Westby Creamery In Small Town Wisconsin Produces Some Of The Best Cheese In The World  

It’s probably no surprise that the best cottage cheese in the world comes from Wisconsin. What might surprise you, though, is that this cottage cheese comes from a creamery that's tucked away in a tiny town in the rugged countryside of southwest Wisconsin. Read on to learn all about this cheesy small town gem. Be forewarned, though: you’ll be planning your visit before the article’s end.

In the tiny town of Westby, you’ll find about 2,200 residents and Westby Cooperative Creamery, the only cottage cheese manufacturer in the state of Wisconsin.

It’s not just the only manufacturer, though.

It’s also the best. At least according to the judges at the World Championship Cheese Contest, who awarded the creamery a gold medal for its cottage cheese in 2020.

This is no small feat. The World Championship Cheese Contest, which is held every other year, is the world's largest butter, cheese, and yogurt competition.

If that weren't enough, Westby Cooperative Creamery faced off against some pretty fierce competitors. The 2020 contest was the biggest ever, with 3,667 submissions from 26 countries.

Formed in 1903, Westby Cooperative Creamery has had plenty of time to perfect its cottage cheese, as well as the slew of other dairy foods it has come to produce over the years.

Today, the creamery produces butter, cheese curds, dry curd cottage cheese, and cheese.

According to the president of the co-op’s board of directors, the gold medal can be accredited to quality ingredients used.

More than 150 farms own and supply the co-op with its milk.

The co-op’s employees also have a hand in the creamery’s notoriety.

The creamery relies on an old-fashioned approach to produce its famous cheese. That's right: everything at the co-op is handcrafted.

Prior to 2019, the creamery plant included a shop stocked with its tasty products. However, the store has since relocated – but don’t worry. It’s just a short 3-minute walk from the creamery.

A must-visit for cheese fans of all proportions, the store carries all of the tasty goods produced at the creamery as well as a few other locally-produced goods and regional favorites.

Can’t make it to the co-op’s store? No problem. Westby Cooperative Creamery’s products are available online, too.

For more information, call Westby Cooperative Creamery Plant at (608) 634-3181. You can also visit the Westby website or Facebook page. So, did you know about Westby Creamery? What about its famous cheese? Ever tried it for yourself? If so, what’d you think? Tell us in the comments section or recommend another Wisconsin attraction via our nomination form here.

This isn’t the only spot for cheese lovers. You'll want to check out our mouthwatering Wisconsin cheese trail.