Aged to Perfection, the Story of Cougar Gold Cheese

Many people wonder why WSU stores its array of famous cheeses in cans, but we wonder why other dairy manufacturers don’t. The WSU Creamery produces all-natural (unprocessed) canned cheeses, preserving the fresh state of the cheese. But how did WSU end up putting cheese in cans?  

Back in the 1930’s, researchers were looking for a better way to store cheese with the looming prospect of another World War, and cans appeared to be the best option.i Although plastic was invented in 1908, cellophane (plastic) was not used for food storage until the 1950’s.ii Wax food storage had been invented, but it often cracked, causing the cheese to dry out from the lack of moisture. 

But canned food storage had been around since the 1800’s, so why not cheese? Because tin cans are a non-porous substance, ageing cheese caused the cans to explode. In the 1940’s, the WSU Creamery received research funding from both the Government and American Can Company, as they were in search of a better method for transporting cheese to soldiers overseas; WSU now had the resources to assist.  

Dairy husbandry professor, Dr. N. S. Golding, was the lead researcher on the Cougar Gold Cheese research team. They developed a special bacteria culture that reduced the amount of carbon dioxide released, allowing cheese to be stored safely in cans without exploding.iii The “Cougar Gold” name came from both WSU’s mascot “Butch” and Dr. Golding, but it was also approved by students in a campus-wide contest.iv 

From Can to Community 

From 1950 through the 70’s, The WSU Creamery’s products were produced primarily for the enjoyment of staff and students, flooding the dining halls with their milk and ice cream products. The WSU Creamery has been entirely self-sustaining since the late 1970’s, as revenue from their dairy products goes right back into dairy production and important research.  

Between 1980 and 1992, one dollar from each can of Cougar Gold sold went into savings for a brand-new ice cream shop on WSU’s Pullman campus, called Ferdinand’s. Located in the food science building, Ferdinand’s has been one of WSU’s students’ favorite campus destinations since its grand opening in May 1992. 

Cheddar is Meant to be Spread

Today, the creamery gets most of its milk from WSU Knott Dairy, a dairy farm operated by the WSU Animal Science Department which allows the WSU Creamery to focus on mass producing Washingtonians heavily desired products, such as Cougar Gold Cheese.v The WSU Creamery produces nearly 250,000 cans of cheese annually, 80% of which is Cougar Gold–– and with each can, WSU’s mission to benefit the state is fulfilled. 

One of the ways that students receive practical education can be seen through work experience gained in the creamery, Ferdinand’s, and in the marketing of cheeses.vi The WSU Creamery provides work for up to 60 students throughout the school year. For Food Science students, the experience gained while working in the creamery directly relates to the work they may do after graduation. 

Thanks to the Creamery’s Direct Marketing Department, Cougar Gold Cheese ships to all 50 states in the US and has been globally adored for years. Because of the can packaging, Cougar Gold Cheese is the only cheese that consumers can take come and continue to age on their own! Because it takes a year to age, Cougar Gold sold out year after year until a 2007 expansion, which allowed Cougar Gold to serve more people. Because there is a limited supply, cheese prices rise with demand. 

The production of Cougar Gold, “our sharp white cheddar cheese with sweet and nutty notes”1, is just another great example of WSU positively impacting Washington State through practical education, shared expertise, and local and federal partnerships that create innovative developments.  

Do you have further interest in the cheese making process? The WSU Creamery hosts an insightful “Cheesemaking Shortcourse” during the first week of March every year. This course teaches students about protecting their product, cheese yielding, milk composition, and so much more.vii