When Bob Mills’ whey separating machine broke down last fall, he was at a loss. For three decades, whey, the protein-rich liquid that separates from milk curds during cheese-making, had become a valuable asset. Now, Mills had to spend money just to dispose of it.
That’s difficult for any cheesemaker – producing one pound of cheese creates nine pounds of whey. It’s especially so for Mills’ Cedar Grove Cheese, just west of Madison, which produces 3.5 million pounds of cheese a year and, in turn, roughly 31.5 million pounds of whey.
Cheese is still the primary driver for the business, but when the machine was down for nearly two months, Mills lost roughly 15% in revenue he would have made selling whey and cream during that period, including the cost of repairing the equipment…