How an Oregon creamery grew from a home business to the home of America’s best string cheese

Growing up, Francisco Ochoa remembers selling his father’s homemade cheese door-to-door in Salem on the same streets behind where his 9,000-square-foot cheese creamery now sits. Today, that creamery produces the best string cheese in America, according to the American Cheese Society’s 2024 competition.

In the late 1990s, after the Ochoa family moved to Eugene, they would drive from their home to Salem, where the Hispanic community was bigger, Francisco said, to make more sales.

Francisco’s father, Froylan Ochoa, had a dream of owning a commercial creamery where he could make traditional Mexican cheeses — a passion he had been pursuing at home since Francisco was young.

“The reason why my dad started making cheese back in the late 1990s was because there was not enough cheese,” Francisco said. “You go to Safeway, you find a really commercial cheese. Making authentic Mexican cheese delivered to your house, that’s the culture. That’s how you find cheese in Mexico.”

Spreading a piece of his culture to the community and connecting over food, Froylan continued to grow his business at home until he died in 2000.

“After he passed away, a year later, my older brother, with the help of an angel investor, was able to open the first creamery,” Francisco said.

The creamery was named for their father, Don Froylan, to honor and continue his legacy. Seven years later, Francisco took over the family business with his wife, Lisa Ochoa, whom he met in Eugene.

The two now run the quickly growing and highly acclaimed Don Froylan Creamery, which processes handmade queso fresco, Oaxaca, cotija and the award-winning Liliana’s String Cheese, named after their daughter.

“Entering the queso Oaxaca in the string cheese category and winning in the best string cheese, as Mexican string cheese, that’s so exciting,” Lisa said of the American Cheese Society competition. “And for people to grow up knowing that, I think that’s pretty exciting.”

Along with their first place in the string cheese category, Don Froylan Creamery also won first place in the “Hispanic fresh cheeses” category for its queso panela and second in “Hispanic cooking cheeses” for its queso Oaxaca.

The Ochoas will compete next at November’s World Cheese Awards in Portugal and hope to win more international awards for their artisanal cheeses, which many praise for their authentic taste and production, according to the Ochoas.

One reason: Don Froylan Creamer is one of the only creameries in the Pacific Northwest that hand-stretches their cheese, Francisco said.

“A lot of people say, ‘Oh this tastes like home, this is something really authentic,’” Lisa said. “And that’s the biggest compliment for us too.”

The factory processes more than four tons of cheese a day daily and plans to scale up their production with a 6,000-square-foot expansion of its facility.

“The way we put the building on this land, there was room for expansion, but we just never imagined it would be happening this quickly,” Lisa said. “Every aspect is growing, but we really need a bigger production and more cooler space.”

The Ochoas opened their Salem location in 2020, after a decade of operating in Albany. After just four years at their new site, they report steady growth in production, sparking inspiration for new products such as a drinkable yogurt and an in-house chorizo that Francisco is developing.

The creamery also runs a kitchen in its storefront, serving quesadillas, nachos, grilled cheese sandwiches, burritos and more cheesy menu items made with fresh cheese and other local ingredients.

The storefront also offers visitors a window into the factory so they can watch the Oaxacan cheese being made while they enjoy a fresh quesadilla and horchata, a traditional Mexican beverage made with rice and cinnamon.

“It’s such a hands-on traditionally made cheese and something that people should see,” Lisa said. “We definitely wanted it to be an experience and a conversation starter.”

Being able to share his success with his family, who play a large role in running the creamery, is one of the best parts about the job, Francisco said, as well as being able to share his culture with others and bring people together.

“Early on, when I started making cheese, and I brought it to people, and they loved it, it made me feel good, made me want to make more cheese, get better recipes,” Francisco said.

The factory is a place that brings people together, Lisa said, and cultivating the space in Salem has been an exciting venture.

But you don’t have to go to Salem to try Don Froylan cheeses. Francisco and Lisa will be at The Wedge cheese festival on Sept. 28 at Alder Block in Portland. The creamery specializes in wholesale distribution across the Pacific Northwest, so fans can find their cheeses at local Mexican markets, New Seasons, Whole Foods, Market of Choice, and a variety of Mexican restaurants. You can also order directly from their website here or visit the store at 3310 Portland Road N.E., Salem, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

— Chiara Profenna covers religion, faith and cultural connections. Reach her at 503-221-4327; cprofenna@oregonian.com or @chiara_profenna

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