Schuman Cheese Now Led by 4th Generation
Family-owned Schuman Cheese has revealed a comprehensive leadership transition marking the advancement of fourth-generation leadership across the organization. Allison Schuman has been appointed CEO as Neal Schuman becomes chairman, in which role he will continue to provide strategic oversight and guidance.
Ian Schuman will head up the company’s worldwide expansion as president of global, overseeing all import and export operations within the global business unit and furthering Schuman Cheese’s international growth strategy.
Keith Schuman will continue to lead domestic production, plant-based initiatives and Lake Country Dairy operations while advancing key strategic initiatives across the organization. As part of this work, Keith will guide Banyan Seed, the Schuman family office, to support innovation-driven projects and long-term initiatives aimed at expanding opportunity across the broader Schuman enterprise.
More than 81 years after its founding, Schuman Cheese now embarks on a new chapter to be written by Allison, Ian and Keith Schuman.
“I have had the privilege of learning this business from the inside out,” said Allison, who was previously the company’s chief revenue officer. “This transition is about honoring the foundation that has carried us for more than eight decades while building the leadership structure and governance needed for the future. Our strength has always been our unity as a family and our shared commitment to protecting what makes this company special while responsibly growing it for the generations ahead.”
“Our relationships with global producers have been built across generations,” Ian added. “As we look ahead, we remain committed to deepening those partnerships while responsibly expanding our international footprint.”
“Innovation has always been part of our story, but it has never come at the expense of craft,” Keith noted. “Whether strengthening our domestic capabilities or advancing our plant-based portfolio, the focus remains on growing the category in a way that reflects our values. Banyan Seed provides a platform to support strategic initiatives that help expand the reach of the broader Schuman organization.”
Founded in New York in 1945, Fairfield, N.J.-based Schuman Cheese has a team of skilled cheesemakers crafting world-class cheeses in Wisconsin. The company also enjoys a robust import business, serving as the No. 1 importer of hard Italian cheeses across the United States.
This article first appeared on the site of sister publication Progressive Grocer.
