A growing appetite for high-protein foods is creating new opportunities for a longtime Wisconsin dairy cooperative. And a nearly $15.5 million investment is helping make that growth possible.
Westby Cooperative Creamery is the only cottage cheese manufacturer in Wisconsin. An expansion and modernization at its manufacturing facility is happening with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development’s Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program and its lending partner, Security Financial Bank.
The project is designed to update aging infrastructure, improve efficiency and increase the cooperative’s ability to meet rising demand for cottage cheese and other dairy products.
“This is a great example of the ingenuity of rural Wisconsin,” USDA Rural Development Wisconsin State Director Andrew Iverson said. “From a dairy farm to a grocer’s shelf, this investment will reinforce rural prosperity in Wisconsin.”
A 120-year-old cooperative continues to grow
A farmer-owned cooperative, Westby Cooperative Creamery has deep roots in Wisconsin Agriculture. It was founded in 1903 and works with dairy producers, primarily in the Driftless Region of the state, to create a variety of products including cottage cheese, sour cream, dips and yogurt.
Today, cottage cheese is experiencing renewed attention as consumers look for foods with high-quality protein.
“It’s a product that’s been around for a long time, but now it’s really coming into focus because of the current demand for protein,” Iverson explained.
The demand has created an opportunity for Westby Cooperative Creamery to grow. The modernization project will help the cooperative produce more efficiently while maintaining its commitment to quality.
Modernization means faster production and improved efficiency
The expansion will bring new technology and equipment into the existing facility, including:
- Four fully enclosed cottage cheese vats, each capable of producing up to 5,700 pounds of cottage cheese per run
- Two 10,000-gallon cream tanks
- A new food-grade room within the existing facility
- Automated systems for ingredients, testing and sanitation
- HEPA-filtered air environments to improve food safety
The improvements will also significantly increase production capacity. Currently, producing cottage cheese can take about 16 hours. With the new equipment, that process will be reduced to about eight hours. The cooperative also expects to increase yield by 10% to 15%, meaning more cottage cheese can be produced from the same amount of milk.
Supporting farmers and rural communities
While the project focuses on updating a creamery, the impact reaches far beyond the facility walls.
Westby Cooperative Creamery employs nearly 150 people and works with dairy farms throughout Wisconsin. Keeping a strong farmer-owned cooperative thriving helps support the producers who supply the milk behind the products consumers find in grocery stores.
“When I was there, they had a map of Wisconsin with all the pins locating the different farms they work with,” Iverson said. “You ultimately see that great product at the end, but it starts with Wisconsin farms.”
The project will help maintain those jobs while expanding the cooperative’s ability to serve customers.
USDA Rural Development offers more than many realize
The Westby project is one example of how USDA Rural Development supports rural communities. The agency offers more than 70 programs focused on community projects, businesses and cooperatives, and housing. Those programs can help finance a wide range of rural investments — from business expansions and food processing facilities to fire stations, hospitals and water infrastructure.
“Give our team a call or send us an email,” Iverson said. “Tell us about the challenge or opportunity you’re facing, and we can walk you through which program may be the best fit.”
For rural businesses and entrepreneurs looking to grow, the Westby Cooperative Creamery expansion shows how partnerships can help turn ideas into investments that strengthen Wisconsin communities.
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