We're excited to announce that Stepladder Creamery was a recipient of the Pacific Coast Coalition's Dairy Business Innovation Grant.
The Pacific Coast Coalition Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (PCC-DBII) provides targeted resources and funding to dairy farmers and businesses across six Western states. Funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and hosted by California State University, Fresno, the PCC-DBII also collaborates with these partners for maximized impact.
We hosted Carmen, Nancy, and Susan from PCC-DBII on the farm.
"We're honored to have been selected for the grant," said Jack Rudolph. Stepladder Creamery co-owner. "The grant funding will help us modernize our cheese making, packaging, and allow us to scale up our cultured butter production."
The new butter pump used to make cultured butter will help shorten the time needed for drying and packaging butter. It will allow us to be able to make it more frequently within our tight schedule of creating all our wonderful cheeses and give us the possibility of being able to release an unsalted version in the future, too.
Pictured above is the butter pump delivery day. Our crew was so excited to unbox the pump and get it cleaned and set up in the creamery.
Our creamery team has a weekly cheese making schedule, with cultured butter always being a Monday project. It takes about a week for the team to make butter from start to finish. The pump helps remove any excess liquid for a creamier, drier end-product. It also helps pump the butter into the churn quicker than doing everything by hand.
Now that's some creamy looking butter!
Buy cultured butter online and at farmer's markets in the Bay Area, Central Coast, Los Angeles and San Diego.
Stay tuned for updates on the remaining items being added to the creamery from the innovation grant funding.