Hometown Specialty: Oxford’s Gunn’s Hill takes local pride global

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In Oxford County, the Dairy Capital of Canada, few stories reflect the region’s legacy better than Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese.

Fourteen years ago, Shep Ysselstein produced his first batch of what would become Five Brothers – the award-winning cheese that helped put the family-run cheese factory south of Woodstock on the map. Using milk from his parents’ neighbouring farm, Ysselstein’s gamble has since grown into one of the county’s most recognizable artisanal brands.

Soon after Gunn’s Hill Cheese would produce two more varieties – Handeck and Oxford Harvest, said Colleen Bator, co-owner of the cheese factory and shop located in the heart of the Dairy Capital of Canada and minutes south of Woodstock.

“Opening a cheese factory at a time when there were only 10 other artisan cheese factories in all of Ontario needed careful consideration,” said Bator, who runs the shop alongside her husband, Ysselstein, when she’s not working full time as a teacher. “It’s a lot of capital investment. It’s a lot of risk, but the community at large around here took us into their hearts.”

Today, Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheeses produces 21 varieties sold in about 350 stores and restaurants. About 16,000 wheels are aging in four rooms at the factory, which employs eight full-time staff.

“I came up with all the names of all of our cheese, except for (a cheese named) Tispy,” Bator said.

“All the milk we use, except for water buffalo and goat’s milk from Aylmer, comes from the Gunn’s Hill family farm,” Bator added.

Local pride in Oxford County’s dairy tradition has been central to the company’s rise. Part of the region’s cultural identity, Oxford County still has one of the highest concentrations of dairy farms in Canada.

“We’ve been really lucky starting out with a lot of local support,” Bator said. “The Woodstock and Oxford County community really took us under their wings. They supported us as a young couple that was starting this brave business. The local support was everything to us.”

Even international politics has given sales a boost, with Gunn’s Hill enjoying an increase in sales since U.S. President Donald Trump began introducing sweeping international tariffs.

“Sales have increased 10 per cent since the trade war and we couldn’t be happier,” Bator said. “Canadians have buckled down and are supporting Canadian products more than ever before.”

Before launching Gunn’s Hill, Ysselstein studied business before training as a cheesemaker in the Swiss Alps, British Columbia and New York. His time in Handeck, Switzerland, had a profound impact on Ysselstein’s approach to his craft.

“That is why that Swiss style is predominant in our cheese,” Bator said.

The accolades soon followed. In 2013, Five Brothers won top honours in the firm cheese category at the Dairy Farmers of Canada’s Grand Prix. The following year, Ysselstein earned the BDC Young Entrepreneur Award, receiving $100,000 to expand production.

“We went back to the bank and doubled our footage,” Bator said.

The couple has since added more varieties, including Brigid’s Brie – named after Ysselstein’s mother – and their wildly popular cheese curds, with 600 kilograms produced weekly for local markets, restaurants and deep-fried specialties.

Recognition hasn’t slowed. Last year, Gunn’s Hill was named large business of the year by the Township of Norwich Chamber of Commerce. More recently, Dark Side of the Moo – a cheese marinated in local craft beer – won first place in the flavour-added category at the American Cheese Society awards.

Gunn’s Hill is also a popular stop along the Oxford County Cheese Trail, a self-guided tour of more than 30 dairy destinations.

hrivers@postmedia.com

We are highlighting the places and people that make our community worth celebrating in a 10-week series called How Canada Wins: Love Where We Live.

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