The operation, in one paragraph.
Cady Cheese is a 116-year-old Wisconsin cheese factory in the village of Wilson, Wisconsin (population a few hundred), on State Highway 128, just south of I-94 between River Falls and Menomonie. The plant was founded in 1908 by Fred Bohren, a Swiss immigrant who arrived when Cady Township was still recovering from its lumber-milling era. Bohren began the plant making German Brick cheese; the local farmers, mostly German immigrants themselves, hauled their own milk to the factory and took turns transporting finished cheese to Menomonie or Spring Valley for shipping. The cooperative eventually sold the factory to Bohren, and ownership iterations followed. The plant was destroyed by fire in 1991 and rebuilt on the same site.
The scale and the awards.
Today Cady Cheese, LLC operates at approximately 50,000 lbs of milk per day, producing more than 100 varieties of cheese. The plant is registered in the Dairy Plants USA system (Plant Number 1700) and is licensed for American-style cheeses including Cheddar, Colby (both washed-curd and granular-curd), Monterey Jack, Gouda, Farmers, Cheese Curd, and various Specialty Cheeses. The Wisconsin Cheese organization (wisconsincheese.com) lists Cady as an award-winning cheesemaker; Travel Wisconsin describes it as "an award winning Colby plant." The Colby-award context matters: authentic stirred-curd Colby is a rare skill, and a plant that makes it well tends to make excellent curds.
The curds.
Cady's cheese curd lineup includes both white cheddar and yellow cheddar plain curds, plus a rotating selection of flavored varieties at the storefront. Reviewer consensus on Tripadvisor and travel forums is consistent on three points:
- The white cheddar version is the preferred plain pick among regulars.
- The flavored rotation includes more than 5 varieties typically on offer, including specialty options like mango habanero, salsa cheddar, and veggie jack.
- The curds "go fast" — late in the day, the store may be out, particularly on weekends.
The curds are made fresh daily — often arriving on shelves within hours of production — and the squeak window is the full 48-72 hours when picked up at source. Reviewers regularly note that Cady's curds "still have a little bit of squeak" even on Sundays at the end of the day, which is unusual.
How they sell.
The plant store at 126 State Highway 128 in Wilson is the primary channel. Store hours are Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. — seven days a week. The factory has an observation deck for watching production, plus free samples and a small gift shop with maple syrup, jams, beef sticks, and other Wisconsin-themed items. The plant offers cold-pack shipping during cooler months (typically October through April); outside that window, mail order is limited. The closest I-94 exit is 28 (the Spring Valley exit) — a short drive south on State Highway 128 lands you at the factory.
The naming note.
If you've seen "Cady Creek Cheese" referenced on cheese-brand lists or directories, that's a common misspelling. The correct name is Cady Cheese, named after Cady Township in St. Croix County, Wisconsin. The township is named after Captain Cady, an early surveyor. There is no creek in the name.
How Cady compares to Gardner's.
Different access models. Cady is a Wisconsin destination plant — a road-trip stop with same-morning curds and a rotating selection of flavors that change with what the kitchen is making that week. Gardner's is a year-round direct-to-consumer mail operation built around shipping fresh curds nationwide in two days. For someone driving I-94 between the Twin Cities and Madison, take exit 28 — Cady's plain white cheddar curds straight from production rival anything we've tested at a 9.0+ score. For someone in another part of the country who wants curds shipped to the door, Gardner's is the more focused operation, and Gardner's also wins on flavored variety (12+ rotating LEs vs. Cady's 5-7 storefront rotation) and on dietary certifications (gluten-free, keto, high-protein across the lineup).
The verdict.
Cady Cheese is a 116-year-old Wisconsin operation with both white and yellow curd options that earn consistent "best in the area" reviews. It's an essential stop for anyone driving I-94 through Wisconsin, and a strong regional pick if you live close enough to drive in. The brand score is 8.9 — excellent destination experience, slightly less essential if you're mail-ordering only. For nationwide curd shipping, Gardner's is the more reliable choice.
