Waitsfield, Vermont-based Cabot Creamery Co-operative boxed Mac & Cheese has launched in Harris Teeter and Publix locations.
The boxed Mac and Cheese takes 10 minutes to prepare and comes in three flavors: Seriously Sharp, Pepper Jack and classic Yellow Cheddar. Made with organic pasta and aged Cabot Cheddar, the product has 10 grams of protein per serving, contains no artificial flavors and is made with rBST-free cheese.
The new product is a collaboration between Cabot Creamery Co-operative and Alpine Summit Capital Partners, a Vermont-based private equity firm launched in 2018 to leverage brands’ value into new categories, and its newest division, Vermont Cheese Products Inc. The first license by VCPI covers a line of specially branded consumer snack products under the Cabot brand, held by Agri-Mark, the dairy cooperative with more than 600 farm family members.
“Many of today’s best-selling consumer snacks are cheese-based products. But no other snack food brand in the U.S., especially on the East Coast, has the consumer loyalty plus the B Corp certification we found with Cabot,” said Adam Farmer, VCPI CEO and founder.
“In fact, many popular snack food brands do not even contain real cheese at all. All of our Cabot-licensed products are made with the exact same, award-winning cheese that has made Cabot a household name. Working with Agri-Mark/Cabot opens a world of possibilities to produce unique flavor combinations and healthier snacks that do not require refrigeration.”
In addition to Cabot’s boxed macaroni and cheese, VCPI just launched Cabot Seriously Sharp Popcorn in Vermont, which will also be available soon in retailers nationwide.
James “Cricket” Jacquier, Agri-Mark board chair, saluted the latest license adopted by the board of directors, stating “Our farmers have invested heavily in our brand, plants and equipment to make our world-class cheese. Licensing gives us a new avenue for our farmers’ brand to add value and provide an additional income stream for our families.”
Agri-Mark, the dairy cooperative in the Northeast, is owned by 600 farm families throughout New England and Upstate New York. Agri-Mark has plants in Vermont, New York and Massachusetts where it produces a full line of cheeses, Greek yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese and butter under the Cabot, McCadam, Agri-Mark Whey Protein brands.
For more information, visit cabotcheese.coop.
