Chapter 30
-- Compiled by the Cumberland Women's Club
and Published by the Cumberland Advocate
1874-1974
(used by permission of the Cumberland Advocate)
Donated by Linda Mott
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Universal Foods Corporation--Stella Cheese
Some
57 years ago, in 1917, Giulio Bolognesi
and Attillio Castigliano
associated with the World Good Commission, together with Emilo
Bolognesi, started making cheese at a farm
factory in Lake Nebagamon, in northwestern Wisconsin. From this evolved
the Stella Cheese Company, subsequently acquiring plants in the copper
country of northern Michigan, in Fond du
Lac
County in southeastern Wisconsin and in Barron and Polk Counties in northwestern
Wisconsin in the 1930s and early 1940s.
The first cheese made by Stella in Cumberland was 1939 in factory facilities acquired from the Cumberland Co-op Creamery Association. This followed acquisition of a factory at Campbellsport and a creamery at Clayton, Wisconsin. Cheeses produced were types that normally would be imported from Italy such as Parmesan, Romano, Asiago and Fontina, Provolone and Mozzarella. Soon after the Barronett Creamery was also acquired, where Blue Cheese and Gorgonzola were produced.
Not only cheese was made and cured at Cumberland, but boxes made from local aspen were also fabricated at their box factory for the boxing of cheese for shipment to markets in the east and west coasts and principal cities of the midwest.
Over a period of about 5 years the Cumberland factory building was expanded to present dimensions. In 1946 a cheese curing and storage warehouse was built to accommodate the production of the some dozen factories that were making Stella Cheese in northwestern Wisconsin.
The L.D. Schreber Company acquired the Stella Cheese Company in 1950, fostering further expansion into southwestern Wisconsin and in Indiana, such requiring added curing and storage in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Depletion of milk supplies in Michigan in 1960s forced the closing of the manufacturing facilities in that area. At about this time it was also deemed necessary to consolidate operation in northwestern Wisconsin to expanded facilities at Clayton, Wisconsin where Blue Cheese and Gorgonzola as with the other Italian varieties were manufactured and cured.
Following a program of diversification, Universal Foods Corporation of Milwaukee, manufacturer of Red Start Yeast, acquired Stella in 1963.
Sales growth continued, requiring increasing of production by existing and satellite supplier plants. In 1968 a central warehouse and curing facility and distribution center was constructed at Beloit, Wisconsin which also incorporated a grated cheese operation.
At this
time of the Cumberland Centennial, Universal Foods with home offices in
Milwaukee, is manufacturing Stella Cheeses at their locations in Wisconsin
at Cumberland, Clayton, Campbellsport, Dodgeville and Brodhead; and at
Peru, Indiana with central distribution at Beloit, Wisconsin. Distribution
of products is made through sales offices and distributors
throughout
the nation.
to The
Cumberland Milling Company
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