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6d ago

Vella Cheese to Close After 94 Years

Family owners said they could not recover from COVID-era losses and rising costs, so they have stopped making cheese.

Awards line the tasting room of Vella Cheese in Sonoma, Calif. on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Vella Cheese, the beloved family-owned Sonoma cheesemaker, has stopped production after 94 years. The company said it never fully recovered from the challenges of COVID and could no longer sustain the financial demands of running a small artisanal food business.
Rounds of Dry Monterey Jack cheese being aged on wooden racks at the Vella Cheese Co. in Sonoma, Calif. as seen on Tuesday June 10, 2014. Vella Cheese, the beloved family-owned Sonoma cheesemaker, has stopped production after 94 years. The company said Monday it never fully recovered from the challenges of COVID and could no longer sustain the financial demands of running a small artisanal food business.
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Overview

  • The Vella family announced in August 2026 that cheese production has ceased and the company will permanently close after 94 years of operations in Sonoma.
  • The retail shop and the wholesale warehouse will remain open only while remaining inventory is sold, with no further production planned.
  • Owners blamed an inability to recover from pandemic disruptions, higher operating costs and changing consumer habits driven by fast delivery platforms for making the business unsustainable.
  • The shutdown ends a multigenerational, family-run operation based in a 1904 stone building that produced Monterey Jack, Dry Jack and other award-winning cheeses.
  • Industry observers say the closure fits a regional pattern of small Northern California cheesemakers exiting the market and could shrink local supply chains that supply restaurants and specialty grocers.