Cabot Creamery - History

History

The original plant had an investment of $3,700 in total, which was paid by 94 farmers in proportion to the number of cattle which each owned. The cooperative started out making butter with the excess milk produced, and began shipping its products south. In 1930 they started making cheese. By 1960, the cooperative had 600 member farmers, though the number of farms in Vermont and across the nation were steadily shrinking.

Following a decline in membership, the Cabot Farmers Cooperative Creamery merged in 1992 with Agri-Mark, a cooperative of 1,800 farm families in New England and New York, and was re-incorporated as Cabot Creamery Cooperative Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Agri-mark. In 2008, there were about 400 Cabot farms in Vermont belonging to Agri-Mark.

Cabot has facilities in many locations, including Cabot, Vermont, Route 100 in Waterbury, Vermont, Quechee, Vermont as well as a newly added store in Portland, Maine. Each location offers samples of products from the expansive line of Cabot goods, specialty foods from local vendors, and souvenirs. Additionally, at the Cabot Visitors Center, guided tours are given for those interested.

as of 2012, there are about 1,200 members in Vermont, upstate New York,and New England. The Rochdale Principles remain a part of the cooperative.

Cabot began marketing cheese internationally in 2007.

Wine Spectator magazine selected a Cabot cloth-bound cheddar as one of its "100 great cheeses" of the world in 2008. That same year the American Cheese Society selected Cabot Monterey Jack to receive one of the 33 national awards. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets has approved Cabot aged cheddars for display of the Vermont Seal of Quality. To date, Cabot Cheddar has won every major award for taste.