Japan trade show to host Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery cheese
February: A time of hearts and date nights and elongating days and sniffs of spring and — international trade shows?
That’s right. Next month, Japan’s 59th Super Market Trade Show takes the love-month stage from February 12 to 14, existing as perhaps the most on-brand Valentine’s Day celebration a dairyman or cheesemaker could partake in.
Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery has been personally invited to be featured at the show; representatives will host an expo booth full of information about our Guernsey milk cheese.
The event, held in a convention center just outside of Tokyo, is put on by the National Supermarket Association of Japan, a retail-focused organization that conducts surveys, research, educational training, publications, and exhibitions, all concerning supermarkets.
According to the official Supermarket Trade Show website, it is meant to be a “business meeting for the retail industry” that “provides the latest information on supermarkets and the distribution industry.”
The gathering offers “the latest information on the food distribution industry, focusing on supermarkets. It gives you an opportunity to meet leaders from the retail, wholesale, and food service industry, and to find new partnerships, new networks, and new trends for helping your business.”
This year, more than 2,195 companies are projected to attend the show, exhibiting 3,521 booths. Of those, 105 are from overseas (Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery included), representing 140 booths overall.
A research project conducted by the National Supermarket Association of Japan called “Food Trend Zone” will showcase the new research categories "Time efficiency × Food" and "Protein × Food.” These topics (and the already established “Frozen x Food” and “Inbound x Food”) are meant to provide visitors with products and information on consumer trends and potential food service solutions.
For example, the “Time efficiency x Food” exhibition will cite “the demand for simplicity and shortened cooking times,” leading to the need for meal kits and microwavable products. The zone will offer potential products, information, technologies, and services that will lead to time-efficient cooking and meal consumption.
If you’re a cheese lover like Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery (and, assumedly, given our invitation, Japan), there truly is no better place to venture than a supermarket trade show in the middle of February.
Follow along with pre- and post-show happenings here in Creamery Notes and at www.hoardscreamery.com and https://www.smts.jp/en/.
Quiz time! Brucellosis-free edition
Wisconsin was the first major livestock state in the nation to be declared free of brucellosis in 1956, a cattle disease that is known as ___ when it is passed to humans.
A) Undulant Fever
B) Bruce Disease
C) Cattle Fever
D) Terrible Time
Scroll past the image to find the answer!
If you said A) Undulant Fever, then you’re correct! Undulant Fever is what brucellosis is known as when it is passed to humans. (For reference: https://hoards.com/article-125-Hoards-Dairyman-WD-Knox.html)
On National Cheese Lover’s Day, it’s socially acceptable to wipe clean the fondue tray (and any day after that – we won’t judge!)
“National [fill-in-the-blank] Day”s just keep getting more and more superb — if you’re timely enough to stumble upon their hashtag,
that is…
On Monday, the country recognized… National Cheese Lover’s Day! (Word has it Monday also saw an inauguration, a Civil Rights activist holiday, and my friend’s first day at a new job — but all of these probably also involved cheese consumption, right?)
In all seriousness, there’s a lot going on this month. If you find yourself overwhelmed, reeling like a broken clock’s ailing tick-tock, rest assured, there is hope: your cheese drawer says so.
In both their 2024 and 2025 cheese trend reports, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin defined food as “the glue that binds relationships.”
Cheese has, the year’s research revealed, “the power to bring people closer together, whether that’s creating moments for loved ones, gathering for a special occasion, or falling in love over a shared appreciation of cheese.”
Now, we all know cheese can’t actually put out wildfires or cross political quarries or grant my friend the very best workforce experience of his life, but it’s true that cheese is a uniquely social food, derivative of the kind of connection and variety we seek out in our everyday lives.
Not only is cheese highly cultural — with many countries, and even states, producing numerous local and national varieties of their own — but it is also a go-to dairy food for people who have otherwise had to avoid dairy; it’s an ode to humanity’s continuous ingenuity (though discovered by accident!); it’s consumed by 96% of Americans, therefore maybe the safest of all conversation starters; and it has historically served as the centerpiece for social gatherings, events, and honorariums (particularly in Europe and the U.S.), making it a literal point of connection across socioeconomic groups.
All of this and, well, cheese’s tastiness, we say merits a National Cheese Lover’s Day nod, indeed.
If you’re late to the celebration, no sweat: Our Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery cheese selection has you covered.
St. Saviour’s reach is that of a saint’s, indeed
St. Saviour
If you’ve been around the Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery cheese block enough times, you’ve probably heard of our award-winning camembert-style St. Saviour. But do you know of all the ways it’s been celebrated near and far?
Its flavor not only lives up to the well-established hype; it has managed to draw attention to itself and its makers from media outlets, state universities, and contest judges alike. For example:
On September 28, Madison, Wis.’s annual Art of Cheese Festival featured St. Saviour as the second course of the Wisconsin cheese brunch. Chef Tory Miller’s original recipe was “baked bao with smoked ham, Ela Orchard apple chutney, pepita chutney, and Greek yogurt.” Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery’s creamery director Ricardo Gutierrez attended the event to represent W.D. Hoard and Sons Co.
PBS covered Hoard’s Dairyman Farm and Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery on its Wisconsin Foodie series hosted by Luke Zahm. The segment highlighted a simple yet delicious baked St. Saviour made by Genesee Depot, Wis.,’s Union House executive chef Dan Harrell.
St. Saviour has also received recognition at numerous worldwide cheese awards, including the International Cheese and Dairy Awards, the World Cheese Awards, the Green County Fair cheese contest, and more.
The cheese has also been used in state- and nationwide home-cooked recipes, championed by the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and celebrated by independent restaurants and businesses.
What makes this small wheel of curd stand out the way it does? Even more pointedly: is it even that good? There’s only one way to find out: Try it for yourself.
Of course, St. Saviour isn’t the only guest at our pure Guernsey-milk cheese table. Our Belaire, Sark, Governor’s Select, and Gouda each carry their own weight. When it comes to any product made by Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery cheese makers, you can’t go wrong.
Reindeer cheese roasting on an open fire — wait, what?
If you live in Scandinavia, you might have access to the rarity that is milk from the famous sleigh flyers themselves. (No Santas got run over by a reindeer in the making of this article.)
At Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery, we’re, shall we say, familiar with all kinds of pure Guernsey milk cheeses. But with the holiday season comes culinary innovation. In Finland, and anywhere else Santa’s pets abound, experimentation extends to reindeer cheese.
Juusto is a bread cheese that can be made from cow’s, goat’s, or reindeer’s milk, but it comes most often from the latter. The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity cites reindeer cheese (renost) as a traditional product of the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia, the Sami. It has continued to be made throughout time by those who have access to the vaja (female reindeer)’s milk — primarily reindeer breeders — but the majority of renost samplings today are respectable imitations made from cow’s or goat’s milk.
By custom, reindeer cheese was left to sit until totally dry so makers could store it for several years. Once they were ready to eat the curd, they’d heat it over a flame to soften it toward roasted butteriness and then serve it with a variety of dishes.
Juusto is naturally dense, like feta, with a firmness that’s good for crumbling. It can be eaten on its own with a dash of honey, as a juusto “cheese bread,” made in some regions of Finland, or as a side dish to a morning cup of coffee.
Odds are, you don’t have access to reindeer milk this Christmas. But you can still be festive with cheese! Rudolph cheese balls have dominated some holiday-themed culinary blog posts. If you can’t make cheese out of reindeer milk, you can make cheese look like a reindeer, at least.
Here at Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery, we excel at cheese. Our animals might not pull a magical sleigh, but the milk they produce is far from ordinary. Check out our offerings at www.hoardscreamery.com, and remember to thank a reindeer on Christmas Eve.
What you never knew you needed to know about secret government cheese
A national dairy shortage in the 1970s and sustained government subsidies as part of the farmer-friendly 2014 Agricultural Act caused what is now a national cheese surplus – a surplus weighing in at roughly 1.6 billion pounds.
Where could that amount of cheese possibly be hiding, you ask?
If you live in Missouri, the answer is right under your feet.
A warehouse spanning 3.2 million square feet 100 feet below Springfield, Mo., crosswalks, school bus stops, and restaurant delivery routes is home to a labyrinth of cellar-like shelves upon which blocks of 50-year-old cheeses sit, dreaming of lives in sauces, soups, pies, and digital reels.
While, yes, the cheese is “just sitting there,” it is also being put to use. Or at least, trying to be put to use.
Beginning in the 1980s, under President Reagan’s direction, the abundant cheese supply began being distributed as part of the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) and donated to food banks and community centers.
While it’s safe to say these distribution efforts were moderately successful and well-received, the cheese itself was “pungent and processed,” making it largely undesirable, particularly among American Indian communities.
As a people who traditionally did not consume dairy as part of their diet (domesticated animals arrived on the Mayflower along with pilgrims in 1621), many American Indians weren’t keen on receiving commodity cheese from the same government that had played a part in restricting their resources to begin with. Still, some Native Americans have found comfort in the way the cheese calls upon the adaptability and resilience of family members both then and now. (November is American Indian Heritage Month. Read more here.)
All this to say: a product whose shelf life meant dairy farmers would see the 21st century regardless of market trends, is, one might say, a national treasure, even taking into account its controversial distribution.
If you’re fortunate enough to have access to top-tier cheese made from pure Guernsey milk, count your lucky stars. For some, the only cheese on the horizon might be that of Missouri’s basement. (How about some award-winning St. Saviour for all?!)
Every cheese that’s produced supports dairy farmers and their continuous efforts to bring quality products to the table, and that’s a win in itself.
Thanksgiving’s first dairy guest
English Puritan farmers brought dairy animals and dairy farming practices to North America in the 17th century. As the first-ever dairymen to arrive in what is now the United States (Native American tribes did not have nor, therefore, milk, domesticated animals), the pilgrims set the stage for dairy’s own Manifest Destiny.
The Mayflower herself included a shipment of Old World cheese in 1620. Since the meal known as “the first Thanksgiving” shared by the Wampanoag Indians and the pilgrims took place in 1621, this means cheese (of some variety or another) was almost indisputably an original fourth Thursday guest. In fact, it may have been a staple of their diet at large.
According to Amish cheesemakers at Simply Cheese, “Cheddar cheese, with its long shelf life, became particularly popular among colonists. This firm, flavorful cheese was enjoyed throughout the year, but it was especially cherished during the autumn months as part of Thanksgiving feasts. It was one of the many ways they celebrated the abundance of the harvest season.”
Sound familiar? We challenge you to find a modern Thanksgiving spread that doesn’t include cheese. (Lactose intolerant families don’t count!)
If you’re on the prowl for quality fromage to add to your own feast, look no further than Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery. Whether you plan to use it in your favorite recipe or serve it in slices, our selection of pure Guernsey milk cheeses is hard to beat: our original St. Saviour took home a silver medal at the 2024 World Cheese Awards in Portugal!
Celebrate with historical dairy pride this year, and enjoy the fondue-like swirl that is the holiday season.
Dairy’s ballot is red and green
Milk and cheese prices can be affected by elections regardless of political party both during and after voting day.
In case you missed it: it’s election week.
Really, though, how could you?
Even without social media’s insidious current events crusade, you’d have to be pretty far removed from society to be oblivious to a presidential race. (I’m talking Maine hermit removed.)
What might be news is elections’ impact on dairy. Agriculture may belong to its own subset of industry standards and expectations, but it is not exempt from political influence. Election years impose unique economic fluctuations. Milk and cheese in particular may exhibit changes in the marketplace. This is due not to political candidates and their parties but rather to the tumultuous nature of election years themselves.
For instance, a study by Total Farm Marketing showed a modest increase in milk and cheese prices both during an election cycle and throughout the year following. Alternatively, some election years saw a decrease in market prices. (Outside factors of each four-year change must be taken into consideration, such as the 2008 recession.) Both pre- and postelection price changes proved to be unallied to any one political party. According to the study, “Neither Republicans nor Democrats dominate price increases versus price declines.”
Because it’s difficult to predict when an election will negatively impact the market versus when it will boost the market, the Total Farm Marketing report noted it’s unwise to play a guessing game of where the market is going, as a producer. It is wise, however, to plan ahead for where the market might go and to prepare for market opportunities as they come.
This means “making a plan that is flexible and adjusts as the market changes,” the report said. “Build a plan that helps you protect your price in the event the market goes up — or down.”
Given dairy’s exponential outshining of plant-based alternatives and its recent embrace of the highly marketable value-added milk, there’s nothing, shall we say, serious to fear re: dairy in an election year, even taking into account the possibility for market variabilities.
“Without a change in demand or supply expectations, you’re unlikely to see a significant impact on price,” Total Farm Marketing noted.
At the end of the day, the report advised, dairy farmers should take into consideration, rather than prescribe to, dispersal of data between election years, political parties, and market prices.
Elevate your favorite cheeses with star-studded charcuterie arrangements
Professional guides and classes in the art of meat and cheese boards provide lessons on how to up your pairing game.
Ever dreamt of putting together the perfect charcuterie board? Is there an hors d’oeuvres expert inside you somewhere, just waiting to be brought to life?
You’re in luck. Not only are there people who specialize in charcuterie board content and design, but there are actual classes taught by these professionals, offered so that ordinary folk like us get to partake in playing perfect hosts.
The Board Room, a restaurant owned by Elizabeth Turnbaugh in Libertyville, Ill., offers in-person charcuterie courses in partnership with Turnbaugh’s other business, My CharCUTErie. Patrons interested in learning the ins and outs of charcuterie arrangement can sign up for a pre-arranged class or book a private session with up to ten guests.
Arranmore Farm in Oswego, Ill., offers its own spin on charcuterie design for the uneducated platers, and so does Sharecuterie Grazing Boxes and Boards in Powell, Ohio, and Fromagination in Madison, Wis.
Wait — is there a pattern here? Does the Midwest have the monopoly on artisanal cheese and meat arrangement?
It’s true, the Midwest has award-winning cheese, but there are plenty of star-studded “dairy states” out there. A deeper investigation reveals Maryland has at least one such charcuterie board class, as does Placentia, Calif.
If you have done all you can to find a class in your area and have yet to, despair not: the online event company Elevent hosts virtual charcuterie board classes. Plus, in this undulant internet age, there are a plethora of online DIY guides out there for how to lay out the goods.
But which matters more: the quality of the cheese on the board or the arrangement itself? Consider the poll open — but you know where we stand. After all, Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery has a pretty stellar selection of charcuterie-friendly cheeses…
Enjoy the sprightly happenings of this colorful season, and send your favorite fall cheese board ideas to us at katiec@hoardscreamery.com.
Searching for a costume idea this Halloween? Look no further.
Dairy-themed costumes offer ample amusement and ease for the less-invested October 31st partakers.
Halloween-themed cheese plate
If you celebrate Halloween, you might be familiar with the yearly self-imposed pressure to up the creative ante. The coveted “best costume” award can only go to Donna and Joe’s Pulp Fiction cosplay so many times…right?
If you’re at all like me in this way, you may want to think outside the box this spooky season. To do this, try thinking inside the box — the cheese box, to be exact.
Yes, cheese costumes are a thing, and they prove to be more clever than one might expect. Also, there are way, way, more cheese(y) costumes out there than I thought there would be.
Dubious? Try typing any of the following “costumes” into Google:
Mac n cheese, cheese ball jar, hot Cheetos bag, cheesehead, cream cheese tub, cheese whiz canister, mouse and cheese, cheese grater, queso jar, charcuterie board, or, simply, milk carton.
Each one of these cheese-related items can be bought as a ready-made costume. My personal favorite is the Kraft Singles outfit, found at HalloweenCostumes.com. What’s scarier than the pretend version of what our cheesemakers spend their lives crafting to perfection? (I’m artisan-loyal until it comes to grilling out; what else can go on a proper American cheeseburger but a perfectly thin and square Kraft Single?)
If you’re a DIY’er, there are step-by-step guides for making some of these costumes by hand, too.
You might not win an originality contest with a cheese-themed piece, but you’ll surely monopolize crowd appeal. The Dairy Reporter cited that 96% of Americans eat cheese (a third of whom include it in 21 meals per week), and The Food Institute estimated that global cheese consumption will reach a record high by the end of 2024.
Needless to say, you’ll find no judgment from the Creamery Notes creators re: triangle cheesehead suit. After all, it’s our job to love cheese. But just know, if you opt to flaunt your dairy pride, you may find yourself in an unmatched altercation with some boxed soy milk party goers.
If costumes and ghouls and haunted houses aren’t your thing, cozy up near an open window with a curated cheese board and watch the Hallow’s Eve shenanigans from afar. Cheese’s truest strength, after all, is its inalienable comfort.