Shelf-stability process is key to success for Gilman Cheese

If you’ve been to a parade or special event in the area, there’s a chance that someone has chucked your way a single ounce package of cheese from Gilman Cheese. In true Wisconsinite fashion adults and children alike are excited to find cheese among their parade candy and trinkets. You tear it open, grateful for a snack with a little substance to it. But how did that cheese end up in your hand in the first place?

It starts with shelf-stability. Sam Olson has been with Gilman Cheese for the last 13 years. He’s a north-central Wisconsin boy and grew up in Owen-Withee. Olson is passionate about cheese, and his team.

“Shelf-stable means any of our processed cheese can be held out of a refrigerator for one year,” Olson said.

And there’s a reason for that. He reports that Gilman Cheese participates in several school programs. Their cheese can be a meat protein equivalent, a substitution for meat protein if there’s none available.

“Some kids don’t have refrigeration,” Olson said. “We try to find ways to do the right thing.”

While he recommends that the cheese be refrigerated if the option is available as it’ll better maintain its quality down the line, it isn’t necessary. In addition to backpack programs, Gilman Cheese has received calls from places experiencing tragedy, organizations with hungry and displaced people to feed.

Olson recalls preparing orders in the wake of hurricanes and natural disasters. “I think the dairy industry as a whole does that, it’s just who we are being in Wisconsin, but we always want to make sure that we help out anyway we can,” he said.

Gilman Cheese touts that their cheese is a clean label cheese. While it’s processed, they work hard to ensure that it stays as healthy as possible.

“With processed cheese, a lot of people think oils, fillers, we go as far away from that as we possibly can,” Olson said.

They’re also rBST free. rBST is the growth hormone which was commonly given to cows to boost milk production most popular around 1990. Olson reports that many manufacturers have gone away from this tactic and Gilman Cheese is no exception. He notes that rBST is a hormone that occurs naturally in cows, so while they test their cheese for quality, they also trust that their suppliers are doing the right thing.

In addition to their rigid testing, Gilman Cheese has over 100 different flavor options. Olson states that currently Gilman Cheese is seeing customer requests for sweet heat, like honey sriracha or honey cayenne pepper. They’re also doing a lot of business with Sargento, which Olson is particularly proud of.

“I think that’s one of our biggest strong points with a good quality cheese, customer requests,” said Olson.

It benefits them to be flexible. Two decades ago, their biggest seller was nonfat cheese which Olson stated mostly sold to locations in California and carried the company for about 10 years. Their versatility and willingness to try new things is a part of their success, and they’re grateful for their customers, some of which have been collaborating with them for more than 12 or 15 years.

“When you have relationships that long you know that your product is correct,” Olson said.

But a hefty portion of their flavor profiles come directly from the people responsible for getting it to your table; their employees. Olson states that his team isn’t shy about making recommendations, and they have a small cooker set up for just such an occasion. They’ll make a sample size and test it out among the employees, taking their feedback and adjusting the recipe for variables until it tastes just right.

Olson states that Gilman Cheese’s employees are hardworking, and they’re methodical about the process. He thinks it boils down to the diligent and attentive nature of the people in the region.

“I do think the people in this rural area make Gilman Cheese,” he said. “They want to make a good quality product, they put all the work into making sure it’s right, it does reflect our quality and what we're trying to do and making sure our customers experience a good processed cheese every time.” Keeping the team happy is important to Olson. He states that he likes to treat the employees with ice cream when possible, and quarterly meals, and he recalls cooking over 200 burgers on the grill for the crew last year.

“We want to provide a livelihood for all our employees, they need money to provide for their families, do fun things,” Olson said. “If the employees do well, we do well.”

That sense of community doesn’t end with employees, but rather seems to blanket the village. Olson believes that Gilman Cheese is carrying out a legacy left by former owner Tom Hand.

“He was big on the community, he built a lot of parks, we just kind of piggybacked on that,” said Olson. “We just feel like if we donate, or do anything for the park, donate to different fundraisers, it’s just one of those good things.”

The next time you’re in Gilman at the June Dairy Days parade or enjoying Christmas in the Park, and someone hands you a one-ounce package of mozzarella from Gilman Cheese, you’ll know it represents a more than just a snack.