A Story of Family Pride.

Discover how it all began

1949

It all started with an enterprising young man who loved cheese.

1953

To meet the growing demand for old-world quality cheese, Leonard A. Gentine teams up with Joseph Sartori to establish Sargento Cheese Company.

1955

Leonard Gentine invents a process for vacuum packaging cheese to preserve its freshness.

1958

Sargento becomes the first company to market shredded cheese.

1965

Sargento becomes a wholly-owned family company with the purchase of stock from Joseph Sartori.

1969

Sargento changes the way cheese is sold in supermarkets by introducing peg bar merchandising to the dairy case. The peg bar places cheese packages at eye level and within easy reach of shoppers.

1979

Sargento Food Service Department is formed to provide cheese to the foodservice market, restaurants and food companies.

1985

Sargento Food Service Department expands its efforts to develop custom cheese products, such as diced, sliced, grated, shredded and breaded cheese.

1986

Sargento becomes the first cheese marketer to introduce zippered resealable packaging.

1988

Kids jump for joy as Sargento introduces a cheese snack line.

1991

Sargento introduces a line of reduced fat cheeses. Seven new items appeal to the health-conscious crowd in search of good-tasting, reduced fat cheese.

1993

A new state-of-the-art plant and offices open in Kiel, Wisconsin.

1994

Sargento introduces a convenient line of shredded cheese blends.

1996

The light line of reduced fat cheeses expands to include a light Mexican blend, light Italian blend and sliced light Provolone. The snack line expands to include new products; “Mo,” the cool cow character, is introduced.

1999

Many Sargento snack products are now available as “calcium-enriched,” with each serving containing as much calcium as an 8 ozunce glass of milk.

2001

Sargento introduces another “industry first” by unveiling the Slide-Rite Advanced Closure System on its shredded cheese packages.

2003

Judged by a panel of professional chefs at the American Tasting Institute, Sargento Shredded Cheese was judged as offering the Industry’s Best Tasting Cheese.

April, 2005

New Sargento Bistro Blends are introduced. Combining our fresh shredded cheese with authentic, all-natural seasonings, they are an easy way to add a burst of extra flavor to meals.

October, 2005

Two great Wisconsin passions—great cheese and great football—come together when Sargento becomes the Official Cheese of the Green Bay Packers.

2006

Limited Edition Cheeses are introduced to bring you small batches of unique and flavorful cheeses—each available for a limited time only.

2007

Sargento® Artisan Blends™ are inroduced. Combining our own special cheeses with distinct cheeses from artisan cheese makers, who use pure local ingredients and centuries-old techniques, we’ve created exceptional shredded cheese blends.

2008

Sargento makes its debut in the produce section with a fresh new way to finish salads and potatoes. Sargento® Salad Finishers™ combine just the right ingredients to transform everyday salads and potatoes in to exciting taste creations.