon and Southern Monroe Counties. Pictured are Westby Creamery’s Stef Schroeder and her son Paxton Tollackson organizing and loading the donation up for delivery.

We're all in our places with bright shining faces because the Wisconsin Grocers Association Innovation Expo is one of our favorite annual trade shows. The support Westby Cooperative Creamery receives from Wisconsin grocery stores is second to none, and we are both grateful and delighted to have such support.

???? Did you know that Wisconsin is the ONLY state that requires cheesemakers to be licensed? Did you know that of the 1,200 licensed cheesemakers in Wisconsin, only 5% are women? This and other fun facts were learned during the Wisconsin Women Grocers Network event at the Emmi Roth cheese plant in Monroe, Wis. in late September. Westby Creamery is appreciative of the opportunity to tour other plants, network with industry peers and share best practices. The Women's Network enjoyed a gourmet fondue lunch and tours with Emmi Roth Cheesemaker Madeline Kuhn. ????

September 8 may have fallen on a Sunday this year, but 30 years ago it marked the beginning of Curt Geier’s career with Westby Cooperative Creamery. Geier is the Creamery’s office manager with a memory like an elephant. His historical knowledge offers key perspective to strategic discussion, while his dry wit keeps the team smiling. Geier, center left, is pictured with JD Greenwalt, general manager, and several of his colleagues who helped him celebrate.

Westby Creamery’s dynamic duo of Emily McGlynn and Emily Bialkowski attended the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) Field Day at Nasonville Dairy, Inc. in late August. Meeting with other dairy producers; seeing the inside of other manufacturing plants; and discussing our most troublesome – and successful – topics allows us to learn best practices and avoid common pitfalls in our operations. Sincere thanks is extended to Nasonville Dairy for opening their doors and to WCMA for organizing such an informative event!

Westby Cooperative Creamery Sales Manager Emily Bialkowski has earned her Cheese State Scholar certificate. Cheese State University is a digital training program - designed by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin - that helps cheese professionals deepen their understanding of the industry. "There's always more to learn in the dairy business, and this training solidified my comprehension of several concepts," Bialkowski said. "If you're in the dairy industry, I think you'll find this program worth your time." Learn more about Cheese State University at https://lnkd.in/gQA9DFKH

Westby Cooperative Creamery General Manager JD Greenwalt attended the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association Annual Conference in Door County last week. The event was jam packed with informational sessions about everything from shrinking dairy heifer inventory to insurance. Pictured left to right, Greenwalt visits with Bob Wolter, Cornerstone Business Services, and Dick Groves, Cheese Reporter.

?? ?? There are a lot of lovely ladies that work at Westby Cooperative Creamery but none so lovely as our beloved dairy cows. On this Cow Appreciation Day we salute these sweet girls and wish you a dairy great day!! ?? ?? Learn more about how our second and third party audits ensure comfortable, happy herds at https://lnkd.in/gctyWACi

It's all serious business until the sparkly photo backdrop comes out. Huge thanks to IPAP for inviting us to their annual meeting and awards night. IPAP moves immense amounts of dairy products - 9,000,000 lbs a week - across the U.S., and we are so pleased they continue to partner with Westby Creamery for sour cream and cottage cheese.

?? Thanks to everyone who has visited our booth at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago over the last couple of days. Highlights of the event include the White House chef strolling the lanes of the McCormick Place and enthusiastic conversations about Wisconsin dairy. ??From 2400-pound totes of yogurt to 8 oz cups of sour cream, you can learn all about Westby's cultured dairy offerings at https://lnkd.in/ggVQ6rDK OR, stop by booth 5614. We'll be here through Tuesday!