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Third generation cheesemaker
Meet the Master Cheesemaker, Chris Renard
Master of Cheddar and Mozzarella
Continuing the Renard family tradition by honoring the family recipes perfected by his father and grandfather, while extending our legacy through the creation of new, award-winning flavor profiles.
10 years
The amount of experience a cheesemaker must already have before being considered to enter the Master Cheesemaker Program.
3 Years
The apprenticeship commitment required to the program. Dedication to perfecting and learning the art of making cheese.
90 Masters
The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program has certified over 90 Masters out of the more than 1,200 total cheesemakers in the state.
WISCONSIN MASTER CHEESEMAKER PROGRAM
Like a Ph.D in the cheesemaking world.
Like a Ph.D in the cheesemaking world.
Wisconsin is the only state in the U.S. with this level of certification. Skilled cheesemakers must have 10+ years of experience before entering the 3 Year Masters program.
Only Master Cheesemakers receive their distinctive blue
master's mark to place on their products.
Only Master Cheesemakers receive their distinctive blue
master's mark to place on their products.
about cheesemaking in Wisconsin
"The difference in Wisconsin... is the innovation. It's not just the cheesemakers doing it - it's the support we get."
20
Awards won for cheese
Our History
At the age of 13, Howard Renard began helping his father, a farmer and milk hauler. For 20 years, Howard learned the art and science of the cheesemaking trade at Door County Dairies producing Colby and his specialty, Cheddar, before opening his own manufacturing plant— Rosewood Dairy—in Algoma in 1961. His son Gary Renard purchased Cloverleaf Dairy in 1966, which combined with Rosewood Dairy in 1975. The Cloverleaf Dairy factory was turned into Renard's Cheese Store.
Chris was introduced to cheesemaking at just four years old washing milk cans, and he returned to the family business in 1995 where he expanded the types of cheese produced. He and his wife Ann purchased Renard's Cheese in 2010, where the business continued to grow into a renovated cheese store and bistro. In 2014, Chris earned his Master Cheesemakers Certifications in Cheddar and Mozzarella, earning a rare prestigious title in Wisconsin.
In 1961, the two-vat factory was producing 2,500 pounds of cheese a day. Today, the 100-year old factory averages nearly 10,000 pounds per day—and more is on the way.
A small business making a big impact
45
Distributors in the U.S. and Middle East (Dubai and Saudi Arabia)
3M+
Pounds of cheese produced annually
60+
Years of cheesemaking
75
Flavors of cheese
