Sonoma Cheese Factory facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | |
| Founded | 1931 in Sonoma, California, United States |
| Founder | Celso Viviani |
| Headquarters |
Sonoma, California
,
United States
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| Products | Cheese |
| Revenue | $4 million (2005) |
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Number of employees
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14 (2005) |
| Parent | Sonoma's Best Hospitality Group |
The Sonoma Cheese Factory is a famous place in Sonoma, California, USA. It's known for making delicious cheese. It also has a special food store, a wine shop, and a café where people can eat.
Contents
The Story of Sonoma Cheese Factory
How it All Started (1931-1945)
The Sonoma Cheese Factory is built on a very old spot. Long ago, in 1835, a famous person named Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo had his home there. Later, the land was used for different shops.
The story of the cheese factory truly began with a man named Celso Viviani. He was born in Italy in 1886. When he was 24, he moved to Sonoma, California. Celso worked at a quarry and a place that made drinks.
During a time called Prohibition, it became against the law to make alcohol. So, Celso started making cheese instead. He learned how to make cheese at another creamery. There, he met a friend named Gaetano "Tom" Vella.
In 1931, Celso and Tom decided to start their own cheese company. They called it Sonoma Valley Creamery. It was one of the first companies in the area to focus only on making cheese.
Their company's name changed a few times. First, it was Sonoma Valley Creamery. Then, it became Sonoma Valley Cheese Factory. Finally, it got its current name: Sonoma Cheese Factory. In its first year, the factory made $58,000 in sales.
Growing and Making New Cheeses (1945-1955)
The factory started by making hard Italian-style cheeses. They also made soft cheeses like cottage cheese and cream cheese. Celso and Tom bought more places to make cheese in other areas.
In 1944, they decided to build a new main building in downtown Sonoma. This new building was finished in 1945. It had space for selling cheese, offices, and making cheese.
Around this time, Celso Viviani and Tom Vella decided to work separately. Celso opened the new Sonoma Cheese Factory. Tom Vella started his own company, Vella Cheese Company, in the old building.
The Sonoma Cheese Factory sold cottage cheese and cream cheese to a big company called Kraft Foods. But it became hard to get fresh milk easily. So, the Viviani family decided to focus on making semi-hard cheeses. This is when they created their most famous cheese: Sonoma Jack.
Celso Viviani passed away in 1955. His son, Pete Viviani, then took over the business.
Challenges and New Ideas (1960-1981)
The 1960s were a tough time for the Sonoma Cheese Factory. It was hard to get enough milk, and the company almost closed. Pete Viviani even moved to Mexico for a while to make powdered milk and cheese.
His son, David Viviani, and a business partner named Fred Harland kept the factory going. They helped the business become successful again. They opened a sandwich shop at a local high school. They also sold local wines at the factory. They started a new plan to promote Sonoma Jack cheeses.
Pete Viviani came back in 1971. More tourists started visiting Sonoma Valley, which helped cheese production grow. In 1981, they made a new cheese called Sonoma Jack Hot Pepper. It was the first cheese in California made with spicy jalapeños and red pepper flakes.
Sonoma Cheese Factory Today
By 1985, David Viviani was the president of the company. The Sonoma Cheese Factory was selling $5 million worth of cheese each year. They were sending their cheese all over the country. The company had 50 employees and made 3 million pounds of Sonoma Jack every year.
In 2009, a special plaque was placed on the factory building. It honored Celso Viviani and his family for their long history of making cheese. Pete Viviani passed away shortly after this dedication.
In 2020, the Sonoma Cheese Factory was sold to a new group called Sonoma's Best Hospitality Group.
What Kind of Cheese Do They Make?
When it first started, the Sonoma Cheese Factory made Italian-style hard cheeses. They also made fresh cheeses like cottage cheese and cream cheese. Over time, they started making more semi-hard cheeses.
Their most famous cheese is Jack. It's a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk. They were the first cheese company in California to make a spicy pepper Jack cheese. This cheese uses jalapeño and chili flakes to give it a kick!
Today, they make many different kinds of Jack cheese. These include garlic, Mediterranean, habañero, chipotle, pesto, smoked, and lavender flavors. They also make a mild Cheddar cheese.
In 1987, the Sonoma Cheese Factory made history. They were the first California cheesemaker to win a medal at the United States Championship Cheese Contest. They won a gold and a bronze medal for their Sonoma Garlic Jack cheese.
