MONROVIA, Calif. — Quality is the hallmark of a good product, and King Cheese Corp. has the certifications and approvals to back up its claims, says Vicken Aghchikian, company owner and CEO, who notes that the cheese-and-meat company passes rigorous inspections on a daily basis by USDA.

A great deal goes into quality, Aghchikian says.

“I can make a good quality cheese in my kitchen sink, but is it ‘of quality’? No,” Aghchikian says, going on to stress how important it is that his company provide products that meet the highest standards of quality and flavor. The company has a complete testing program and a recall plan, he notes.

King Cheese focuses on providing its customers specialty cheeses, particularly those combined with meats. Its offerings include String cheese available in regular, seedless or marinated varieties, and its Spirella fresh Mozzarella rolls available in Pepperoni, Imported Spicy Sopressata, Imported Italian Smoked Prosciutto, Imported Italian Prosciutto with Fresh Basil and Imported Italian Truffle Ham with Fresh Basil.

Aghchikian says though he works with brokers, he also personally likes to show potential customers his products so that they can understand his enthusiasm and see firsthand how consistent the product is and how well it stacks up against the competition.

“I want the consumers to see that they are getting their money’s worth through consistency in quality,” he says.

Aghchikian’s goal is to grow the company into a leading producer of quality Mozzarella rolls. He admits he’s young and enthusiastic — and very determined.

An architect by training, Aghchikian assumed responsibility of the family business in 2001. It hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing — among the setbacks was an electrical fire in 2002 that ruined the company’s plant — but since joining the company, Aghchikian has worked to bring the company to a new level. For example, after the fire he was able to get the company back into production in just two weeks. He also then began to work in earnest on a new production facility that the company moved into in 2004.

Aghchikian designed the new plant himself, and it’s clear that he is proud of its production capabilities.

Now the company is capable of going back to its roots — and moving and expanding into the future as well. Already, the company has quadrupled production compared to one year ago.

And Aghchikian continually is investing in the company.

“I put money in my company before I put it in my pocket,” Aghchikian says.

The company currently is running two shifts a day and is putting in new equipment to expand production.

• The history of the tradition

The roots of King Cheese date back to the late 1970s when Aghchikian’s mother managed, supervised and mastered the art of cheesemaking at a plant in Rockland County, New York. A few years later, Aghchikian’s parents, George and Rose Aghchikian, decided to open up their own business known as Victor’s Cheese and Deli in Palisades Parkway, N.J. They made a variety of cheeses, such as Armenian String Cheese, Mozzarella, smoked cheese and Mozzarella rolls. In 1986, they sold the business in New Jersey and moved to California, where they started King Cheese.

Due to an increase in product demand, the Aghchikians initially decided to specialize only in Armenian String cheese. However, with the move to the larger facility three years ago, King Cheese has been able to reintroduce many of its earlier specialty products. Currently, it sells its products in California and pockets throughout the United States, as well as other countries.

• Innovation for the consumer

It’s clear that one of Aghchikian’s favorite product lines is the meat-and-cheese rolls. By taking a high quality cheese, a high quality meat, and a high quality facility, the company is able to create unique products that can meet a diverse array of customer needs, Aghchikian says. The products, which are made and shipped fresh, also can be frozen. They retain their original flavor profile after being thawed, Aghchikian says.

The Spirella product, a trademarked name developed by Aghchikian, has an extended spiral with meat consistently throughout the product. The company expects that this product will be the cornerstone of the continued development of the company’s brand name.

Though the company of course needs to make its initial sales with retail and foodservice buyers, it’s consumers who Aghchikian says he really cares about.

“I think as a consumer, not as a manufacturer, when developing my products,” he says.

“As an architect, it’s about creating, inventing and collaborating, which I also strongly implement at King Cheese,” he adds.

CMN