Websterville, Vt. – Vermont Creamery co-founders Bob Reese and Allison Hooper announced the promotion of Adeline Druart to President of Vermont Creamery. Druart, who moved to Vermont from France for a two-month internship at the Creamery in 2002, has been with the company for 14 years. Hooper and Reese will actively remain involved with the company as co-CEOs.
"Adeline is an instrumental part of the Vermont Creamery story," said Bob Reese. "Her passion and drive have helped us get to where we are today, and her vision for the future will lead us into the next decade and beyond."
Druart discovered Vermont Creamery when she googled "crème fraîche USA" and found that the European style cultured cream considered a staple in French cooking was being made in Vermont. "It was supposed to be a two-month internship," said Druart, "but I fell in love."
At the time, Vermont Creamery had begun making aged goat cheeses, a type of cheesemaking typical of the Loire Valley of France. For her Master's degree, Druart designed the first aged cheese facility at Vermont Creamery to help meet growing demand for the company's award winning line of aged cheeses including Bonne Bouche, Cremont, Coupole, and Bijou.
With a Master's degree in Biotechnology and Bio-industry from the prestigious French National Dairy School in Savoie, France, Druart's energy and expertise quickly became indispensible. She was promoted to Operations Manager in 2004 and then General Manager in 2007. During her tenure, Druart has overseen the launching of multiple new products and the company's recent major expansion of the aged cheesemaking facility.
"From the moment she arrived, she was part of the family," said co-founder Allison Hooper. "Adeline is a cheesemaker at heart. Bob and I recognized her savvy and intelligence as a businesswoman, and set about mentoring her to help us lead the company. We could not be more proud."
About Vermont Creamery
Combining the European tradition of cheesemaking with Vermont's terroir, Vermont Creamery's line of fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter, and crème fraîche have won over 100 national and international awards. In their 30th year of business, Vermont Creamery supports a network of more than 15 family farms, promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. B Corp Certified in 2014, Vermont Creamery is the founder of Ayers Brook Goat Dairy, the country's first demonstration goat dairy. For more information, visit www.vermontcreamery.com.
Source: Vermont Creamery