Marin French Cheese Company facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Founded | 1865 |
| Founder | Jefferson A. Thompson |
| Headquarters |
7500 Red Hill Road Petaluma, CA 94952
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Area served
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California |
| Products | Artisan cheese |
| Owner | Rians |
The Marin French Cheese Company makes delicious artisan cheese in a beautiful countryside area called Marin County, California. It was started way back in 1865 by Jefferson Thompson. This company makes cheese using the Marin French Cheese brand name. It's super special because it's the oldest cheese company in the United States that has been making cheese non-stop!
Contents
A Look at History
How the Company Started
The idea for the company might have begun even earlier, around 1854. Some stories say a woman named Clara Steele made cheese from wild cattle in 1857.
What we know for sure is that Jefferson Thompson officially started the company in 1865. His family kept the business going for 133 years! From 1906 to 2013, their cheese was known by the name Rouge et Noir. After that, they started using the "Marin French Cheese" brand.
Early Cheese Products
Howard Bunce, who used to manage the company's operations, shared what their first cheese was like. He said they made a "bar cheese" for workers in San Francisco. This cheese was sent by boat down the Petaluma River to the city.
In the 1930s, many of their dairy cows got sick. So, they brought in new Jersey cows from Oregon to replace them.
New Owners Over Time
In 1998, Bob Thompson sold the company to the Boyce family. The Boyces owned organic cattle ranches in California and Nevada. Jim Boyce, from the Boyce family, said the company worked closely with local dairy farmers for their milk.
Jim Boyce passed away in 2010. Then, in 2011, a French family of cheese makers called Rians bought Marin French. Rians also owns another cheese company, Laura Chenel's Chèvre, nearby.
Delicious Cheeses They Make
The company's very first product in 1865 was a breakfast cheese. It traveled by horse carriage to Petaluma, then by steamboat to San Francisco. There, it was sold to dockworkers by the water. They still make this breakfast cheese today!
They also make other kinds of cheese, like brie, camembert, chèvre (goat cheese), bleu (blue cheese), and a special triple creme Schloss. In 2015, their Petite Breakfast cheese had a special "1865" label. This celebrated their 150th year of making cheese.
Where the Cheese is Made
The Marin French Cheese Company is located on a large 425-acre (1.72 km2) dairy ranch. This ranch is in a place called Hicks Valley. It has a 9,000-square-foot (840 m2) building where they make and sell cheese. There are also barns, storage buildings, and a picnic area.
Even though the company has a Petaluma address, it's actually about 11 miles (18 km) southwest of that city. It's also about 11 miles (18 km) northwest of Novato. The company even hosts art shows at its location!
Keeping Traditions Alive
The company works with other local cheese makers in Marin and Sonoma counties. They help put on the yearly California Artisan Cheese Festival in Petaluma.
Jim Boyce, a former owner, explained their goal. He said they are dedicated to the old ways of making cheese by hand. These skills have been passed down through many generations. Marin French Cheese Company now makes over 40 different types of cheese. Each one is still made carefully by hand. They are aged in the original underground cellar, then weighed and packaged by hand.
Awards and Recognition
In 2005, the company's Triple Creme Brie won a top award. It received the only gold medal in its category at the World Cheese Awards in London. This was a big honor for their cheese!
See also
