Agropur’s sales team is passionate about our customer’s success

Agropur’s dedication to quality extends beyond our award-winning cheese. That commitment just as much applies to our customer relationships.

Members of the sales team go the extra mile to ensure customers receive attentive, timely service and exceptional products that meet the precise specifications they need. As a business-to-business cheese producer, Agropur serves customers who depend on our quality for their success, said Marty Pullin, Director of Food Service Sales.

“We need to make sure we’re meeting our customers’ brand promises,” Pullin said. “Quality is number one and we need to ensure our cheese performs the same each and every day -- that it melts the same, it browns the same, that the stretch and chew is consistent.”

Agropur’s sales team is passionate about their work and recognize that top-tier service adds even greater value to our superior products. Agropur produces nearly 1 billion pounds of cheese annually at our seven US manufacturing facilities.

Troy Ammann, Agropur’s Vice President of Cheese Sales, said customer satisfaction starts with cheeses they’re proud to offer.  

“I’m very proud of the products we make, and I’m happy to be working for a company that’s known for having high-quality products,” Ammann said. “We’re not out there trying to be the low-cost leader of mid-grade products. We can be competitive with price, but our focus is making the highest-quality products available, and we do that. We have contest results that say it. Our customers say it.”

While a large-scale manufacturer, Agropur aims to provide a level of service more often associated with smaller firms. Customers aren’t lost in the crowd. They’re aided by representatives who carry a wealth of experience and work fervently on their behalf.

Cody Renard, Director of Industrial Sales and Key Accounts, grew up in the cheese business and learned it from all angles. His family owns and operates a Wisconsin cheese factory. Renard earned a cheesemaking license while in college, and his roles with Agropur have included positions in production and finance.

Renard said customers benefit from the team’s broad knowledge and a strong level of communication throughout the company. Members of the sales staff understand manufacturing, can answer questions and promptly address problems. It lends to trust and creates ease for the customer, Renard said.

“A lot of companies are very siloed,” he said. “We’re involved, and know what projects are going on. The service, the consistency and our relationships add value for their businesses.”

While the team is accountable for selling our products, achieving solutions is the core responsibility of every member, said Ivan Beck, Director of International Sales and Key Accounts.

Beck serves as liaison to Agropur’s largest customers and has built ties with food companies around the globe. Beyond quality products, customers benefit from a strong rapport that hinges on a simple premise: we keep our commitments.

The sales team has the tools, resources and authorization to move swiftly on solutions that benefit our customers.

“I don’t think there’s a company that serves its customers in a better way,” Beck said. “It’s about the ease of doing business. We’re quick to follow up and we’re problem solvers. There’s intrinsic value in that.”

Consistently delivering on commitments requires tight collaboration throughout our cheese operation. The sales group works closely with Agropur’s innovation team, which devises recipes that meet our customers’ unique demands. They regularly communicate with plant leaders, ensuring prompt resolution when issues rise.

Agropur’s customers include national retail brands, the appetizer industry, frozen pizza manufacturers and major pizza franchises. We also provide cheese to mom-and-pop businesses.

The commitment to consistency and exceptional quality extends to all.

“When a pizza operator has 200 people in the restaurant, the cheese needs to perform right,” Pullin said. “If they have a rough night because of our cheese, we have a problem.”

Agropur doesn’t have our own brand on the marketplace; therefore, the success of our customers is the best gauge of our performance, Ammann said. When partnering with Agropur, customers receive an expert team that serves as an extension of their own.

“We take pride in our customers’ brands,” Ammann said. “We take pride in watching our customers succeed. When they win, we win.”