Even Cheese Snacks Have An Origin Story
The Origin Story
Since I was little, my favorite part of a grilled cheese sandwich was the crunchy cheese around the edges. One day when I was 10, my dad, a proud Wisconsin cheesemaker, pulled one particularly crispy sandwich off the pan, and I asked him, “Dad, how come you can’t just make the cheese like this?”
Not one to turn down a dairy-related challenge, my dad Paul got to work. To answer my innocent question, he and his team of cheesemakers created the crunchy cheese snack that would eventually become Just The Cheese®. Things were great during the Atkins craze, but the Just The Cheese® brand briefly faded away when the craze died down.
Fast-forward to 2017: My wife Connie and I were walking the aisles of our local East Coast grocery store when we came across some baked cheese crisps. Curious and feeling snacky, we bought a bag and tried them out. They helped ease our munchies, but we knew we could do better.
So, I called up my dad to see if we could give Just The Cheese® another shot—and finish what we started. After some convincing, some taste tests, improved recipes, and plenty of late nights, dad was on board. I quit my job in consulting, moved back to Wisconsin with Connie, and together we relaunched Just The Cheese®.
Just The Cheese® Today
Connie and I still run the business, and thanks to the growing popularity of our bars, we now have help from dozens of dedicated cheesemakers who make sure each batch of our bars meets the highest standards of quality.
To this day, Just The Cheese® is made in our family-owned cheese factory in Reeseville, Wisconsin. All our cheese is handmade with 100% real Wisconsin cheese.
- David Scharfman, CEO
The Truth About The Cheese
The truth is, we’re about more than just the cheese.
We are committed to supporting and listening to our employees and our community. It’s why my dad, Connie, and I are dedicated to employee growth and development. It’s why we seek to build a kind and inclusive company culture. And it’s why we’re proud to support organizations like the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Celiac Foundation who help those with severe dietary restrictions find and enjoy our products.
Our Mission & Value
We want Just The Cheese® to be your first choice when you need a satisfying, crunchy snack. We think a product named Just The Cheese® has to live up to its name. We will never relax our high standards for quality and simplicity. We believe our success results from the hard work of our dedicated team of cheesemakers—from the front office to the factory floor.
These aren’t just words. We mean them. Everything about Just The Cheese® is intentional: My dad’s willingness to listen to an idle thought from a 10-year-old, our team’s dedication and creativity, and our commitment to finish what we started.