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Product Overview
History
The history of cheese dates back about 4,000 years ago. Legend has it that the first cheese
was created by accident when an Arabian merchant rode on horseback with milk in a canteen
made of sheep’s stomach. The milk separated into whey and curd from the combination of the
sun’s heat and the enzymes from the sheep’s stomach. The merchant ate the curd that night to
satisfy his hunger. Over the next years, the discovery of cheese spread to many areas in Asia and
Europe, growing in culture and variety (www.idfa.org). Today there are over 2,000 variations of
cheeses throughout the world (www.idfa.org). There are other ways the story is told about how
cheese was first created, though. The National Historic Cheesemaking Center claims that it could
have come from salting milk curds in order to attempt preservation (www.idfa.org).
Interestingly enough, today’s most popular cheeses such as gouda and cheddar have only
just become prevalent in about the last 500 years (www.idfa.org).
Definitions
Coagulation is the process by which proteins are denatured and unwind through either a decrease
in pH, an increase in temperature, or the addition of manipulative enzymes (www.idfa.org).
Pasteurization gets rid of bacteria in milk that may be harmful for consumption. Milk is quickly
heated to a temperature high enough to kill the bacteria, but not enough to reach coagulation, and
then rapidly cooled (Milkfacts.info). Considering milk is the main ingredient of cheese, ensuring
there is no harmful bacteria contained in the cheese is very important in the manufacturing
process.
Whey is the liquid portion from milk that remains after forming solid curds from milk in the
cheesemaking process (“How Cheese is Made,” 2015).
Curd is the solid portion of the milk that remains after the cheesemaking process.
Casein is the primary protein found in the curds of cheese (www.idfa.org).
Rennet is an enzyme from the stomach lining of young animals. This turns casein into curds in
the cheesemaking process (www.idfa.org).
Homogenization is a process that separates the fat in liquid milk allowing the fat molecules to be
dispersed throughout the liquid. This prevents the milk fats from going to the top and separating
from the liquid since the fat is less dense (www.idfa.org).
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Pull Dates are listed on dairy product labels in order to inform suppliers and consumers of the
final day the products should be sold due to freshness.
Packer’s Brand is what a packer uses as its own grading system for its individual products.
Fresh cheese is cheese that has not been aged for very long. For example: cream cheese
(www.idfa.org).
Mediumcured cheese is cheese that has been aged longer than fresh cheese, but not as long as an
aged cheese (www.idfa.org).
Aged cheese is cheese that has been stored and aged in a controlled environment for a longer
period of time before consumption. An example of this is parmesan (www.idfa.org).
How Cheese is Made/Production
The cheesemaking process begins with pasteurization, in which the milk is heated in a
large container to kill harmful microorganisms. Next starter cultures are added to the milk. These
starter cultures are safe bacteria, also known as lactic acid bacteria, and as they metabolize, they
produce lactic acid which turns the milk into cheese (www.eatwisconsincheese.com).
The mixture is then spread out so the whey and curds can separate. The casein begins to
curdle once acidity has risen; rennet may be added to help this process along. Once this is
complete, the cheese is cut using a harp to separate the liquid whey from the solid curd, and the
whey is drained off (science.howstuffworks.com). After salting and flavoring the curd to its
desired specificity, the cheese is then pressed into it’s inherit shape for several hours. At this
point the cheesemaking is complete! However (depending on the cheese), some aged cheeses
may be cured, or ripened, at a specific temperature and humidity to add distinct flavors or colors
(idfa.org).
Different Variations of Cheese
What once started from a humble accident on horseback over 4,000 years ago has led to
an industry worth billions of dollars in the world today. There are now over 2,000 variations of
cheese found all over the world today.
The most popular varieties of cheese in the United States used to be orange and yellow
cheddar cheeses. That has now shifted to mozzarella (Tunick). This is due to the uses of the
cheese. Popularity of pizza has increased, as well as string cheese. Mozzarella is the cheese most
used in these forms.
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Interesting Facts
Consumption of Cheese:
Cheese is consumed all over the world, and in many different styles. In the United States
alone the average American consumes 33.7 pounds of cheese annually. This adds up to over 11
billion pounds of cheese production annually (positivemed.com).
The Greek consume the most cheese in the entire world. An average Grecian consumes
about 60.2 pounds of cheese in a year and about threequarters of that is feta cheese alone
(positivemed.com).
Cheese has larger worldwide production than the industries of tea, coffee, tobacco and
cocoa beans combined (positivemed.com)
Most Popular Kinds:
Although American’s are generally committed to a wide range of variety, mozzarella
cheese continues to be the most popular, accounting for 3.7 billion pounds of production a year.
Right behind that at a close second is cheddar cheese, ringing in at 3.19 billions pounds per year
(www.idfa.org). This is no surprise considering theres never a shortage of pizza, burgers and
macaroni and cheese in the average diet.
Health Benefits:
Cheese is healthy for you in small servings. It contains calcium, phosphorus and protein.
Certain cheeses such as cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella and American can help prevent tooth decay.
It also protects enamel on teeth for antibacterial effects (www.idfa.org)
Three Things You Didn’t Know About Cheese: (video)
http://www.history.com/shows/modernmarvels/videos/threethingsyoudidntknowaboutcheese
Selection Factors
There are many details and factors that go into selecting what cheese products are going
to be used. First, management will look at what the intended use of their product needs to be. If
the appearance of the cheese is a main purchasing factor, that will be part of their decision
making process. But if it is the flavor that is the sole purpose of the cheese, then that will be their
deciding factor.
Once the intended use of the cheese has been determined, management looks into the
exact name and a standard of identity. The government sets these standards of identity for cheese
based on minimum amounts of milk solids allowed, as well as the amount of butterfat content in
the milk used to make the cheese. If butterfat content increases, so does the AP Price. Depending
on the richness of the finished cheese and what the company wants out of it will determine how
much they want to spend in these terms. More butterfat constitutes a richer cheese.
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There are already set grading standards for dairy products including cheese which are set
by the USDA Poultry and Dairy Division. These are important to consider when selecting which
cheese to purchase based on the intended use.
A packer’s brand may be considered for different quality. This is a packer’s own system
used to grade their products. Different packer’s brands can be used as substitutes which can help
save buyer’s money when purchasing cheese.
Depending on what products the company makes, companies will want to look into
product size to order and the size of the container of cheese. Cheese and dairy items in general,
do not have a long shelf life so it is important to consider how much to buy in a timely matter.
Therefore the establishment should pay close attention to how much they are buying to prevent
cheese from spoiling before they use it and waste their money.
Product yield is another important selection factor for cheese buyers to ensure they
receive the most edible portion of cheese at the lowest cost. Another way to look at this is to
consider how much you are willing to purchase that may be considered waste. For cheese, this
includes the rind. The rind of many cheese can be used for display, but may not be edible. Some
rinds are edible though. Companies that use cheese strictly for taste will have to factor the waste
of the rind into their costs if the cheese does not have an edible rind. This also is considered
when buyers do not want broken pieces of cheese. These companies may only accept a certain
amount of broken cheese per purchase, it could be because they are looking for whole cheese
pieces because they want their selling items to visually appeal to their consumers.
Cheese comes in many different forms. Product form gives options on whether to buy the
cheese grated, sliced, crumbled, or whole wheels.
Buyers also may consider what preservation method is used. Some cheeses come frozen,
and if the company wants fresh cheese, the buyer needs to specify this.
How the cheese is processed should also be considered. All cheeses are processed a little
bit differently. This can include how long cheeses age, the environment in which they’re aged,
and so forth. Preservatives and additives may also be added to the cheeses, and flavorings that
may be added to what is otherwise natural.
A manufacturer may also desire organic cheese or “all natural”. This has been a really
popular uprising in that last few years because consumers believe it is healthier for them. Buyers
can decide based on their company’s values, consumer needs, and costs, whether they want to
invest in organic or “all natural” cheese products. These products may be marketed as
hormonefree, preservativefree, or as coming from freerange cows.
Something else to consider is taxes and costs added for importing cheese and products for
cheese. Cheese is often imported from around the world and there are taxes that are typically
added into the costs for those services. This is something to look at when wanting to select
products, considering the fact that costs could add up.
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Product Grading
Much like many others food products on the market today, cheese is not required to be
graded for sale in the U.S. However, many producers choose to have their cheese graded by the
United States Department of Agriculture to provide consumers with an accurate baseline of
quality for the goods they are buying.
Four different grades are given to cheese products based on a variety of factors, including
flavor, texture, color and appearance. These grades are commonly identified as AA, A, B and C.
Specific guidelines and standards are set for cheese grading based on the type: fresh, medium
cured or aged. Fresh, medium cured, and aged cheeses are each graded in their own categories
and are assigned grades based on specific flavoring qualities (www.ams.usda.gov).
A graded flavoring quality would be “acid,” referring to the degree of which the cheese
embodies an acidic impression. The quality is rated on a scale of “very slightly,” “slightly,”
“definite,” and “pronounced.” Cheeses graded AA do not have an acidic flavor, and are not
specified as exhibiting one. However, cheeses graded C have a “pronounced” acidic flavor,
which is typically considered undesirable. For this reason, cheeses with this distinguished flavor
are graded lower. The same can be said for “flat” or “bitter” tastes as well.
Product CheckIn Procedures
There is a detailed process that must be followed to ensure correct quantity, quality, and
specifications are met for the intended order of cheeses.
First, the receiver would examine the individual cheese packages they get for cleanliness
and damage. If there is visible dirt, water damage, broken seals, or anything other signs of
mishandling, the order may not be accepted.
Once the order has been checked for damaged goods and cleanliness, the receiver will
want to make sure they have gotten everything they have ordered from their supplier. They need
to make sure they are thoroughly checking the invoices they receive because items could be
missing or be incorrect.
Sometimes what may happen is that the cheese suppliers do not have the products that the
business normally serves and will give them a substitute instead. The business will need to
inspect whether substitutes would be acceptable or not.
When checking in, receivers will need to make sure that there is room for items to be
stored. Cheeses need to be stored in the correct temperature and environment so as not to perish
quicker than it would otherwise. Food safety precautions should also be taken. This includes
keeping the cheeses away from raw meats.
Product Storage Procedures
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The main purpose of efficient food storage in any service operation is to prevent loss of
food. Food loss, including cheese, can occur from spoilage, theft, and pilferage. If cheese is
stored properly and securely, its shelf life and purpose can be maximized by its foodservice
operation. There are many ways to maximize the use of food products in an operation.
Spoilage of the cheese can be avoided through proper storage of food. This includes
maintaining appropriate refrigerator and freezer temperatures. Humidity is also important to
avoid premature stalling or molding. Enough space for food products must also be ensured to
avoid overcrowding and crosscontamination. Produce and dairy should be kept far away from
raw meat products such as chicken and beef. Meat should be kept on the bottom shelves of food
storage units to avoid leaking and touching to other products. Produce that spoils quicker than
other vegetables should not be kept near ones that spoil slower. This will minimize ethene gas
exposure from one plant to the next. Products should also be used through a rotation system in
which the oldest products are consumed before newer ones. This will ensure no product is
wasted while fresher ones are used in its place.
Theft is unfortunately a very common occurrence in foodservice operations. Many
employees will take an opportunity to steal from their employer when given the chance. In order
to minimize theft, many actions can be taken; some more extreme than others. Some managers
chose to install cameras in their operations to ensure total coverage of employee actions at all
times. Other times, expensive food products, such as New York strip steaks or highend liquors,
will be locked up from employees to ensure management has limited access. In less extreme
cases, thorough inventory counts and systems can be maintained to limit the number of items that
go missing.
Pilferage is something that may be harder to manage in a food service operation than
spoilage or theft. Pilferage, unlike theft, is typically unintended by the employee, and occurs in
usually smaller amounts. For this reason it is more difficult to control, track, and avoid.
However, establishing understanding and guidelines with your employees can help to identify
what you expect from them, and the actions deemed acceptable by the operation and
management.
The temperature, environment, and length of cheese storage is entirely dependent on the
type of cheese. Soft cheeses, such as cottage cheese or cream cheese, need to be refrigerated and
have a shorter shelflife than harder cheeses. Harder cheeses, such as cheddar or swiss, must be
refrigerated as well, but can also be frozen for a period of time. These cheeses typically have a
longer shelflife than soft cheeses because they have less moisture (Freeman).
Product Specifications
When filling out a purchasing order to a supplier, a foodservice operation must be very
intuitive and detailed in the specifications, or characteristics, they wish to receive from their
products. Product specifications are useful for both food and nonfood items. In ordering cheese
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is also a twist on the Camembert covered with a layer of ash. The cheese is surrounded by a
charcoal colored rind and as it ages the flavor has a hint of sweetness. The fifth cheese flavor is
another twist on the Camembert called the PepBert. This cheese is created by adding green
peppercorns to the Camembert recipe. The peppercorns add a spiciness to the Camembert and
works harmoniously with the tangy natural flavor in the Camembert.
MouCo Cheese Company has seen enormous growth since their start. They have seen
over 100 percent growth within the last two years. As a result their annual sales has not been
consistent as it is rapidly growing. From the milk they get on Monday they are able to make
2000 wheels per week. Depending on how many orders they have for a particular week they
produce 40008000 wheels per week. Based on years past they produce 208,000416,000 wheels
per year. The holiday months (November December) are usually when they do ¾ of their annual
sales. However this February was their highest sales month. This was partly due to one company,
in Boston, increasing their ordering from 40 pounds to ordering 1000 pounds.
MouCo Cheese Company would be considered both a manufacturer and a distributor. It is
a manufacturer or processor because they turn raw milk that comes from local farms into cheese.
They are also distributors because they directly sell their products to retailers and restaurants that
provide the product to the customer.
Five Values of MouCo Cheese Company
Time Value/Lead Time: “How long does it take the average delivery to be ?”
Answer: Thadd, a MouCo cheese employee told us on our visit that, “all of this depends on the
size of delivery and location of the customer.”
Form: This company only has one form 5 oz. soft wheels of cheese.
Place: “How far you do deliver? What is the radius in miles? If you can not deliver to a business,
can they purchase at your warehouse?”
Answer: “We can deliver anywhere. The farthest has been to Boston through mail. Companies
can also come to warehouse to pick up. If it is a further delivery (across the country), we can ship
overnight or a 2day delivery.”
Information: “What information do you provide your customers with either on labeling,
handouts, company website, etc. when they purchase?”
Answer: “We do demos, our website has information on MouCo's history and the cheese
making process. We offer tours, give promotional handouts with recipes and suggest wine and
beer pairings.”
Supplier Services: “What services do you provide your customers and clients?”
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Answer: “We offer tours, give cheese tastings, and make ourselves available at local farmers
markets.”
Recommendations & Conclusions to Purchase/Not to Purchase from MouCo
We are basing our recommendations to use MouCo cheese on the fact that we are a small,
locally owned winery in Fort Collins. This company is known for its friendly atmosphere, wide
variety of wines, and delicious food pairings coming from other companies in the Fort Collins
area. Bluebird Winery is known for pairing each wine with each flavor of cheese coming from
the local cheese company, MouCo. This company themselves gives recommendations for their
cheese with types of beer and wine. Bluebird Winery has taken this to the next level, providing
wine paired with MouCo cheese, crackers, fruit, and a small selection of desserts. The quaint
environment of Bluebird Winery creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere for locals or visitors
to chat and taste some of Colorado's finest wines and cheese.
When our winery first began, we searched for local cheese companies in the area.
MouCo cheese had a table at a farmer's market in Fort Collins one Saturday afternoon, when we
happened to stop by. We immediately began asking them questions about their company to see
if they would be a good fit for Bluebird Winery. After discussing, tasting free samples, and
gathering the information we needed, we set up a meeting time with them to finalize plans, tour
the place, and begin purchasing their cheese. We have enjoyed working with MouCo cheese
ever since then.
As a small cheese company, their ordering system is very simple. We can go online, sign
into our account, and select what we'd like to buy, where we'd like it delivered, and
approximately when we'd like it delivered. There is also the option of emailing or faxing our
order to them. This makes their ordering procedures very simple. As for a delivery schedule,
MouCo typically offers a 2day delivery or overnight. Since we are located within miles of
MouCo, we receive the cheese we order within 2 days. MouCo accepts payment of cash or the
use of a credit card. Good standing companies that have worked with MouCo for a long period
of time can wait as long as 40 days after the delivery is made to make a payment. There is not a
long term price contract option for companies that have used MouCo for a long period of time,
other than the 40 day period option. When deciding whether or not to use MouCo for our
winery, we inquired about other companies and if they have needed to make returns from being
unsatisfied. Thadd told us that customers haven’t tried to return the products they have received.
Since the cheese has a short shelf life and it is always fresh when it is sent to them, returns do not
ever happen. As for backorders, Thadd told us that it has happened several times, but
backorders are definitely not common for MouCo to receive. “Customers are usually very
satisfied with what they receive,” Thadd said.
MouCo cheese sells six different cheeses: Camembert, ColoRouge, Truffello, Ashley,
PepBert, and Trifecta. These cheeses have a softwhite bloomy rind and are sold in 5 ounce
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wheels. Different molds are used for each cheese. The softer the center of the cheese, the older it
is. Some restaurants, food service operations, and individuals prefer fresh harder cheese but
others enjoy soft older cheese. This would be considered their variety of merchandise. We
purchase each of these flavors for our winery and pair them with a selected wine.
MouCo cheese and our small business do not practice costplus purchasing. The price of
cheese and delivery are set, and we know what we owe each time we purchase. If we practiced
costplus purchasing, the AP (As Purchased) price we pay would be equal to MouCo's cost of
cheese plus an agreedupon profit markup. Bluebird Winery does not use MouCo as a onestop
shop. This would mean we purchase all of the food we sell from MouCo. Since we also provide
fruit, crackers, and small desserts, we go to other local companies and purchase from them to
provide food for the rest of our wine pairing menu. MouCo cheese, unlike other large companies,
does not not make and store large supplies of their cheese. This would cause the cheese to age,
and they prefer sending out fresh cheese to various buyers. As a small winery, we purchase what
we need and they deliver that amount. We also like to serve MouCo cheese fresh, so we do not
store large quantities at Mouco, which is known as stockless purchasing. Similarly, cash and
carry or will call buying does not take place between Mouco and Bluebird Winery. MouCo
delivers to us and there is no extra charge associated. If we were short a wheel of cheese or two,
Mouco is willing to provide what we need (if they have it on hand), right at their company doors.
They do not require a minimum order. We would feel comfortable going to Mouco since it is
nearby, to purchase what we need if we are running short. It is important for us to realize
though, that Mouco does not keep “extra” stock. They make the cheese based off of orders to
avoid waste. The “waste” ends up being donated to local food shelters. This shows that they are
socially responsible. The packaging that the cheese is shipped in is also sent with labels
provided by MouCo for the buyers to send back to for reuse.
Other Observations
Our group did not know what to expect before we took the tour of MouCo cheese. We
have all learned about the cheesemaking process briefly in the FSHN 300 course (Nutrition and
Hospitality majors both have this course in our curriculum) but physically seeing the machinery
used while having a manufacturer explain the process was a unique and worthwhile experience.
It was surprising to find out how little manpower/employees it takes to run such a highly
successful and profitable business. MouCo cheese exemplifies how efficiency and work ethic of
a company is more important than quantity of workers employed. During our tour of their facility
we also learned that MouCo is involved in the Fort Collins community they have a stand at local
farmers’ markets (which doesn’t help their overall profits but helps widen their consumer base);
they occasionally do demos at King Soopers, giving customers samples and suggesting food and
drink pairings with their different cheeses; they sell their cheeses to breweries and wineries all
along the Front Range to pair with beverages; and they give (close to) expiring cheese to the
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food bank. It was encouraging seeing that MouCo has immersed itself into the community; their
proactive nature could be one of the greatest contributions to their expansion and success.
Compare and Contrast
Comparing our location visit to class discussions, there are quite a few things that are
similar and many aspects that have distinct differences than the textbook and lecture offer. To
begin, the importance of handling food products was just as explicitly shown at MouCo as
lecture described. They transport their milk from the distributor to the facility in a specialized
truck (as seen on the title page); it is insulated so the milk stays cool and free of any outside
hazards. Once the milk is at their factory, the employees must practice great care with the
product in each phase of the cheesemaking process both with the dairy and attending to the
equipment at each step (making sure everything is cleaned thoroughly as to not allow any
bacterial growth in any machinery).
The shelf life of the cheese once it has been made and packaged is another aspect whose
importance is similar to that of what we learned in lecture. MouCo’s cheese softness is a result of
the time since it has been made. Immediately after being formed, the cheese is firm; as it ages
and the bacteria feeds on the rind it becomes more soft. Customers prefer their cheese either soft
or hardin order to help the customer know what kind of cheese to expect, MouCo supplements
their packages with calendar dates, specifying when that particular cheese should be hard and
when it should turn softer.
Also as definite as class discussion portrayed was how careful MouCo’s employees have
to be with the temperature and time period their cheese spends in each phase of the process. If it
is left too long or attended to too soon or set in the wrong environment, the entire batch (2000
wheels) will turn out quite differently than their normal productif not ruined completely. This is
important because if they have an outstanding order, both MouCo and their customer will have
known about said order at least one week in advance (the time it takes to procure their cheese); if
an entire batch is ruined due to bad timing or placement by an employee, the order delivery will
be pushed back by at least another week.
This brings us to some of the differences between MouCo’s functions and class
discussions about purchasing in the food industry. In class, the basis of having concrete numbers
in all aspects of a business was illustrated. The way MouCo operates, everything is less exact and
more estimated. From how much milk they get from their manufacturer, to explicitly how many
wheels of cheese they produce weekly (especially how many individually of each of their five
types), to how many largescale customers they have, to how much of each of their cheeses these
largescale customers buy regularly, all of these “numbers” were all ballpark guesses (as they
were explained to us), not deliberate and detailed. Thad, our tour guide, showed us the
whiteboard MouCo uses for their production which displayed how much cheese (of each type)
they had produced in the last two weeks and their expiration dates. This was the extent of
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Works Cited
Cheese Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from
<http://www.idfa.org/newsviews/mediakits/cheese/cheesefacts>
Dawson, S. (2013, September 18). 15 Fun and Interesting Facts about Cheese. Retrieved Mach
12, 2015 from <http://positivemed.com/2013/09/18/15funinterestingfactscheese/>
History of Cheese. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from
<http://www.idfa.org/newsviews/mediakits/cheese/historyofcheese>
How cheese is made. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from
<http://www.eatwisconsincheese.com/wisconsincheese/how_cheese_is_made>
Freeman, S. (n.d.). How cheese works. Retrieved March 11, 2015, from
<http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edibleinnovations/cheese2.htm>
National Historic Cheesemaking Center Cheese History (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015,
from <http://www.nationalhistoriccheesemakingcenter.org/cheesemakinghistory.aspx>
Milk Facts: Heat Treatments and Pasteurization. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from
<http://www.milkfacts.info/Milk%20Processing/Heat%20Treatments%20and%20Pasteurization.
htm>
MouCo Homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from <http://mouco.com/>
Tunick, M. (2014, February 23). The biggest cheese? Cheddar The Boston Globe. Retrieved
March 12, 2015, from
<http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2014/02/23/thebiggestcheesecheddar/FkfbWQnV45ZWa
SDAnlMuXP/story.html>
United States Standards of Grades of Cheddar Cheese. (1956). United States Department of
Agriculture; Agricultural Marketing Service: Dairy Division. Retrieved from
<http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004465>
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