The Rogue Creamery Story
Rogue Creamery founder Tom Vella made history when he was the first cheese maker west of the Missouri River to produce blue cheese in caves. He learned this technique while studying cheese making in France during the 1950’s. Tom’s son, Ig, carried on with the creamery and became known as the “godfather of artisan cheese” because of his knowledge, talent, and mentorship of other cheese makers.
Ig passed the southern Oregon business to David Gremmels and Carey Bryant in 2002 because he trusted that they would continue to embrace the principles the Vella family instilled in the company. Those values are quality, community, respect for the land, and commitment to sustainable practices. Gremmels continues as the company’s president to this day.
The Rogue Creamery Dairy Farm serves as a model for sustainability in dairy – providing a happy, stress-free life for cows, while also improving the wellbeing of both the land itself and the people who depend on it. The organic practices build soil health, encourage native plant growth, build biodiversity, and aid in carbon sequestration. Solar Panels are installed on top of the cheese making facility to offset energy use. The solar project is one of the largest in southern Oregon. Rogue Creamery’s dairy waste repurposing system separates solid from liquid waste and converts both into usable byproducts. Solid, undigested plant matter is cured and processed into bedding that is used in the stalls of the Cow Palace. They also sell this by the truckload to local farmers for use as a soil amendment and the liquid waste is used as fertilizer in their pastures.
Inspired by a sense of place for over 85 years, Rogue Creamery draws from the beauty and flavors of Southern Oregon’s Rogue River Valley to create organic, handcrafted cheeses that have won international acclaim. The limited edition Rogue River Blue was named 2019/2020 World Champion at the World Cheese Awards. Creating the world’s best cheese is only part of their mission. They became Oregon’s first public benefit corporation, “B Corp” for short, joining a global movement of companies that are committed to making the world a better place. Rogue Creamery has been ranked as a “Best for the World” B Corporation since 2017, because it is placed in the top 10% of B Corps worldwide for their positive impact on community and environment.
