Masters Gallery and Sartori Cheese purchases California facilities
Acquisition supports goal to expand manufacturing beyond Midwest
PLYMOUTH — Masters Gallery Foods has announced its purchase of the Rumiano Cheese Company's converting and distribution facilities in Willows, California.
Rumiano Cheese Company is the oldest family-owned cheesemaker in California and an organic dairy pioneer, dedicated to the manufacturing, packaging and distribution of the highest-quality cheese, butter and value-added products.
In recent years, Masters Gallery Foods has been vocal about its strategic growth initiative to expand manufacturing efforts outside the upper Midwest. Rumiano’s Northern California location will enable the Plymouth-based company to service customers on the West Coast without the added freight costs associated with shipping products to and from Wisconsin. Masters Gallery Foods anticipates a smooth transition thanks to the strong manufacturing team already in place and its familiar equipment and capabilities.
“We are committed to advancing the Willows operation, as originally envisioned by the Rumiano Family, and building upon the legacy of what has been established here since 1919,” said Jeff Gentine, President and CEO of Masters Gallery Foods. “Our goal is to use this facility as a platform for Western growth, while positively impacting the city of Willows and the nearly 200 employees we now welcome into the Masters Gallery family.”
While Masters Gallery Foods will maintain the converting and distribution division of Rumiano Cheese Company in California, Sartori Cheese purchased Rumiano’s cheesemaking facility in Crescent City, California. “After more than a century of family ownership, we’re proud to join forces with another family-owned business that truly respects what we’ve built at Rumiano Cheese,” said John Rumiano, owner of Rumiano Cheese Company. “This next chapter enables us to really scale our impact while creating exciting opportunities for our team, farmers, products, communities and the customers we’ve been honored to serve.”
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