A commitment to craftsmanship, integrity, community and family has been a driving force behind the cheesemaking success of Atwater, Calif.-based Joseph Gallo Farms. As the third-generation, family-owned cheese processor celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, the Gallo family reflects on its leadership in sustainable farming, the creation of the red-logoed Joseph Farm cheese and more.

It all started with a dream, a love of the land, lots of hard work and plenty of “real California milk” to handcraft more than 80 SKUs of real California cheese, notes Mike Gallo, CEO of Joseph Gallo Farms.

He explains that his dad, Joseph E. Gallo, fell in love with the art of cheesemaking as a young boy while also being greatly influenced by the taste of his grandparents’ homemade cheese. During the Great Depression, he learned the value of hard work on his family’s farm in northern San Joaquin Valley.

After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Gallo returned home and founded his own farming operation — Joseph Gallo Farms — in 1946 at the age of 27. His three children, Peter (who was killed in action in Vietnam), Mike, and Linda came to work with him, learning all aspects of the business under his distinctive style, the CEO notes.

“Dad was a visionary who struggled to make his childhood dreams of dairy farming and cheesemaking a reality. His environmental and philanthropic efforts have had a lasting impact on his community and his mantra of ‘Next time I’ll do better,’ served as a catalyst for constant improvement throughout the company,” Gallo proudly says. “His philosophy and memory remain our guiding force to this day.”

Whether it’s by blood or the 250 employees who work for Joseph Gallo Farms, family is pinnacle to the cheese company’s success. In addition to Mike, sister Linda remains active in the business, while Mike’s sons and the company’s third generation, Micah Gallo, vice president of business affairs, and Peter Gallo, vice president of business development, continue to propel the company forward.

“From the men and women on the cheesemaking line to those who ship, sell, and market our products, every employee is a member of the Joseph Farms family,” Gallo tells Dairy Foods. “We take incredible pride and responsibility in bringing our cheese from local grocery stores to consumers’ homes.”

Joseph Farms cheese is sold through hundreds of retail partners across California, the Southwest United States and Mexico, with continued expansion underway. In fact, Joseph Farms entered Texas with El Rancho Markets and continues to expand in Mexico with HEB, Walmart and Superama.

“We’re seeing strong demand across the state, the country, and Mexico,” Gallo notes. “With new varieties launching soon, we’re well-positioned to expand into additional markets and deepen our presence with retail partners.”

New varieties landing in 2026 include 2-pound shredded Oaxaca and Chihuahua Mexico style melting cheese. For consumers looking to trade down to smaller sizes without sacrificing tase and quality, Joseph Farms will introduce 8-ounce shreds including award-winning Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Cheddar and Mexican Blend.

California ranks second in cheese production

California produces a massive amount of cheese, consistently ranking as the second-largest cheese-producing state in the U.S. (after Wisconsin). Recent figures show production around 2.4 to 2.5 billion pounds annually, making up nearly 18% of the national total and leading in styles like Mozzarella and Monterey Jack.

Volume-wise, from Joseph Gallo’s 17,325-square-foot cheese plant, which began operations in 1982, the company now produces 80 SKUs of such diverse cheese styles as Monterey Jack — one of the company’s flagship brands — Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, Mild and Sharp Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, shredded Mexican Blend, Part Skim and Whole Milk Mozzarella Pasta Filata, and String Cheese. It also produces cream cheese in 8-ounce bricks.

Capabilities include a full line of string, sliced, shredded and chunks along with the ability to process organic, halal and super kosher varieties in its SQF- FARM- and EU-certified plant. In 2025, Joseph Farms invested in automation of the string cheese line. This new automation will help launch a 24-ounce product, a bulk 360 count and 8-ounce organic to keep pace with growing string cheese demand.

An SQF-certified whey protein plant, also based in Atwater, produces whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate80, procream and whey permeates. In fact, the whey business is so good, Gallo’s award-winning WPI (including organic), WPC 80 (including organic), WPC70 and procream are all sold out. Research and development are underway for clear whey.

Last year was an incredibly good year for Joseph Farms with 1-pound shreds up 22% year-over-year (YoY). The company’s signature Monterey Jack 1-pound shred was up 32% YoY, Instacart sales up 21% YoY, while sales for 2-pound shredded Queso Quesadilla were up 24% over 2024, Gallo notes.

The cheese category itself continues to do extremely well. In fact, Chicago-based market research firm Circana reports that 100% Natural Cheese generated dollar sales of $21.1 billion, a 4.3% year-over-year climb for the 52 weeks ending Sept. 7, 2025.

When it comes to cheese produced in California, Joseph Farms cheese is highly regarded and recognized as the highest-quality and most award-winning cheese produced in California, according to Gallo.

Since 1985, Joseph Farms cheeses have earned more than 250 national and international awards, including more than 150 Gold, First-Place, Best-of-Class, Best-of-Show, and Best-of-California honors from the industry’s most respected competitions.

At the center of that legacy is Monterey Jack, which has emerged as Joseph Farms’ most awarded cheese variety and a top-selling SKU. That cheese variety alone accounts for more than 80 awards, representing nearly one-third of all honors the company has earned over four decades.

Additionally, Monterey Jack has been repeatedly recognized by the California State Fair, World Dairy Expo (Wisconsin), American Cheese Society, Los Angeles International Dairy Competition, and World Cheese Awards, reflecting consistent excellence across state, national, and international judging.

While Monterey Jack is the top-awarded SKU, Joseph Farms’ award history also spans Cheddar, Mozzarella, String Cheese, and Whey Protein, underscoring a long-standing commitment to craftsmanship, consistency and innovation across both traditional and specialty dairy products.

“We’re proud of the recognition across our entire portfolio, and that kind of sustained success only comes from building quality into every step of the process,” Gallo states.

For nearly 45 years of cheesemaking, Joseph Farms’ top priorities have centered on safety and quality, starting with a commitment to no artificial growth hormones.

“Our cows are not treated with any artificial hormones, and we became the nation’s first cheesemaker to receive government certification,” Gallo explains. “To this day, we remain the longest-standing artificial hormone-free cheese brand, a testament to our ongoing commitment to our consumers’ health.”

That commitment continues today, with Joseph Farms exclusively using California milk sourced from nine dairies near the Atwater facility made with the freshest Grade A quality milk. The dairy brings in 1,118,000 pounds of milk daily and is on track to bring in 408,070,000 pounds of milk in 2026 on its way to producing 45.2 million pounds of cheese.

Emerging star

Joseph Farms’ 12 and 16-ounce string cheese is a rising star in the company’s award-winning lineup. In fact, sales of 12-ounce string cheese were up 116% in 2025. String Cheese has emerged as a key growth driver and continues to receive accolades from consumers and judges. The company’s 12- and 16-ounce string cheese formats were recently awarded a Silver Medal at the World Cheese Awards, and Gold at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin, underscoring strong early recognition for the expanding line.

“Consumers are telling retailers they want more string cheese in the dairy case, we’re ready to meet that demand,” Gallo notes. “We’ve made a focused commitment to string cheese production with an award-winning product that naturally contains zero grams of lactose per serving, is a good source of protein, and is made exclusively with Grade A California milk.”

In fact, all Joseph Farms cheese naturally contains zero grams of lactose per serving, reflecting a broader commitment to meeting the needs of today’s consumers.

“As nearly 50% of Americans experience some degree of lactose intolerance, Joseph Farms continues to focus on cheeses with naturally zero grams of lactose per serving, preserving flavor while expanding accessibility for today’s consumers,” he adds.

Sustainability at its core

Over the span of eight decades, Joseph Gallo Farms has taken great pride in its leadership and dedication to sustainable farming — long before sustainability became a marketing buzzword.

“At Joseph Farms, we craft the highest-quality natural products using sustainable and environmentally responsible practices,” Gallo says. “That commitment has earned recognition not only for our cheese, but also for our sustainable farming practices.”

In 2026, Joseph Gallo Farms will be installing a state-of the-art cooling system that combined with the company’s 9 MW solar array, will eliminate the cheese plant reliance for outside electricity, bringing them one step closer to a net-zero goal.

The nearly 8,000 solar panel array alone significantly reduces reliance on local utilities and will avoid an estimated 27,500 metric tons of CO₂ emissions over 20 years — the equivalent of planting more than 706,000 trees or removing approximately 292 cars from the road annually. The system generates enough electricity to power 282 average homes each year.

A strong anchor to Central Valley agriculture through service, philanthropy and innovation, the company farms using regenerative and wildlife-conscious methods to preserve native wetland and upland habitats.

Starting in the early 1990’s, the Gallo family donated nearly 8,000 acres of land to the San Luis Wildlife Refuge, a critical habitat for waterfowl and other threatened species, and has restored more than 2,700 acres of farm property to upland and wetland wildlife habitats.

“My father, Joseph Gallo, loved and respected wildlife and made it part of our family’s ongoing stewardship responsibility,” Gallo shares. “Too often wildlife is forced out of land where it once thrived. Our approach is to be welcoming and share open space.”

That philosophy is reflected in the Gallo family’s long-standing philanthropic investments across education and workforce development.

For example, the family made a significant $2 million commitment to the University of California, Merced, supporting the Joseph Edward Gallo Recreation and Wellness Center. Named in honor of company founder and patriarch Joseph Gallo, the facility promotes student health, wellness, and community engagement while reinforcing the family’s belief that education plays a critical role in the region’s long-term economic and social vitality.

Joseph Gallo Farms also has supported veteran-focused initiatives, including the Peter J. Gallo Veterans Resource Center at Merced College, a cause that holds deep personal significance for the Gallo family as Mike Gallo’s brother, Peter J. Gallo, was a decorated U.S. serviceman who lost his life while serving in the Vietnam War. The company’s support of veterans reflects a lasting commitment to honoring service while helping those who have served transition to education and civilian careers.

With 80 years of agricultural experience, more than 40 years of award-winning cheesemaking, and a deep-rooted commitment to community stewardship, Joseph Gallo Farms is poised to continue growing as a leader in the U.S. and global cheese industry.

“For our family, success has always meant more than the products we make,” Gallo concludes. “Whether it’s investing in the land we share, education, supporting veterans, or strengthening the communities where we operate, we believe lasting impact comes from showing up and contributing in meaningful ways.” DF