Sargento Foods Inc. is an American food producer best known for its cheese. It was founded in 1953 in Plymouth, Wisconsin by Leonard Gentine and Joseph Sartori.[1][2] The company name is a combination of Sartori and Gentine, with an "o" added to make the name sound Italian, as the company specialized in Italian-style cheeses.[3][4] Sargento is one of the largest privately held companies in the United States,[5] and is one of the country's largest retail cheese companies.[6] The company offers profit sharing, tuition reimbursement and benefits for its employees.[7] The company has been a sponsor in American motorsports for many years;[8] for example, it is prominently displayed on Road America raceway.[9][10]
Products
Sargento was the first company to sell pre-packaged sliced cheese (1953), to sell pre-packaged shredded cheeses (1958),[11] and the first to develop zippered packaging for its cheeses (2001).[12][13] The company also produces and markets specialty cheeses, which it purveys on its website and in catalogs.[14] Additional products include sauces, snack cheeses and snack foods, and the company also manufactures custom cheese and food products for corporate clients.[14]
Faley, Tom (April 10, 2018). Treated Like Family: How an Entrepreneur and His "Employee Family" Built Sargento, a Billion-Dollar Cheese Company. Center Street. ISBN978-1478992868.
^Plymouth Historical Society (Plymouth, Wis.); Sheboygan County Historical Research Center, eds. (2006). Plymouth. Images of America. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub. p. 67. ISBN978-0-7385-4086-3.
