November 11, 2016
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Nasonville Dairy runs its first milk through new advanced Feta plant

MORE FETA OPTIONS — Nasonville Dairy’s new Feta plant will allow it to make more consistent and unique products. It also will allow the company to customize products for its clients.

NEW OPERATION — Nasonville Dairy has completely rebuilt the center portion of its plant just outside of Marshfield, Wisconsin, to accommodate new and improved Feta equipment.

By Kate Sander

MARSHFIELD, Wis. — After months of planning and construction, this month Nasonville Dairy begins making cheese at its new Feta plant.

The space reconfiguration and outfitting of new equipment at Nasonville Dairy’s main plant just outside of Marshfield, Wisconsin, will allow the company immediately to increase its Feta production — currently about 20 million pounds annually — by 10 percent. Further production increases will be possible in the future.

“Feta is where we see a lot of growth occurring,” says Ken Heiman, who manages the family-owned business along with his brothers Kelvin and Kim.

However, the biggest advantage of the new plant isn’t increased production but rather high quality, more consistent product, Ken Heiman says. With the company’s products sold nationally and internationally for use in foodservice and private label, consistency from one batch to the next is key. It’s what customers demand, he says.

The new 12,000-square-foot plant is being outfitted by TecNal, a French company that is supplying the major equipment components. Heiman says it’s been an adventure over the past several months as different equipment experts from France have come to install and inspect specific areas. Working around the addition hasn’t been easy, he says — the changes are right in the middle of Nasonville’s facility. Though having a construction project in the middle of operations has had its difficult moments, in the end Heiman says it will be worth it.

“The best location was to reutilize the middle of the plant and make a nice continual process. The flow of product, people, steam, movement … it’s all been improved,” Heiman says.

The plant features more robotics than ever before, removing human variables and also helping to reduce injuries from repetitive movements. Plant personnel are being reassigned to different positions as needed, maximizing the company’s capabilities.

The new equipment also will allow the company more versatility in its Feta production. Every customer wants something a little different and distinctive to them, and Nasonville Dairy will be able to adjust its product accordingly, Heiman says.

“With this new plant, we expand our abilities to make more consistent product and more unique products for more people,” he says, noting the company will be able to consistently adjust, for example, if a customer wants a weaker lipase flavor or a stronger lipase flavor. Nasonville also will be able to provide multiple varieties of Feta including reduced fat, no fat and low salt.

The plant addition also features viewing windows, and the company will continue to offer tours.

While Nasonville doesn’t sell much of its own branded product to consumers, educating today’s consumer is something that the Heiman family believes is critical.

“If we don’t address the consumer, they pull something off the internet,” Heiman says, noting that it’s important to know what the next generation of consumers is thinking and to help them make positive associations with cheesemaking and high quality.

This is an area where Heiman feels Wisconsin cheesemakers are doing an especially good job.

“What we do best in this state is to create new products that match imports,” he says.

While Feta is Nasonville Dairy’s most-produced cheese, the company also takes pride in creating many other cheeses, producing more than 40 varieties.

“Not many people are as daffy as we are,” Heiman says with a laugh when he talks about the number of cheeses the company makes.

A Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker with certifications in four cheeses — Feta, Asiago, Cheddar and Monterey Jack — Heiman loves cheese and says “cheese covers a multitude of sins.” He and his team love to experiment and try new things. Much of the experimenting occurs at the company’s much smaller plant in Abbotsford, Wisconsin, known as Nasonville North.

“Mistakes aren’t as expensive up there,” he chuckles.

Considered a medium-sized company in the U.S. dairy landscape — the company currently makes about 47 million pounds of cheese annually — Heiman says Nasonville has many qualities that give it a sound position in the market.

Being large enough to provide significant quantities of numerous cheeses but small enough to be nimble and work directly with customers allows Nasonville Dairy to provide a level of service that not every company can.

Having a strong team in place also is important to the company’s success. In addition to the three brothers, Heiman says, one-brother-in-law, six sons, three nieces and 10 nephews are involved in the business. In addition to Heiman, the company also boasts two other Master Cheesemakers: Tom Torkelson, who is certified in Brick and Muenster, and Brian Jackson who is certified in six cheeses — Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Brick, Colby, Muenster and Gouda.

In addition to the cheese plants, the company also operates its own dairy farm and small milk bottling operation and operates Weber’s Farm Store, all in the Marshfield area.

As his family’s multifaceted business has grown, Heiman says new product development has been critical.

“One strength is that we have a lot of diversity,” Heiman says.

Ideas for cheeses come from a number of places, both staff ideas and customers who want to try things.

“We’ve tried some strange stuff,” Heiman says.

While there is the occasional flop, the team has found great success with a number of flavored varieties. One particularly popular cheese is the company’s trademarked Blue Marble, which features Blue marbling in Monterey Jack and Cheddar varieties. These cheeses are particularly sought after for foodservice, with complex flavor and ideal melting qualities.

Another sought-after cheese combines two perennial favorites — bacon and Cheddar. The company’s Bacon Cheddar was used for grilled cheese sandwiches at this fall’s World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, and the sandwiches were such a hit that the cheese Heiman sent for the event was gone far sooner than expected, he says.

American consumers also continue to look for hotter and hotter flavors, and Nasonville Dairy is happy to oblige. Flavored Cheddars and Jacks the company produces include the more tame Pepper Jack and Jalapeño Pepper Cheddar to the insanely hot Carolina Reaper Cheddar that only few dare to try.

“It rocks your head,” Heiman says. “It doesn’t wait to get to the back of your mouth before you feel the heat.”

Making so many cheeses is complex and requires a strong focus on food safety. All joking aside, Heiman says Nasonville Dairy takes its responsibility to people — both in terms of product development and food safety — very seriously.

“In our business, the toughest thing of all is that you’re dealing with 400 customers, 200 farms, 100 employees — and all of them are looking to you to make sure you’re right. It’s an awesome responsibility. You affect a lot of lives.”

CMN