Made From 100% Organic Farmstead Cow's Milk
Welcome to Nicasio Valley Cheese Company
Award Winning
Organic, Farmstead, Artisan Cheese
Handcrafted in Nicasio, California using authentic, traditional recipes from the alpine village of our ancestral homeland, Maggia, Switzerland
STORE OPEN DAILY: 10am-5pm
We are honored and proud our cheese has been recognized globally, nationally and locally in various competitions including the American Cheese Society, World Cheese Championships, California State Fair and Good Food Awards.
American Cheese Society
Formagella - A 2022 first place winner in the Open Division for cow's milk cheeses at the American Cheese Society Annual Competition in Portland, Oregon.
Foggy Morning with Basil & Garlic - 3rd place
Twice our Loma Alta was the national award winner at the American Cheese Society annual competition in the"Soft Ripening Cow’s Milk" category.
The California State Fair 2026
Foggy Jalapeno - Double Gold
Halleck Creek - Double Gold
San Geronimo - Double Gold
Nicasio Reserve - Gold - a 4 time Gold Medal Winner.
Tomino - Gold
Locarno (wheel) - Gold
Our Story
Left photo - Our Grandfather, Fredonlino Lafranchi
Center photo - Our father, Will Lafranchi
Our mentor, cheese maker and friend from Maggia, Switzerland, Maurizio Lorenzetti
At the age of 17, our grandfather, Fredolino Lafranchi immigrated to America from Maggia, Switzerland, with the dream to one day own and operate his own dairy. In 1919, that dream became reality when Fred and his wife Zelma Dolcini Lafranchi established the Lafranchi Dairy in the western Marin town of Nicasio, California.
Fred and Zelma raised their five children on this beautiful ranch. Their eldest son, Will, our father, continued in the family business, raising us, his 6 children here and living his entire 78 years on this very special land.
During his life, Will was able to visit his ancestral homeland a number of times, and developed a special bond with his numerous Swiss relatives. Will and his extended family enjoyed many wonderful meals together, which included a distinctive selection of cheeses handmade by local artisans.
The appreciation of these fabulous cheeses left him and us with a longing to enjoy these treats back home. Our family dairy afforded the perfect resource to pay homage to this part of our heritage. Establishing the Nicasio Valley Cheese Company in 2010 has given us the opportunity to bring to reality something our father had only dreamt of.
Swiss Master Cheesemaker, Maurizio Lorenzetti has mentored our family in the art of making the cheeses of Valle Maggia to ensure they are as magical here as they are in Switzerland.
Our entire Lafranchi family is extremely proud to share our Nicasio Valley Cheese with you! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
