Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese’s Chocolate Mascarpone Wins Best in Class
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese’s Chocolate Mascarpone took home Best in Class accolades in the Flavored Soft Cheese category at the 2023 United States Cheese Championships, with Fresh Mozzarella placing in the Top 3 of the Fresh Mozzarella category.
This year’s contest saw 2,249 entries from 197 producers representing 35 states.
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese’s Top 5 accolades by class and place are:
- Open Class, Flavored Soft Cheeses: Chocolate Mascarpone (first); Marinated Fresh Mozzarella (fourth)
- Fresh Mozzarella: Fresh Mozzarella (second, third)
“It’s an honor to see our products recognized on a national stage,” said George Crave, founder of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese. “We’re proud of our award-winning legacy that spans each of our handcrafted products.”
First-place Chocolate Mascarpone is the perfect way to add an elegant touch to everyday recipes, including desserts, charcuterie boards and fruit trays. Find recipes using the award-winning product on the Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese website and purchase their award-winning cheese today.
The U.S. Cheese Championship has been held biennially since 1981. 2023 marks the 21st edition of the contest, hosted in Green Bay, Wis., by the Wisconsin Cheese Maker’s Association. The contest is open to cheesemakers across the nation and is evaluated by a panel of skilled technical judges. Cheeses are scored by flavor, body and texture, salt, color, finish, packaging and more.
The Crave family farms 2,500 acres of productive land in south-central Wisconsin, growing soybeans, corn and alfalfa to use as nutritious feed for their Holstein cows. From the biodigester to water recovery and recycling, sustainability is top-of-mind on the farm and cheese factory. The Crave Brothers Farm LLC and Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese LLC use 100 percent green power and are carbon-negative businesses.
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produces food service and retail sizes of Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Part-skim Mozzarella, Oaxaca, Farmer’s Rope String Cheese and Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds.
Crave Brothers will be exhibiting at the 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show at the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin – Wisconsin Cheese Pavilion . For more information, contact Roseanne Crave, sales & marketing manager at roseanne@cravecheese.com or visit cravecheese.com.
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Country Music Star Luke Bryan to Tout Smithfield Foods Brands
Smithfield Foods‘ portfolio of consumer favorite brands are collaborating with country music superstar and television personality Luke Bryan to help recognize and uncover the good all around us, at the table to beyond.
Starting with the food we eat, the Good Goes On with Luke Bryan platform is setting out to help people discover how to best nurture themselves and be inspired to share the goodness with those around them through mealtimes, social gatherings and special occasions.
The diverse portfolio of brands, including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan’s Famous and Carando, has provided shoppers with convenient, dependable and delicious meal options for decades. We nourish families and individuals throughout each day, but more importantly, we bring people together to eat, feel, and share good experiences.
“I’m proud to kick off the Good Goes On program because there’s always room for more good in the world,” Bryan said. “I’m a believer in finding the good in every day, having fun and spreading joy. We have a few surprises up our sleeves this year, so be sure to follow us as we continue to find ways you can spread the good in 2023!”
“Our brands are excited to partner with Luke Bryan to help continue our mission of bringing goodness to households through the food we provide,” said Tim Zimmer, chief marketing officer for Smithfield Foods. “Over the years, we’ve enjoyed seeing that even small and simple acts of thoughtfulness can make a difference. This year, we’re proud to join with Luke Bryan to focus on the good around the table and showcase how our brands help nurture the communities we serve across the nation.”
To see what Bryan will be up to next and stay up to date with Good Goes On, check out GoodGoesOn.com.
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Southern Glazer’s Appoints Finley to Sales VP
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, has appointed Cassie Finley to the role of vice president, national retail sales, strategic accounts.
Finley, who will report to Scott Moore, senior vice president, national accounts, off premise, will be responsible for identifying macro and shopper trends and providing customer-centric recommendations to retail partners to achieve growth and deliver a best-in-class shopping experience. Finley has extensive expertise in applying data and analytics to create customer-first strategies that drive profitable growth.
“The team is excited to elevate our focus on customer planning and execution through data, insights and technology,” said Moore. “I’m looking forward to welcoming Cassie to our team as the expert in this space. She brings an abundance of knowledge and experience from her two impressive decades in the industry.”
Finley’s 21-year career in the retail industry began in 2002 with Walmart, where she spent the following 15 years in various leadership roles of increasing scope and responsibility within merchandising and operations. In 2017, she stepped into the role of senior category merchant – adult beverage at Whole Foods Market, where she led category management for wine and spirits, and was the architect for the joint-business-planning process with key suppliers and distributor partners.
Most recently, Finley served as director of merchandising for Kroger Co., where she acted as a champion for change within the fresh-forward initiative and direct store delivery governance, and utilized best-in-class customer data to develop personalized strategies and offers for customers. Finley was nominated for Progressive Grocer’s Top Women in Grocery in 2019, 2020 and 2022, in addition to Progressive Grocer’s NextGen award in 2021.
“Our vision to be the indispensable, trusted partner for our retail customers is a three-pronged approach,” said Chris Williams, executive vice president, national accounts. “Fortifying our B2B execution metrics, as well as delivering world-class insights and joint business planning is certain to deliver transformational growth for our customers and supplier partners. Cassie’s expertise supported by Scott Moore’s three decades of experience and leadership are a winning combination.”
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, and proud to be a multi-generational, family-owned company. The Company has operations in 44 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. In 2022, Southern Glazer’s was listed as one of Forbes Best Employers for Diversity. In 2021, Southern Glazer’s was selected as a U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal, as well as named by Newsweek as a Top 100 Most Loved Workplace. Southern Glazer’s urges all retail customers and adult consumers to market, sell, serve, and enjoy its products responsibly. For more information visit www.southernglazers.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @sgwinespirits.
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