California Cheesemaker Shuts Down After 94-Year Run

A nearly century-old Wine Country cheesemaker is closing its award-winning factory citing ongoing challenges since the Covid pandemic. Vella Cheese in Sonoma County announced Monday that after 94 years it has made the “incredibly difficult decision” to cease production of its famous products. “Our business has never fully recovered from the challenges of COVID, and the financial demands of operating a small, artisanal company in today’s fast-paced food industry have become more than we can sustain,” the message read. The firm was founded in 1931 by Gaetano “Tom” Vella, who worked at the Sonoma Mission Creamery before a group of...