SOUTH WOODSTOCK, Vt. – Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company (VFCC), a fast-growing producer of farmstead and artisanal cheeses, today announced its debut at more than 36 Stop & Shop locations throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The young company’s growth is fueled by top industry recognition and increased consumer demand for its handcrafted small-batch cheeses, including a recent third-place award for its Alehouse Cheddar at the 2013 American Cheese Society (ACS) Competition.
VFCC began in 2010 as an inspiring community effort to save a local farm and became the state’s first community-owned dairy facility. Since then, VFCC has created an award-winning line of more than a dozen all-natural “Old-World” cheeses with unique Vermont interpretations, generating 34 industry honors in national and international competitions. In addition to the recent ACS win, last month VFCC’s Lille was chosen as the People’s Choice award winner at the 2013 Vermont Cheesemakers’ Festival.
"Partnering with Stop and Shop is an exciting milestone for us as it allows us to work with another New England-based company to significantly expand our distribution,” said Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company Sales Manager Angie Underwood. "While we work with many leading specialty shops, Stop and Shop is one of the region’s premier mainstream grocers and we are proud to present our artisanal products on larger scale.”
Stop & Shop will carry four of VFCC’s signature cheeses, including ACS-award winner Alehouse Cheddar; Governor’s Cheddar, a 2012 ACS award winner; Smoked WindsorDale; and BrickHaus Tilsit, which was awarded second place at the 2013 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest.
In conjunction with a significant expansion in distribution in the past year, VFCC recently introduced two new cheese varieties, adding to its list of award-winning farmstead and artisanal cheeses. Last December, the company announced its acquisition of Vermont-based Castleton Crackers, furthering its mission to promote makers of the state’s artisanal food products.
The company's collection of hard and soft cheeses, handcrafted in small batches using 100 percent rBGH-free Vermont milk, is available in specialty retail locations in more than 15 states across the U.S. and through the company's website. A current list of retailers, including Stop & Shop locations, can be found at vermontfarmstead.com.
ABOUT VERMONT FARMSTEAD CHEESE COMPANY:
The Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company (www.vermontfarmstead.com), which began as an inspiring community effort to save a local farm and its surrounding rural landscape, is today an award-winning cheese company creating an entirely new generation of unique farmstead and artisanal cheeses. Based in South Woodstock, VT, the farm is home to a prize-winning, multi-breed herd, with an adjoining 5,500-sq. ft. production facility. The company’s creative cheesemakers employ traditional and sustainable dairy farming practices in creating a line of the highest-quality, “Old World” cheeses with distinct Vermont authenticity and style.
Source: Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company