Cheese

Rennet is an enzyme that helps coagulate the milk during the cheesemaking process. Since 2016, we have utilized fermentation-produced rennet that has Kosher and Halal certification and is vegetarian. We believe it closely mimics the flavor and quality profiles of a traditional bovine rennet. 

Fermentation-produced rennet is very common in the cheesemaking industry due to its ability to minimize the risk of a bitter flavor profile.

The exact method of making this fermentation-produced rennet is proprietary. However, it is important to note that our rennet is classified as “not genetically engineered” by USDA bioengineered food labeling regulations. Furthermore, we do not use rennet that is produced by any pharmaceutical company.

If you are looking for cheese made with animal rennet, we recommend our Maker's Reserve Cheddar in the 2014, 2013, 2012, or 2010 vintages.

Our new Farmstyle Fine Cut is a great option when you are looking for increased coverage and meltability. We recommend sprinkling it on salads, tacos, baked potatoes, and other dishes as a topper.

Our Farmstyle Thick Cut is great in baked dishes or can add some extra creaminess to your mac & cheese.

We encourage you to try both cuts in your favorite dishes and see which one you like the best! 

Tillamook Cheese is available at a variety of stores throughout the U.S. Currently, the full product line is most commonly found in the Pacific Northwest. To look for Tillamook Cheese and other products in your area, please visit Where to Buy. Because we sell our cheese to grocery stores through distributors, it’s sometimes difficult for us to know exactly which type of Tillamook Cheese is currently stocked in a specific store. If you’re looking for a particular flavor of cheese, we recommend that you call a store to check on their cheese inventory. You can also purchase most of our cheeses and cheese curds from our online store. If you would like to be able to purchase Tillamook products at a store that doesn’t currently carry them, we recommend speaking to the store manager and requesting our products. Please feel free to use our Product Request Template, which you can fill in, print out, and hand directly to a store manager.

We would love for Tillamook Cheese to be available in every city in every state! Unfortunately, the decision about what products are carried in what stores is decided through a partnership between Tillamook and our grocery retailers. The best way to get our products in your grocery store is to ask your store manager to carry them. 

Grocery stores set the prices on products they sell. We don’t decide the selling price of our products in different stores. Prices vary depending on shipping costs, demand, and location.

Our Tillamook Cheddar Cheese Curds are currently exclusively sold at the Creamery in Tillamook and the Tillamook Market at the PDX Airport.

All Tillamook Cheese should be stored in the fridge. To prolong the life of your loaf, follow these tips:

• Keep your cheese in its original package.
• Wash your hands before handling.
• Avoid touching the cheese that you plan on putting back in the fridge.
• When slicing your loaf, pull the wrapper back and cut off the desired amount of cheese.
• Tightly fold the original wrapper back over the end.
• Press foil or plastic wrap over the end of your cheese and place it in an airtight, sealed plastic bag or airtight container.
• Place your cheese in the coldest section of the fridge (less than 40° Fahrenheit).


To help prevent mold from developing on sliced and shredded cheese, follow these tips:

• Keep your cheese in its original package.
• Wash your hands before handling.
• Avoid touching the cheese that you plan on putting back in the fridge.
• Don’t put your hand directly in the bag of shredded cheese; remove with a clean utensil, or pour the cheese out of the bag.
• For 5-pound bags of shredded cheese, separate and store the cheese in several smaller resealable bags.
• Use within 3-5 days after opening (in other words, enjoy often!)

Yes. Just like the milk it’s made from, Tillamook Cheese is a perishable dairy product and should always be stored in the fridge (ideally in the coldest part, around 40 degrees). You can take cheese out of the fridge up to an hour before you plan on using it, but it should be put back in the fridge immediately after you’re done. If you’re in a warm environment, cheese shouldn’t be left out for too long – the heat will change the texture and oil may develop on the outside of the cheese. Check out all our cheese storage tips.

(Hey, that rhymes!) Freezing Tillamook Cheese prolongs its life, but it also changes the texture of the cheese, making it dry and crumbly. Although freezing slows mold growth, it also stops the aging process of cheddar. Ideally, you should freeze the cheese in its original, unopened package. If you’ve already opened the package, wrap one pound or smaller portions in moisture-proof materials (like plastic wrap or aluminum foil) and then place it in an airtight bag. That way, you can maintain optimum flavor and texture. When you’re ready, thaw the cheese in the refrigerator with the wrapper on to prevent loss of moisture and flavor. Then eat it as soon as possible. Thawed cheese will shred easily, but it’s difficult to slice. If you plan on slicing the cheese, it’s best to do so before putting it in the freezer. Check out more tips for cheese storage here.

Tillamook Cheese is a perishable product that requires constant refrigeration. Although our little loafs would love to travel the world and experience exotic places, we don’t recommend that you ship our cheese very far. If you do decide to ship it, we recommend that you include one gel ice pack for every 2lbs of cheese and send it using no longer than USPS 2nd day mail. If you’d like to ship cheese overseas, we suggest using an insulated package, and surrounding the cheese with several gel ice packs. Make sure to check with the customs department of the country you’re shipping to for any restrictions they may have on sending food items into their country.

Keep cheese in its original wrapper and place it in the coolest, darkest area possible. This is likely your checked suitcase if you’re flying. If you’re driving, this is not your trunk. For travel times longer than one day, an ice cooler is your best bet. When you arrive at your destination, refrigerate the cheese as soon as possible. Because of airport security restrictions, it’s a good idea to check with the airport before packing any cheese in your suitcase. It would be a terrible cheese-less tragedy if you had to leave your loaf with security!

Some of our cheeses are made from pasteurized milk and some are made from heat-shocked milk. Unlike pasteurization, heat-shocking raises the temperature just enough to kill any bad bacteria, while preserving the milk’s beneficial enzymes. This is an important step in the cheesemaking process, as the cheddar’s flavor, body, and texture depend upon these enzymes.

Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, Spicy Habanero Jack, Muenster, Provolone, Garlic Chili Pepper Cheddar, Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar, Mozzarella, Baby Swiss, Swiss and Havarti are made from pasteurized milk.

Medium Cheddar, Medium White Cheddar, Kosher Medium Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Sharp White Cheddar, Hickory Smoked Cheddar, Hickory Smoked Extra Sharp White Cheddar, English-Style Cheddar, Extra Sharp White Cheddar, Extra Sharp Cheddar, Extra Sharp Aged Cheddar, Extra Sharp Aged White Cheddar, and all of our Maker’s Reserve Cheddars are made with heat-shocked milk.

The Tillamook Cheddar recipe is based on over 100 years of cheese-making experience. Our Tillamook Cheddar Cheese recipe contains four natural ingredients: cultured milk, enzymes (rennet), salt, and annatto. Annatto is a natural coloring extracted from the seeds of annatto trees grown in the tropics; it is responsible for that beautiful Tillamook Cheddar yellow color! Tillamook white cheddars only contain three ingredients, as they don’t need the annatto.

Tillamook Cheddar Cheeses develop their flavors through the natural process of aging. The longer they age, the “sharper” and more flavorful they become. Tillamook Cheddars are naturally aged in 40-pound blocks for a minimum of: Medium Cheddar – 60 days Sharp Cheddar– 9 months Extra Sharp Cheddar – 15 months Extra Sharp White Cheddar and Maker’s Reserve – 2-6 years, depending on the product


Though we always recommend eating Tillamook products by the best by date printed on the package, the aging process of Tillamook cheddar cheese continues even after you’ve brought your cheese home. Be sure to keep it in the coldest part of your refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy it.

At this time, all Tillamook Cheese is vegetarian, with the exceptions of:

• 2012 Maker's Reserve Extra Sharp White Cheddar

• 2013 Maker’s Reserve Extra Sharp White Cheddar

We sure do! Our Kosher Medium Cheddar Cheese has the same delicious, award-winning taste and ingredients as our traditional Medium Cheddar Cheese, but it’s produced and packaged under official rabbinical guidance. Like our traditional Medium Cheddar, our Kosher Medium Cheddar is made with a fermentation-produced rennet that has Kosher and Halal certification and is vegetarian-friendly.

The exciting answer: cheesy magic! The less-exciting truth: annatto, a natural, plant-based food coloring extracted from the seeds of tropical annatto trees. Without annatto, cheese is the color of milk. Coloring has been added to cheddar cheese for centuries to regulate color variations in milk that can come from seasonal changes in the cow’s diet. These days, annatto helps ensure that each loaf of Tillamook cheese is the same color that our fans have come to expect. If you prefer a cheese that does not contain annatto, we also produce several white cheddar cheeses, too! Annatto does not affect the flavor of the cheese.

No need to worry - these tiny white specks are actually a good thing. They’re most likely calcium lactate crystals, also known as “cheese crystals.” They are completely safe to eat, and usually signify that a cheese is flavorful and well-aged. Calcium lactate crystals form naturally during the aging process and are most commonly found in aged cheddars, including Smoked Medium Cheddar.

It’s likely that the white substance on the outside of your cheese is calcium lactate. Calcium lactate is common in aged cheese. It is basically a natural calcium buildup that occurs over time during the aging process, and it sometimes will become visible on the surface of the cheese. Don’t worry – it is completely natural and safe to eat!

Every loaf of Tillamook Cheese is cut from a 40-pound block of cheese. After being cut from this original block, each loaf is weighed to make sure it fits in its appropriate loaf size category (an 8-ounce, 10-ounce, 1-pound, 2-pound, 2.5 pound, or 5-pound loaf). If a loaf is overweight, cheese is sliced off. If a loaf is underweight, a slice of cheese is added to increase its weight – this is the “extra” slice that you found in your loaf. Usually this extra slice adheres back to the loaf over time, but occasionally it is still visible when the cheese is purchased.

The safety of eating cheese past its best-by date depends on the type of cheese and how it's been stored. For naturally-aged cheddar cheese, it can continue to age and sharpen in your fridge if stored properly in an unopened package below 40°F.

However, for stirred curd cheeses like Monterey Jack, Colby, and Pepper Jack, it's not recommended to eat them after the code date due to their higher moisture content. Always check for signs of spoilage such as mold, odd odors, slimy texture, or sour flavor before consuming any cheese past its best-by date. When in doubt, it's better to be safe and discard the cheese. And lastly, please note that for legal reasons, we cannot officially recommend that you eat ANY Tillamook Cheese past its expiration date.

Our cheese is naturally aged and will eventually form mold once it is opened. Here is a rough guideline for about how long you can expect to enjoy our cheese once opened and kept under refrigeration: 

Block & Baby Loaf Cheese

• Good for approximately 3 to 4 weeks after opening. If mold forms after this time, you can often cut off the moldy portion and safely enjoy the rest of the cheese – just make sure to cut off at least a half inch of cheese on all sides of the visible mold and keep your knife out of the mold spots while cutting. 

• Storage tips: Keep it tightly wrapped to avoid drying out and store it in a crisper drawer if possible. 

Shredded Cheese

Good for approximately 1 week after opening. - Storage tips: Keep it sealed and use a freezer bag or an airtight container to prevent moisture loss and mold growth. You can also freeze shredded cheese if you plan on using it for cooking. 

Sliced Cheese

• Good for approximately 1 to 2 weeks after opening. 

• Storage tips: Keep it wrapped or in a resealable container to avoid exposure to air, which can cause drying or mold.
  

Snack Cheeses

These are individually wrapped and will be good for no less than the full duration of the shelf life while unopened. Mold should not form during this time, and we advise that you do not consume it if it does. If your cheese molded more quickly than expected, or if you still have concerns, please reach out via our Contact Us form or give us a call at 855-562-3568.

Sorry for any disappointment! Our Extra Sharp White Cheddar is our longest-aged cheese that we offer in a shredded cut. It has the sharpest flavor but also the lowest moisture content, which leads to a crumblier texture than our other shredded cheeses. We hope that this is helpful, if you have additional concerns, please feel free to reach out to our team. https://www.tillamook.com/contact

No need to worry – the liquid on the outside of your cheese is just excess moisture, or liquid whey. Wipe off your cheese with a napkin or paper towel and enjoy! It’s common for naturally-aged cheeses to develop a small amount of moisture inside their packaging.

We have two types of Mozzarella Cheese: our Farmstyle Mozzarella Shredded Cheese (with part skim milk) and our Whole Milk Mozzarella line, including Shredded Cheese, Sliced Cheese, Block Cheese, and Snack Portions. Our Farmstyle Mozzarella Shredded Cheese is great for dishes lighter in flavor, while our Whole Milk Mozzarella line is for dishes needing full flavor and creaminess.

It happens! Here is some guidance for about how long different styles of our cheese can safely be left outside of a refrigerated temperature: 

• Cheddar: 4 hours 

• Softer cheeses: 2 hours

If it has been left out longer than the timeframes above, you can use your best judgment about whether or not you decide to consume it – but we can’t officially recommend you do so.