Background Information

The Real California Cheese Seal was born in 1984 as part of a strategic marketing umbrella for the California cheese industry. The seal was created with heavy participation from the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), which was the first U. S. dairy advisory board to generate a set of industry standards for quality and excellence in cheese production. Cheese makers licensed to carry the seal abide by these stringent standards and undergo regular inspections.

Depicting the image of a healthy California lifestyle (a rising sun, rolling plains), the Real California Cheese Seal also signifies that the cheese is natural, preservative-free, and has been produced in a clean, controlled environment from high quality California milk.

The Real California Cheese Seal has been a phenomenal hit and has contributed to the success of the state's cheese category, which is currently the fastest growing and also the largest of all California milk and milk product categories. In 1994, California cheese production approached 1 billion pounds and accounted for 38 percent of the state's milk production. This growth rate has stimulated not only the cheese market, but also the milk market, since one pound of cheese represents 10 pounds of milk.