Keep It Local

Family-run cheesemaker expands ByJudithM.Wilson Special to the Marin IJ W henPointReyesFarmsteadCheesebegan business in 2000, family was foremost. Bob and Dean Giacomini were West Marin dairy farmers, and their four daughters, Diana Giacomini Hagen, Jill Giacomini Basch, Karen Giacomini Howard and Lynn Giacomini Stray, had other careers. However, "My dad had a vision to produce a finished branded product for the farm," says Giacomini Basch, and he wanted to build a company to pass onto his girls when he retired. With everyone involved, they completed research, had discussions and reached the conclusion that high-quality, handcrafted artisan cheese was the right path. It was a burgeoning industry, and other small-batch cheese-makers were willing to offer expertise and mentorship. It took two years to start making cheese. Their first product was Point Reyes Original Blue, which they chose, because high-quality handcrafted cheese was rare, and they didn't want to compete with the cheese-makers who were helping them. "We love blue cheese and knew it was a cheese that would be fun in the kitchen," Giacomini Basch says. Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese now has 80 full- and part-time employees, five products, and opened a new facility in Petaluma earlier this year to expand production and reduce the number of trucks driving to the coast. Once established, the company began offering educational experiences to their trade customers, taking them on farm tours to see some of their 450 milking cows, and demonstrating how to cook with cheese. They soon discovered that cheese fans wanted the same experience. They opened The Fork in July 2012 to offer consumer-oriented programs, which go on sale quarterly, and when programs for this year's fourth quarter went online, they sold out in 10 minutes. Point Reyes Farmstead also meets customers at the Marin Civic Center Farmers Market. "We love the farmers' market, because that's really where we started," says Giacomini Stray, who is a member of the board of the Agricultural Institute of Marin. Handcraftedartisancheese Nationally known Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese expands Clockwisestartingatthetopleft; View of the Giacomini family dairy, home of Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.; Kuba Hemmerling, head cheese maker and plant manager; pastoral scene on the ranch; Creamery staff member Maria Alvarado; Center; Jill, Lynn and Diana Giacomini. – All photos provided by Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese 10 September 9, 2018 Keep It Local A Marketing Supplement of the Marin Independent Journal | marinij.com

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