When the COVID-19 pandemic made its initial strike early in 2020, literally every dairy producer in the United States was left scrambling. It was a time of fear, disruption and great uncertainty.
But Tennessee dairy producers Brian and Morgan Flowers found themselves juggling yet another layer of complications. Together, they were in the throes of launching a decades-old dream of making and selling their own artisan farmstead cheese.
The Flowers consulted with several other dairies engaged in on-farm processing before they started their own creamery. They are happy to pass advice to others who may be considering a similar endeavor.
- Do your homework – The Flowers received training at three universities, toured other operations, and studied cheesemaking on their own. They also exhaustively researched the financial aspects of the business and cooperated with regulators as they planned their facility.
- Find a mentor – Morgan worked closely with Gary Beu, a gifted educator and manager of the student-run cheesemaking operation at Western Kentucky University. Sadly, Beu recently passed away. “I miss being able to call him up anytime and ask him questions,” said Morgan. “Gary had a wealth of knowledge and practical experience, and was genuinely interested in helping us succeed.”
- Build a marketing strategy – It’s easy to get caught up in the technical and hands-on aspects of on-farm manufacturing. Creating a quality product is, indeed, both important and time-consuming. But you’ll also need to do market research, and develop a marketing and sales plan. The Flowers use a combination of social media, web-based marketing, farm tours, print advertising and public relations events to promote Flowers Creamery. “I’m a Millennial, so social media is my native language,” said Morgan. “That may not be the case for everyone, and there is value in paying someone else to help with marketing. It’s way too important to ignore or do halfway.”
- Proceed incrementally – Cheese is the star of the show at Flowers Creamery, and Brian and Morgan focused their skills and facilities on building a superior quality cheese enterprise first. When their bottling facility is fully installed, they will begin by processing only enough milk to sell at their on-farm store, with a plan to gradually expand to outside retail outlets. They’ll follow a similar strategy with butter and possibly other products. Their cheese aging room also was constructed within a footprint that easily could be expanded on either side to triple the current storage space.
- Hire help as needed, or even a little before – Morgan Flowers said her one regret is waiting too long to hire on additional help. Don’t wait until you’re drowning to staff up. Hiring earlier will allow you to be more choosey about the people you select, and provide them an opportunity to grow with the business.
- Pace yourself – “No one knows how to work hard like dairy farmers, but there are only so many hours in a day,” advised Brian. Set realistic planning timelines so you can continue to think clearly and keep the original farming enterprise running smoothly.
“It’s roughly the equivalent of adding three more dairies,” he joked. “So give yourself plenty of time.”
