The Man Behind The Cheese

Rueben Nilsson, a Minnesota native, first started his career in the accounting field.  But when he had the chance to return to college and complete his degree, he realized he wanted to pursue something more tangible.  Knowing his love for cheese, the opportunity to make it and share it with friends and family was irresistible and this became the driving force behind his educational path.  Even before graduating, a fateful meeting at the 2006 Minnesota Food & Wine Show with Jeff Jirik landed Rueben his first dairy job.  After finishing his degree, he became a full-time employee at the Caves in January 2007. 

Rueben holds a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.  He sits on the advisory board for the Upper Midwest Dairy Industry Association, and has been on the organization’s board in some capacity for 10 years.  He is also a member of the American Cheese Society.

Rueben is inspired by his co-workers and their hard work and attention to the detail that goes into making, aging and packaging cheese.  With each cheese, Rueben reflects on the people behind the product.  He enjoys the “alive” smell that greets him each time he walks into the cure caves, reminding him of his connection to an 80-year-old legacy of cheese making. 

In his free time, Rueben, along with his wife and daughter, enjoy spending time at their family’s lakeside cabin in North Minnesota.  When he isn’t relaxing or woodworking, he can usually be found completing a seemingly endless list of DIY projects.  Rueben’s favorite “Dad joke” is that it would be easier to pick his favorite child than his favorite cheese, a gag that never fails to earn an eye roll from his only child.