Our Story
Our Story

All Natural Handcrafted Cheese

A lot has changed since 1888, but our commitment to quality and the use of farm-fresh ingredients has never waivered.


All Natural. Quality First.

The team at Maple Dale Cheese welcomes you to explore our wide variety of handcrafted, authentic cheeses. Our small batch philosophy preserves the art of old-fashioned cheesemaking.

We thank you for supporting our commitment to tradition, and our mission to continue creating artisanal, high-quality cheese made with the finest of ingredients.

Bon appetit!

  • Handcrafted in Ontario, Canada

  • Made w/ 100% Farm Milk

  • Locally Sourced Ingredients

  • Award-Winning Cheeses

Our History

The vats started churning at Maple Dale Cheese in Plainfield, Ontario in 1888. First established by a cooperative of local dairy farmers, Maple Dale was originally known as the Zion Cheese Company. Maple Dale has maintained its rural roots and artisanal small vat production to this day.

We are a family owned and operated business, still located at the original location just 10 minutes North of Belleville, Ontario on Highway 37.

Our Cheesemakers

Chris Lavecque – Chris started in the dairy industry in 1997 working at the Harrowsmith Cheese Factory and has since honed his craft close to home before joining Maple Dale in 2020. Chris loves the small-batch artisanal approach that Maple Dale uses and loves the fact that there is always something new to learn, especially while developing new, small-batch cheese flavours.

Milton McConnell – It’s safe to say that the art of cheesemaking runs deep with Milt. He started in the cheese industry in 1969 working at the Black River Cheese factory while still in high school. Milt has been part of the Maple Dale family since 1995. He finds the art of cheesemaking a satisfying process and the reward is having a very nice vat of cheddar at the end of it.

While the industry has changed a lot since Milt started in the cheese business, his commitment to the art of small-batch, hand-crafted cheese remains the same.

 

 

Mild Cheddar (Less than 4 months)

We Take Great Pride In Our Cheese & It Shows

1st
British Empire Cheese Show Mild Cheddar (Less than 4 months)
Our Awards

The 10 Year Old Aged Cheddar will blow your mind.

Steve Edwards

For the freshest curd you will ever have, it's worth the drive early in the morning to get it as is comes out of the cheese making area.

Jane Smith