Tillamook had very humble beginnings in 1909, when it started as a small cooperative of dairy farmers in Tillamook County, Oregon. It has since grown into a national dairy brand, particularly famous for its loaves of orange cheddar cheese. The creamery also makes a whole array of other products, including ice cream, yogurt, and butter. From its inception, TIllamook has focused on quality. It has a commitment to never using fillers in its products, which has led to numerous awards. So what's the story behind this dairy brand, and what's with that boat in its logo? We have the answers. This is the untold truth of Tillamook.
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00:00There's a lot more to Tillamook than meets the cheddar. Do you know the meaning behind
00:04their lovable ship logo? Or that they're winners of the World Cheese Championship? Stay tuned
00:09to find out some tasty untold truths.
00:13Tillamook's Top Shelf Curd is the product of the Tillamook County Creamery Association,
00:17a dairy cooperative that today is the largest employer in Tillamook County, an economic
00:21engine empowering nearly 900 people in the craft of fine dairy. While years of small-time
00:26dairy farming offered decent income, it wasn't until local dairy farmers formed the Tillamook
00:31Cooperative in 1909 that they truly entered their stride. The Tillamook County Creamery
00:36Association started simply. They welcomed 10 independent dairy farmers who only had
00:41to pay a $10 entry fee. Today, that co-op belongs to 80 farmer-owners and has propelled
00:46the Tillamook County Creamery Association into a Top 50 American cheesemaker.
00:51Tillamook's commitment to quality and teamwork also shows up in their longstanding record
00:55of integrity, as the cooperative has held a constant commitment to stewardship, both
00:59to the Tillamook County community and to their customers.
01:03Before the cooperative could take off, the Tillamook County dairy farmers first had to
01:07solve their distribution issues. Prior to refrigerated cars, time was a factor in transporting
01:12perishable dairy. Given the lack of freeway infrastructure, the fastest route to Oregon's
01:16biggest city, Portland, was via water. So the people of Tillamook County came up with
01:21a plan — build a ship. Specifically, a schooner that was dubbed the Morningstar.
01:25The ship build was a success, and ironically enough, the Morningstar became the first ship
01:30built in Tillamook County and registered in Oregon. This ship is such a staple of Tillamook's
01:34history that a full-size replica of the schooner sits on display at the Tillamook Creamery's
01:39main factory.
01:41The richly specific taste of Tillamook traces back to a partnership with a genius cheese
01:45artist. When Canadian cheesemaker Peter McIntosh migrated to Tillamook County, he brought a
01:50an artisanal arsenal of cheese-crafting knowledge with him. He consistently refined a promising
01:55cheddar formula, and all he needed was a chance to prove his expertise as he wanted a cheesemaking
02:00plant of his own. Luckily for the lactose-tolerant, Tillamook gave him that opportunity.
02:05In 1894, McIntosh was hired to operate Tillamook County's first commercial cheese plant. He
02:11taught Tillamook dairy farmers everything he knew. In 1909, the Tillamook County Dairy
02:16Cooperative rewarded McIntosh's ingenuity, incorporating his popular cheesemaking formula
02:21as their standard winning recipe. This is all thanks to the Cheese King of the Coast
02:25spreading his gospel of cheese throughout the Tillamook Valleys.
02:29If Tillamook County dairy farmers were committed enough to build Oregon's first ship, and actually
02:39sail it, imagine how great their cheese could be.
02:42I thought we'd take a brief moment to celebrate one of life's greatest gifts. Bolder. Better.
02:49Tillamook Cheddar."
02:50The world didn't wait long for that answer, as Tillamook County's first big culinary victory
02:54came at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Ten years into McIntosh's influence, the World
03:00Fair paved the way to McIntosh's work and Tillamook's merging as one. It also paved
03:04the way to Tillamook becoming a full cooperative.
03:07As their products continued to improve and expand, working together with other dairy
03:11farmers became both lucrative and essential.
03:15Cheese does not get taken lightly in Wisconsin. So for all intents and purposes, if your cheese
03:19can win here, it can win anywhere. And that's what Tillamook did. In 2010, their Mild Cheddar
03:25obliterated the competition, scoring 99.6 out of 100 points at the World Cheese Championship
03:31in Wisconsin. Not only did Tillamook wrest the championship belt from the cheese-obsessed
03:36Midwest, their Mild Cheddar variety bested all 59 competitors in the category.
03:42You can add in some artificial flavoring, which we do not do.
03:46Yellow rubber duckies have always been popular with the little ones, but what about yellow
03:49rubber cows? Tillamook's squeaky toy cow, Tilly, was a fan favorite from day one. This
03:54friendly cow with a sweeping, joyful smile captured mascot status and held that mantle
03:59for over 50 years. Now discontinued as their solo brand ambassador, the original Tilly
04:04of Tillamook rubber squeak toy remains a lucrative antique at online auctions and Pinterest boards.
04:10Traditional Tillys fetch far over their original prices, with mint-conditioned Tillys still
04:14housed in their rustic farmland packaging. Periodically, newer editions of Tilly are
04:19on sale at the Tillamook factory.
04:21Peace, love, cheese? In the summer of 2010, all three were on the table as the Love Loaf
04:27Tour hit over 100 U.S. cities in a fleet of Cheddar Orange Volkswagen minibuses. Spreading
04:33the message of their love of dairy, Tillamook commemorated their 100th anniversary by slinging
04:38free samples and coupons to supermarkets and outdoor displays wherever their cheese
04:42loaves on wheels roamed. The stunt was a huge success. As a follow-up, Tillamook launched
04:47their Dairy Done Right campaign in 2015, where they published a series of scintillating photos
04:53of melted cheeses on hot food.
04:55This is the way. This is the way.
04:59Tillamook has stood for quality since they could stand on their own, and since their
05:02inception, they've refused to take shortcuts. As a matter of pride, Tillamook has always
05:07aged their cheddar naturally for as long as it takes. It can take anywhere from three
05:11months to as long as five years in some cases. To anyone who's tasted the creamier difference,
05:16the difference is obvious.
05:17It was a no-brainer when we were thinking about what we were going to put in our truck.
05:20It was Tillamook. People just love it.
05:23Every rich variety of Tillamook dairy packs that penchant for quality. Every bite provides
05:28a taste that is genuine.
05:30Tillamook's integrity remains self-evident and far-reaching. In 2020, when many farmers
05:35hit the skids due to pandemic-related shortfalls, Tillamook stepped up. They vowed to contribute
05:4010 percent of their September profits to their aid. All in all, Tillamook donated $1.6 million
05:46to the American Farmland Trust, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting
05:51farmland and keeping farmers on their land.
05:54In addition to this generous contribution, Tillamook further committed $100,000 to restaurant
05:59chefs whose businesses were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. This should come as no
06:04surprise. Since its inception, the Tillamook County Creamery Association has made stewardship
06:09a top priority.
06:10We want to make a real impact. For us, that means supporting the people and the places
06:15that have supported us for more than a century.
06:17Today, the Tillamook Co-op publicly lists its top six stewardship commitments proudly.
06:23They commit to thriving farms, healthful cows, inspired consumers, enduring ecosystems, fulfilled
06:28employees, and enriched communities.
06:31As a top 50 dairy provider in America, the Tillamook Creamery is capable of flexing some
06:36solid infrastructure. They boast factories that are able to produce 167,000 pounds of
06:41cheese every day. Within a single massive warehouse, Tillamook can age 50 million pounds
06:47of cheese at a single time. Yes, the number is barely comprehensible.
06:51That's a lot of cheese.
06:55Yet it's a reality that's allowed Tillamook to enjoy life on dairy's top shelf from coast
07:00to coast. In fact, the warehouse itself is so massive and magnificent, it's become a
07:04tourist attraction all by itself.
07:07Not only are tourists awed by Tillamook's mind-boggling cheese-producing capacity, they're
07:12also taken behind the curtain and shown how it's all made possible. Each year, nearly
07:16one million people pass through the Creamery on self-guided tours. These tours give people
07:20a chance to witness the magic of how Tillamook's impeccable products are formed, processed,
07:25and packaged.
07:26Kids even learn about the secret ingredient that gives Tillamook's cheddar its distinctive
07:30orange hue as they step through the company's history.
07:33The self-guided tours of Tillamook Creamery allow you to explore the bounds of their barn-like
07:37factory. A tour of their ice cream-making process is also available, and if you ask
07:42the kids, it may be Tillamook County Creamery's number one attraction.