About us
Two Swiss immigrants and an unexpected stop for gas.
It’s funny how things happen, but that’s how we got our start in 1929.
Valley Queen Cheese was founded in 1929 by "The Alfreds" - two Swiss immigrants named Alfred Nef and Alfred Gonzenbach. The partners had worked together in a Wisconsin cheese factory before venturing to Milbank, SD to start their own business.
In 2022, Valley Queen Cheese Factory celebrated 93 years in business.
Take a look at the video here to learn more about our history—from that stop in South Dakota for gas, to our modern-day operations and the people who continue to drive the Valley Queen Cheese legacy forward.
Alfred Gonzenbach's visit to this northeastern South Dakota town was never meant to be more than a stop for fuel on a trip to pursue potential business opportunity in Montana. But, there's something about Milbank. And 91 years later, we're still proud to call this community our home.
Today, we remain privately owned. We proudly employ more than 300 people in our small community. And we’ve become a key partner for national and global food processors looking for quality cheese and whey products to bring their own products to life.
Since the beginning, Valley Queen has been taken great pride in providing opportunity for our partners, our employees and the communities we call home. We plan to continue that tradition for many more years to come.
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At Valley Queen, we believe our people are our greatest asset. Our successes are a result of our team’s passion, knowledge, and above all, their uncompromising commitment to excellence.