The Indiana State Fair unveiled its traditional cheese sculpture this week, carved from blocks of cheddar donated by Kroger‘s Pace Dairy in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Sarah Kaufmann, known as The Cheese Lady, and her team transform massive blocks of cheese, as big as 640 pounds each, into a design matching the theme of the Indiana State Fair. This marks Kaufmann’s 20th year creating the fair’s sculpture, work she said takes approximately 250 hours from start to finish.
Kaufmann noted the cheese she receives is the same product Kroger offers in its dairy cases, calling it “beautiful, top-quality cheese.” She said she loves working with Indiana dairy farmers and appreciates that Pace Dairy supports the tradition.
“Knowing the quality and the care and the love that farmers have for their cows and for making quality products. It’s all about that,” Kaufmann said. “And having Kroger and Pace Dairy makes it even better with their wonderful quality Kroger cheese. It ties into Indiana so well.”
Pace Dairy supplies Kroger cheese nationwide
The Crawfordsville plant plays an outsized role in stocking Kroger dairy cases across the country. “All Kroger cheese east of the Mississippi is from Crawfordsville,” said Melissa Stonecipher, site leader at Pace Dairy, adding that the plant supplies all of the sliced Kroger cheese for the entire country.
Pace Dairy and its 300 associates have been key suppliers of Kroger-branded cheese products for more than 40 years, having opened in Crawfordsville in 1982.
Kroger Central Division operates food stores, pharmacies and fuel centers in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Ohio.