NEWLY CREATED ARTISAN CHEESE EXCHANGE TARGETS EXPORT MARKETS FOR U.S. SPECIALTY CHEESES

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. – Christopher and Julie Gentine today announced the creation of The Artisan Cheese Exchange, an export management and trading company linking specialty cheesemakers in the United States with trading partners in key overseas markets.  The new company will act as a bridge between cheesemakers in the United States and customers across the globe, providing supply chain services, and sales and marketing strategies to ensure international consumers the freshest, most consistent American artisan cheeses available.

“Cheesemakers in the Midwest, New England, the Pacific Northwest, California and throughout the United States have demonstrated a renewed passion for their craft in recent years, winning awards for their top quality artisan, organic, specialty and farmstead cheeses,” said Christopher Gentine, the company’s owner and president.  “At the same time, cheese has become a favorite on menus in Europe, Asia, South America and other locations worldwide.  We believe it’s time for these American originals and their cheesemakers to be recognized in the thriving international marketplace.”

The Artisan Cheese Exchange, headquartered in Sheboygan, Wis., has consolidation facilities throughout the United States.  The company has already established relationships with some of the country’s most respected artisan cheesemakers, Gentine said, and several trade missions have been made to introduce their cheeses to the international marketplace.

The Gentine family name has been synonymous with top quality cheese for three generations.  Christopher Gentine’s first job, at age 15, was scraping and cleaning cheese at his grandfather’s cheese company, Sargento Foods.  He worked at the company throughout college and joined his father’s cheese packaging and distribution company, Masters Gallery Foods, after graduation.  Gentine worked his way through Masters Gallery Foods’ management training program, holding positions in sales, procurement, operations and logistics before leaving the company as president in the spring of 2006.

Julie Gentine brings a solid background in the retail industry to The Artisan Cheese Exchange.  She earned her degree in advertising and journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and worked for Wisconsin retailer, Lands’ End, during college.  After college, Julie was recruited by Neiman Marcus for its executive training program.  At Neiman Marcus, she was an assistant buyer for evening gowns, then transferred to Minneapolis to help Neiman Marcus open and run a new store.  She later joined Kohl’s Department Store, where she was a buyer for electronics and seasonal home décor.

“A big part of our family’s success in the cheese industry has been building long-term relationships with cheesemakers and customers,” Gentine said.  “That will serve us well as my wife, Julie, and I embark on this new opportunity.  Years of industry knowledge, combined with a love for the romance and flavor of fine cheese, prepare us for this venture.  I know that my father and grandfather would be proud to see us continue on with the family tradition.”

More information about The Artisan Cheese Exchange is available on the company’s Web site, www.cheese-exchange.com.