Investment, innovation and integrity: how Hispanic Cheese Makers-Nuestro Queso, LLC is powering the rise of Hispanic cheese
Not so long ago, Hispanic cheese was widely seen as a niche category, tucked into a small corner of the dairy aisle. However, this changed significantly when Oaxaca saw dollar sales climb more than 13 percent in 2025. The growth rate of this stretchy, meltable staple of quesadillas and tacos meant sales even overtook mozzarella – the long-standing king of melty cheese. What’s more, Cotija is also nudging its way onto mainstream menus, as chefs reach for its bold, salty bite in place of Parmesan. With the data showing that Hispanic cheese has crossed over and sits more prominently alongside commonplace cheeses, the demand certainly shows no sign of slowing.
For Hispanic Cheese Makers-Nuestro Queso, LLC it’s a welcome shift but it isn’t a surprise. It’s the exact moment the Illinois-based manufacturer has spent over fifteen years preparing for. Formed in 2009, the company’s mission has always been the same: ‘to delight customers with the highest quality, most authentic Hispanic cheese and dairy products,’ as stated by CEO Mark Braun on its website. Hispanic Cheese Makers, is a private brand and co-packing cheese manufacturer, serving national retailers, distributors and manufacturers. Producing an assortment of authentic Mexican, Caribbean cheeses and Mexican and Central American sour creams, the SQF Level 3 certified business is also committed to sustainability and animal welfare.
With an extensive product range reflecting the diversity of the markets it serves, Hispanic Cheese Makers’ Mexican line includes Fresco, Oaxaca, Cotija, Panela and Quesadilla cheeses alongside Crema Mexicana, while its Caribbean and Central American lines comprise of Blanco, Para Freír, and Central American crema. Extending its authenticity further afield proves the group’s portfolio isn’t simply about volume – it’s about honoring the specific culinary traditions rooted in every cheese. Alongside heritage runs innovation; its Easy Open-Shape Cut packaging gives brand partners a practical edge on shelf, while its Oaxaca Cheese Bites snack line up shows an eye for where consumer trends are heading next.
Committed to animal welfare
Perhaps most crucial is Hispanic Cheese Makers environmental responsibility and its demonstration of good corporate citizenship in everything it does. As highlighted on its website: “Our promise is to care deeply about how our ingredients, packaging, products and services are sourced, produced or performed, and expect the same from our suppliers, to take excellent care of our employees, to conduct our business in a sustainable manner, and to ensure the welfare of the cows that supply our milk.” In addition, the milk is free from rBST hormones, with supply partners like Rolling Hills Dairy Producers Cooperative reinforcing the company’s commitment to animal welfare and sustainability. It always delivers recognizable, clean sourced ingredients with natural origins, non-GMO and free from additives, adhering to a ‘better-for-you’ philosophy as well as the FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Care Management) Animal Care Program. According to FARM’s website, this program helps to demonstrate dairy farmers’ commitment to providing excellent care of dairy cattle and producing safe, wholesome milk. The FARM Animal Care Program details animal care guidelines using the latest research and best management practices; implements on-farm evaluations by trained evaluators who help identify strengths and outline improvements for dairy farms; and ensures integrity of the program through third-party verification. For Hispanic Cheese Makers, this collaboration is vital in upholding its zero-tolerance policy for any act of animal cruelty, using its position as one of the leading Hispanic cheese manufacturers to advocate for animal care.
This dedication to company values is backed by serious investment on the ground. The company’s plant in Kent, Illinois now spans more than 75,000 square feet, and it has just completed a multi-phase expansion worth over $30 million. New loading docks, coolers and storage capacity sit beside upgraded cheesemaking machinery, a dedicated test kitchen and new offices and employee facilities. Investment of this magnitude signals far more than routine maintenance – it ensures readiness for sustained growth in a category that, until recently, most manufacturers treated as a sideline. What sets the operation apart is how much of it happens in-house; rather than outsourcing stages of production, Hispanic Cheese Makers runs fully integrated manufacturing and conversion processes under one roof, giving the business tighter control over consistency, food safety and turnaround times. These qualities matter enormously to the private label and co-packing partners who rely on them to bring products to market under their own names.
Award-winning products
Quality is essential to customers – and Hispanic Cheese Makers cheese competitions results are a great way of proving just how excellent its Hispanic cheese really is. The manufacturer has picked up more than 20 medals in cheese industry competitions since 2011, including a silver and bronze medal at this year’s American Cheese Society Cheese Competition plus multiple wins at the World Championship Cheese Contest and the United States Championship Cheese Contest across its product line.
The company was also named a USA TODAY Top Workplaces for Manufacturing honoree in 2024 – a reminder that the quality story extends to how it treats its people, not just its products. Offering on-the-job training and career development opportunities, supporting employees’ growth and creating an environment where everybody feels safe and comfortable is all part of the business prioritizing the health, safety and wellbeing of its staff.
When you combine Hispanic Cheese Makers’ strategic investment, its varied product range, brand recognition and its respect for animals, people and the planet, it tells the consistent story of a company scaling deliberately to meet the demand it saw coming. The Oaxaca and Cotija growth figures are strong validation of a bet placed years ago on Hispanic cheese moving deservedly from niche to mainstream. As American tastes continue to embrace bolder, more authentic flavors, Hispanic Cheese Makers looks well placed to keep pace – not just as a manufacturer riding the wave, but as one of the unstoppable forces helping to create it.
