The Ultimate Gourmet Charcuterie Collection

The Ultimate Charcuterie Collection: A Wisconsin Tasting Built for the connoisseur who demands the ultimate in flavor variety, this collection is a curated journey through Wisconsin’s finest independent workshops.

"I have to be honest, I was initially drawn to the Cheese Brothers because I loved the design of the packaging," says Jordan. "As a designer, the label on the cheese is art I cannot ignore. But then, as I learned the story of the brothers and the small-batch nature of the company compared to the 'monster cheese companies' out there, I realized I’d found a quality product that truly deserved a place in our Mercantile".

A Century of Tradition: The Cheese Brothers Story

The "Cheese Brothers"—Eric Ludy and Gene Graf—may not be brothers by birth, but they are bonded by a century of Wisconsin dairy heritage. The lineage began in 1919, when Eric’s great-grandfather, Fred "Fritz" Ludy, moved from Switzerland to Barron, Wisconsin, to open one of the region’s first cheese factories.

Today, operating out of the small town of Almena, WI (pop. 678), Eric and Gene continue that legacy by working exclusively with family farms and small-batch producers. Their process remains disciplined: milk, salt, and natural cultures—never processed, never artificial, and always cold-smoked with real hardwood.

Note: If temperatures at your location are above 60 degrees, your package will arrive in an insulated box and not in the pictured gift box. Please review Shipping for additional details. 

The Curator's Standard: Meet Jordan Kempain

Every item in the Kempain Mercantile is hand-vetted by Jordan, a professional designer with over 15 years of industry experience. Since the founding of Kempain Family Outfitters, Jordan has been focused on a "Buy Less, Buy Better" philosophy, selecting only natural materials and heritage-brand partners from his studio in Putnam, Connecticut.