'Iconic' Bunker Hill Cheese adding jobs, new machinery to Berlin location
BERLIN TWP. − Bunker Hill Cheese is growing through a partnership with JobsOhio and the Ohio Southeast Economic Development Council, with help from the Holmes County Economic Development Council.
The family-owned manufacturer of cheese, meats, jams, jellies and spreads, syrups, sauces and dressings is purchasing new equipment that is expected to add 10 new jobs at the Berlin location. The investment will aid in the manufacturing of cheese products, made with locally sourced milk.
The company also operates a retail outlet that is a major attraction on the Holmes County tourism trail.
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“Bunker Hill Cheese is an iconic Holmes County business and the company’s retail shop is a must-stop for many visitors to the area,” said the county's Economic Development Director Mark Leininger. “We are excited about the company’s plans for growth and its decision to invest in expanding its product line."
More than $100,000 in new equipment for Bunker Hill Cheese
The company will be putting more than $100,000 into new equipment, which includes a $50,000 JobsOhio Inclusion Grant. The grant is designed to provide financial support for eligible projects in designated distressed communities and/or for businesses owned by underrepresented populations, including minorities, women, veterans and people with disabilities, across the state.
Bunker Hill Cheese qualified for the grant as it is owned and operated by Lisa Troyer and LeeAnneDauwalter, the granddaughters of company founder John (Hans) Dauwalder .
The investment includes the purchase of new machinery and equipment to increase the production of niche products, such as keto Cheese Crisps, and other protein-based snacks. The snack item is complements the company’s growing line of artisanal cheeses, Leininger said.
Bunker Hill can produce 12 tons of cheese per day
Bunker Hill Cheese Co.is a third-generation, business established in 1935. John (Hans) Dauwalder trained as a master cheesemaker in Switzerland and came to the United States in the 1920s to work in a growing cheese market, according to information posted on the company's website.
Through the years, the Dauwalder family has partnered with local farmers to produce their cheese.
Up to 12 tons of cheese can be made in a day. Bunker Hill produces over 25 varieties of cheese averaging 50,000 pounds of a week.
Lisa Troyer is president of Bunker Hill Cheese. She said she values the opportunity to team with JobsOhio and Holmes County Economic Development to keep her company moving forward.
“We maintain our commitment to developing products that will meet the consumer 21st century taste profile, while proactively supporting our local farming community,” Troyer said. “We look forward to continuing our commitment to sustainable, re-integrative agriculture, a growing personnel roster and the continued enhancements that make Bunker Hill Cheese and Ohio’s Amish Country a premier tourist destination for fellow Ohioans and visitors from around the world."
For many customers, Bunker Hill Cheese is a favorite stop on their visit to Holmes County.
"We love coming to Holmes County. We visit here a couple times a year," said Vaughn Norman of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. "I like coming here especially for the various cheeses. Pepper Jack is my favorite, but this chocolate mint cheese tastes more like fudge than cheese."
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Holmes County's Bunker Hill Cheese adds new equipment, jobs
