Founder of Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery Jennifer Bice announced this week that Emmi, Switzerland’s largest milk processor, will soon be taking ownership of the company.
Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery is comprised of Redwood Hill Farm, makers of California Crottin and a variety of fresh chèvres, and Green Valley Organics, which specializes in lactose-free dairy products. The Sonoma County, California, creamery was founded in 1968 by the Bice family, and Jennifer became owner in 1978. The company is committed to making high-quality organic products and servicing the local community and environment. For Jennifer, her employees are a top priority, which is one of their many shared values with Emmi that led to Bice’s decision.
“I am entirely confident that Emmi is the right choice for Redwood Hill’s future, as ours is a relationship of trust,” Bice said. “I feel completely aligned with Emmi’s very high standards for quality, their strong emphasis on employees, and their commitment to sustainability. Most importantly, they have encouraged us to maintain the way we do business here at Redwood Hill.” Bice believes that a partnership with Emmi will best guarantee the company to continue its mission after she retires. She plans on remaining head of the company until her retirement, and the jobs of all Red Hill Farm & Creamery employees are secure.
Bice’s choice to partner with Emmi was also partly due to her friend Mary Keehn’s success with the company. Keehn is the founder of Cypress Grove Chevre, makers of Humboldt Fog, which was sold to Emmi in a similar deal in 2010.
“Creating a company felt much like raising a child,” Kheen said. “With Emmi’s financial and strategic support, we have been able to send that child to Stanford rather than our local Community College. We now have a Certified Humane, showcase dairy, a state-of-the art creamery and have been able to increase our workforce by more than a dozen employees, which creates much needed jobs in our community.”
Emmi began in 1907 when 62 dairy farmers created a cooperative, which eventually evolved into Emmi. To this day, the company is largely owned by a cooperative of small-scale dairy farmers. Their products include Protected Designation of Origin cheeses such as Emmentaler, Tête de Moine, Sbrinz, and Gruyère.
Click here to read Bice’s full statement.
Feature Photo Credit: Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery, Facebook
Sarah Cummings
Sarah Cummings is a native New Yorker braving the Boston winters to study Writing, Literature, and Publishing at Emerson College. In her spare time, she can often be found rock climbing, cuddling the neighborhood cats, or integrating goat cheese into her every meal.
