It was here that Tony Kraemer, a lifelong farmer, decided to build a small dairy business on his property. Could Tony, the patriarch of the Kraemer family enterprise, ever have envisioned that three generations later, his family would still be carrying on the tradition for fine dairy products and service he began in the 1920s? Tony's farm and dairy operation survived the Depression, and he was able to build his business through the next two decades. In 1949, Tony's son, Jim, joined his father, concentrating on all facets of the operation. Jim spent years learning his father's business, doing everything from working the farm and land, to delivering milk and building a loyal customer base. But Jim's interests lay in another area of the operation, and in the early 1970s, he and his wife, Joanne, were able to realize their dream. Over the next three decades, Jim and Joanne worked to build the business, scoured the state to find the finest cheeses, and in the process, groomed the next generation of Kraemers. Beyond their keen eye for the best cheese and sausage products, the Kraemer family makes its own cheese spreads (13 varieties in all) from recipes created by Jim himself. These fine spreads are made in small, 40-pound batches to ensure quality, flavor and freshness. Still located in Watertown, the Kraemer family sells and ships more than 500,000 pounds of premium cheese and cheese products each year all over the country and abroad. Today, thanks to Jim and his wife, Joanne, and sons Mike and Richard, Kraemer Wisconsin Cheese is carrying on the Kraemer legacy as a shining example of hard work, family values, attention to detail and quality products and service.
