ARCADIA, Wis. — One of the latest arrivals on the Wisconsin cheese scene is Unique Food Concepts, a creator and marketer of Hispanic and Caribbean cheeses which just recently started appearing on store shelves.

Unique Food Concepts, Arcadia, Wis., is the brainchild of Andrew Herold, a cheese industry veteran with nearly 25 years of experience. The cheeses created and marketed by Unique Food Concepts were developed by Herold, who utilized his 17 years of experience making Hispanic cheese in a California plant to come up with his own cheese blends and formulations. Herold moved to Wisconsin 2 1/2 years ago to begin the process of starting the company.

Unique Food Concepts has contracted with a Wisconsin cheese factory that is licensed by the state and USDA-approved to make the cheeses. Cheese production is led by the plant owner, a third-generation cheesemaker with more than 30 years' of experience. Herold oversees the overall production.

Herold didn't hurry into cheese production. His first order of business was extensive research, says Fred Kappus, whom Herold hired last fall to handle the marketing for the fledgling company.

"He conducted thousands of separate experiments," Kappus says. Herold then proceeded with frequent taste-testings to ensure that the cheeses were exactly as Hispanics thought they should taste.

The reaction the company is looking for among Hispanics is that the cheeses' appearance, texture, flavor and performance are just like they would be if they were made in Mexico or the Caribbean.

"I can't overstate the quality and the authenticity of the cheese," Kappus says. "There are a number of companies involved with Hispanic cheese production but not all Hispanic-style cheese is authentic. There are a lot of quality producers out there, but not all of them are."

A recent encounter with the office staff of a Mexican food distributor also indicated to Unique Food Concepts that their cheese is "right on the money." When the office staff of the distributor tried the cheese, they praised it and said it tasted just like back home in Mexico, Kappus says. A goal of the company is to provide customers with authentic cheeses so that they can make quesadillas the way they traditionally have been made — with Queso Quesadilla, not Monterey Jack.

Already, the company is finding that the amount of cheese being ordered by its first customers is gradually increasing with each subsequent order as consumers become familiar with — and most importantly, enjoy — the products, Kappus says.

Because people of Caribbean and Mexican descent are of different cultures even though they all enjoy Hispanic cheese, the company has developed two different logos for its products. The Hispanic label features the green, white and red colors of the Mexican flag and pictures of animals, including a cow, while the Caribbean label features a beach scene with palm trees.

Currently, the company offers Anejo Enchilado, Asadero, Cotija, Manchego, Queso Blanco or Queso Panela (depending on which market the cheese is destined for), Queso Fresco and Queso Quesadilla. Even though they are all Hispanic cheeses, they all have unique flavor profiles, just as Cheddar, Mozzarella and Parmesan do, Kappus says.

Queso Blanco and Queso Fresco, which are two of the cheeses that are more similar to each other, will probably be the biggest sellers simply because they are used abundantly in Hispanic foods. Blanco is soft and creamy when heated but doesn't melt and is popularly used in enchiladas and burritos. Fresco is popular as a topping on tacos, salads, fruit and desserts, or even layered in lasagna. Cotija, which Kappus calls the "Parmesan of the Hispanic world" and is popular as a garnish, also is expected to do well.

All of the cheeses are available in retail and foodservice size packaging. Shredded and grated cheeses are available as well. All of the products carry both English and Spanish labeling to meet the needs of domestic and foreign markets and newly-arrived immigrants, Kappus says.

Part of the Unique Food Concepts' focus on quality allows it to offer some of its products that have shelf lives as long as eight or nine months.

The Hispanic cheeses are the ones that the company has put its initial emphasis on, because there were customers waiting for the product as soon as it was ready to be rolled out, Kappus says. The first Hispanic cheeses were available for customers during the early part of this year, and the Caribbean cheeses are starting to find their way to store shelves now, too. The initial emphasis for the products is in areas with high populations of Hispanic and Caribbean consumers, particularly the Southwest for the former and the East Coast for the latter.

However, that doesn't mean the company is limiting itself to these markets — areas of the Midwest also are being targeted. Kappus notes that the Hispanic population in the United States is large and growing, which gives the company many opportunities. Census projections indicate the Hispanic population will grow from 12.5 percent of the population to more than 21 percent by 2050, he adds.

Kappus predicts that the areas with the largest Hispanic populations will result in the greatest sales for the company, but the company also hopes to find favor with Anglo customers who are developing an increasing interest in Mexican foods ranging from tacos to complete meals.

Unique Food Concepts is working with brokers and distributors around the country to move its products into stores and restaurants. The company will soon launch a promotion in trade publications and at trade shows once it has finalized photography, Kappus says. Higher-end retail customers and foodservice will be targeted with these efforts, he says.

A website, complete with descriptions of the cheese and serving suggestions, has been developed as well.

The company also is making cheese for private label.

As Unique Food Concepts introduces its products and gains market share, line extensions also are planned, but Kappus says the company will continue to focus on Hispanic products. One future introduction the company already has planned is Oaxaca, which is similar to a ropey-style string cheese.

CMN