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About

A longstanding tradition of excellence characterizes the Cal Poly Creamery. Part of the largest dairy science program in the country, we have been making high-quality cheese and other dairy products for students, alumni, and the community since 1903. Cal Poly doesn’t just make great dairy products; we’ve earned a nationwide reputation as a leading educational institution for students entering the dairy foods industry.

The Creamery is both a teaching laboratory and a manufacturing plant licensed and inspected by the State of California for commercial production of dairy products. Cal Poly students follow the university's philosophy of "learning by doing" as they craft our award-winning cheeses and ice cream and take courses in all aspects of dairy science and technology (including, dairy production, dairy processing and manufacture of dairy products as part of their academic training under the supervision of dedicated faculty and staff in the dairy science department.

Our goal is to expose our students to the same equipment and processes they will encounter in industry. We work in partnership with industry-leading companies to identify and install equipment that helps realize that goal.

Cal Poly dairy products are considered “farmstead,” meaning they are produced on site from the milk of our own cows. The university operates a dairy across the street from the Creamery, composed of half Jersey and half Holstein cows. Products made from Jersey milk will naturally have a creamier, richer flavor. Jersey milk is well-known for being particularly rich in protein and mineralsand it contains 18% more protein, 20% more calcium and 25% more butterfat compared to milk from other breeds.

Our Creamery produces a variety of commercial products for sale within the university community, in select San Luis Obispo markets, and in nearby towns. We appreciate your support of the Cal Poly Learn by Doing products. Please follow us on social media to learn about new developments and products @calpolycreamery!

Students packaging butter in the creamery, circa 1910.
Photo attributed to Frank Aston. Courtesy University Archives.

For more Early History of the Cal Poly Creamery check out this article in Cultivate Magazine.