FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA – Caves of Faribault, a subsidiary company of Swiss Valley Farms and the award-winning producer of Blue cheese, Gorgonzola and other specialty cheeses, together with Norseland, Inc., the exclusive importer of Jarlsberg® cheese in the United States, announced the companies have entered a partnership to collaborate and expand sales outreach in the specialty food segment, with a stated goal of realizing accelerated growth and domain authority within this artisan category in the fast-paced food industry.
“By partnering with Norseland and their expansive network of sales professionals, we see tremendous opportunity to raise brand awareness and increase distribution of our Caves of Faribault brand,” stated Don Boelens, CEO of Swiss Valley Farms. “We believe this strategic alliance will be beneficial for both companies’ continued growth and success in the ever-changing specialty food category.”
The alliance will allow both premium brands to collaborate and expand combined sales and marketing reach for the entire specialty foods industry, benefiting both existing and future customers. The purpose of this alliance is to further enhance the sales support, customer service, product distribution and marketing coverage for both companies. Norseland’s national sales force and powerful national distribution network will facilitate the expansion of Caves of Faribault products to grocers, retailers and foodservice channels.
Both the Caves of Faribault and Norseland’s portfolio of brands bring to the table a rich history of cheese-making and cured meats, linked to very specialized techniques and processes.
“All of the brands Norseland manages exhibit the quality craftsmanship desired by consumers in this industry,” said Boelens. “By unifying our experience and resources, we will be well-positioned to offer our product line to more consumers and achieve our long-term goal of brand equity in this market.”
For information on Caves of Faribault, visit www.cavesoffaribault.com. For information on Norseland, visit www.norseland.com.
About Caves of Faribault
Founded in 2001, Caves of Faribault is a manufacturer of award-winning artisanal cheeses, aged exclusively in its sandstone caves located in Faribault, Minnesota. These caves were first used to hand-craft blue cheese in 1936. The company is best known for its Amablu® brand, which has been the recipient of many national and international awards since its creation in 2002. In 2010, Caves of Faribault became a subsidiary of Swiss Valley Farms, a Davenport, Iowa cooperative nationally recognized for producing quality cheeses and other dairy products since 1958.
About Norseland, Inc.
Norseland, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of TINE SA (a cooperative of more than 15,000 dairy farmers in Norway and its largest producer, distributor and exporter of dairy products) is the exclusive importer, sales and marketing agent for the Jarlsberg® cheese and several other premium specialty food products in the United States. Headquartered in Darien, Connecticut, Norseland utilizes a national network of over 500 highly qualified, professional food brokers as its extended sales force to assist in the capacity of its product portfolio sales, promotion and merchandising.
Source: Caves of Faribault & Norseland, Inc.