The Story Behind Every Slice

The success of Bongards Premium Cheese comes down to high-quality cheese crafted using time honored recipes and the freshest milk. Bongards’ products are consistently sought after in a variety of segments from foodservice to food manufacturers to c-stores.  The secret to crafting a craveable cheese requires starting with the best ingredients.

Making cheese on a large scale takes great effort, team work, and dedication, and behind every Bongards cheese you’ll find a story of high-quality craftsmanship.  We have a team of highly committed people—and, of course, cows, lots and lots of cows.

Now, while the cows had little to say on the matter of Bongards Cheese (beyond the expected moooooo), the employees are happy to tout what makes their cheese the best.

Tom Beringer is the Milk Procurement Manager for Bongards and as such, he oversees the supply and use of milk—and at Bongards this means a lot of milk.  So Beringer has his work cut out for him. Bongards is a co-op meaning the farmers whose milk goes into the cheese are actually the owners of the company (also called the patrons).

Tom collaborates with these farmers and together they ensure a consistent supply of only the freshest milk makes it into Bongards cheeses.  In fact 24 hours after Bongards receives the milk it has been turned into natural cheese.  This is part of a core Bongards value which is: To make good use of hard-earned ingredients by crafting a delicious finished product. This results in a win for all stakeholders – especially the consumer.

Beringer  also cites vertical integration as one of the factors behind Bongards’ quality and consistency in its cheese and whey products.  Vertical integration means that Bongards can control the quality of their products at every level—from farm to finished product. It also allows Bongards to respond quickly to changing market conditions, an important characteristic in a market as ever-changing as dairy.  Vertical integration allows for quick and efficient feedback between all levels of production, and cheese makers at the Bongards plant in Peham, Minnesota are able to tweak recipes to meet the needs of American cheese makers in Bongards Minnesota.  This allows Bongards to deliver on the promise they make to customers to deliver “Your Cheese. Your Way.”