Agropur’s passionate production team takes pride in their products

Pride and experience are among the most important ingredients when crafting an exceptional cheese. 

Agropur’s seven US cheese facilities have an abundance. Our employees produce about 1 billion pounds every year. Despite such a tremendous quantity, our passionate team never takes their eyes off quality.

“Our operators have a very high attention to detail,” said Erin Daehn, Feta Production Manager at Agropur’s Weyauwega, WI, facility. “We have a reputation for great cheese and that’s something we all want to continue.”

Agropur’s cheese production employees show great passion every day in creating wholesome, delicious products that will be enjoyed by everyone from friends and family to people around the globe.  More than 1,500 team members contribute to our cheese production at facilities in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Our teams make more than 20 varieties, and specialize in cheddar, feta, mozzarella and provolone. Our products are destined for restaurants, food service and retail, including prominent brands around world. The efforts of our employees have been recognized through consistent honors at prestigious US and World Cheese Championship competitions.

Every plant has its own points of pride.

“We’re really well known for our parmesan,” said Mark Spence, Agropur’s Le Sueur, MN, Plant Manager. “No one does it better.”

Spence said their top-notch reputation is a credit to the dedication of his team. The Le Sueur team produced 74.7 million pounds of cheese in 2021, with 50 million pounds of that being parmesan and other hard Italian styles.

Producing high quality and high quantity takes far more than know-how. The production teams require solid communication and high levels of collaboration to achieve their goals, Spence said. Success depends on everyone from quality assurance through human capital.

“We have a multi-disciplinary team, and it takes a team effort,” Spence said. “There are a lot of balls in the air every day.”

Daehn said the strong team dynamic in Weyauwega is one of her favorite parts of the job. They’re driven by common goals. While their recognitions have come with regularity, those moments are always gratifying whether it’s worldwide honor or a top prize from the Wisconsin State Fair.

“I love coming to work every day,” Daehn said. “I’m happy to work with people who really care about their product. It’s close knit and feels like you’re working with family.”

Many of Agropur’s cheese facilities are located in rural areas -- surrounded by fields -- where dairy is part of the fabric of the community. We acquire our milk from farms near the plants and serve as major employers in the small towns we call home.

Weyauwega is among them. The plant is nestled in a city of fewer than 2,000 residents. The facility is the nation’s top producer of high-quality feta and has built a strong reputation for their aged cheddars. The city is known for its cheese, and the community relishes that association.

“We’re from a hard-working rural area, and here, cheesemaking is part of our heritage,” Plant Manager Chris Pennings said. “We work hard, play hard and take pride in our expertise.”

It’s because of that pride that Agropur has been able to benefit from an incredible amount of experience.

Le Sueur’s 159 employees have amassed a combined tenure of 1,146 years. Many have decades of cheesemaking experience, and their longest tenured employee is soon to reach his 49th anniversary.

Weyauwega’s plant has several employees with 30 and even 40 years of experience, Pennings said. It’s invaluable to have veterans who can pass on their knowledge, tips and work ethic to those with lesser time under their belts.

Good guidance can go a long way.

“Through the years, I’ve had some great mentors and a lot of encouragement,” said Pat Doell, Production Supervisor at Agropur’s Luxemburg, WI, facility. Combining that encouragement with personal drive, Doell went on to the top of his craft, achieving certification as a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker.

Agropur leaders say it takes commitment to maintain a high level of excellence.

Spence has two decades in the cheese business. Over that time, he’s learned that the quality of the product speaks to the quality of those who are producing it.

“Our greatest asset is our people,” Spence said. “I can tell you with absolute sincerity that we’re successful because of the great folks we have.”