# Sargento

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American food company

For the musician, see [Nelson Sargento](/source/Nelson_Sargento).

Sargento Foods Inc. Type Private Industry Cheese and food production, marketing Founder Leonard Gentine and Joseph Sartori Key people Louie Gentine, CEO Products Packaged food, Dairy products Revenue Sales are over $1.8 billion annually Owner The Gentine family Number of employees 2,500 (2024 estimate) Website www.sargento.com

**Sargento Foods Inc.** is an American food producer best known for its [cheese](/source/Cheese). It was founded in 1953 in [Plymouth, Wisconsin](/source/Plymouth%2C_Wisconsin) by Leonard Gentine and Joseph Sartori.[1][2] Sargento is one of the largest privately held companies in the [United States](/source/United_States),[3] and is one of the country's largest retail cheese companies.[4] The company offers [profit sharing](/source/Profit_sharing), tuition reimbursement and [benefits](/source/Employee_benefit) for its employees.[5] The company has been a sponsor in American motorsports for many years;[6] for example, it is prominently displayed on [Road America](/source/Road_America) raceway.[7][8]

## History

The company name is a combination of Sartori and Gentine, with an "o" added to make the name sound [Italian](/source/Italian_language), as the company specialized in Italian-style cheeses. In 1949, at a poker game, Gentine, who previously owned a funeral home, ordered 100 cheese gift boxes but discovered that most of the cheese providers only did truck size orders. He would offer cheese companies for their surplus cheese. At first, the process was completely by hand, from slicing to waxing to packing. Eventually, 2 machines, 1 for slicing and 1 for waxing were made.[9][10][11]

## Corporate overview

Sargento has 5 different locations, all of them being in [Wisconsin](/source/Wisconsin). It has over 2,500 employees in total.[12]

## Products

Sargento was the first company to sell pre-packaged sliced cheese (1953), to sell pre-packaged shredded cheeses (1958),[13] and the first to develop [zippered packaging](/source/Resealable_packaging) for its cheeses (2001).[14][15] The company also produces and markets specialty cheeses, which it purveys on its website and in catalogs.[16] Additional products include sauces, snack cheeses and snack foods, and the company also manufactures custom cheese and food products for corporate clients.[16]

In early 2017, Sargento recalled seven cheeses for possible *[Listeria monocytogenes](/source/Listeria_monocytogenes)* contamination.[17]

## Works

- Faley, Tom (April 10, 2018). *Treated Like Family: How an Entrepreneur and His "Employee Family" Built Sargento, a Billion-Dollar Cheese Company*. Center Street. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1478992868](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1478992868).

- Sargento Foods (2012). [*Pizza Recipes*](https://books.google.com/books?id=KViDkQEACAAJ). Publications International. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1450852111](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1450852111).

- [*Sargento Mac and Cheese Recipes*](https://books.google.com/books?id=KkjRbwAACAAJ). Publications International. 2010. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1450801089](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1450801089).

## See also

- [Companies portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Companies)
- [Food portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Food)

- [List of cheesemakers](/source/List_of_cheesemakers)

- [List of dairy product companies in the United States](/source/List_of_dairy_product_companies_in_the_United_States)

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHintzPercy2008143_1-0)** [Hintz & Percy 2008](#CITEREFHintzPercy2008), p. 143.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Hildebrand, Janice (January 1, 1988). [*Sheboygan County: 150 Years of Progress : an Illustrated History*](https://books.google.com/books?id=swIrAQAAMAAJ&q=sargento+cheese+1953). Windsor Publications. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780897812528](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780897812528). Retrieved April 28, 2018 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHintzPercy2008248_3-0)** [Hintz & Percy 2008](#CITEREFHintzPercy2008), p. 248.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Plymouth Historical Society (Plymouth, Wis.); Sheboygan County Historical Research Center, eds. (2006). [*Plymouth*](https://books.google.com/books?id=AR8fgW2ZUCsC&pg=PA67). Images of America. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub. p. 67. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7385-4086-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7385-4086-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Daft, Richard L. (July 17, 2007). [*The Leadership Experience*](https://books.google.com/books?id=JJ_HuV1KlyQC&pg=PA436). Cengage Learning. p. 436. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-324-53968-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-324-53968-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Road America News - Sargento Named Title Sponsor for NASCAR Nationwide Series Event at Road America"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161220132437/http://www.racingwisconsin.com/story.asp?aid=4798). Archived from [the original](http://www.racingwisconsin.com/story.asp?aid=4798) on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Welcome to Road America Elkhart Lake's Road America, Inc"](http://www.roadamerica.com/). *www.roadamerica.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110226125522/http://roadamerica.com/) from the original on February 26, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Sponsorships"](https://www.roadamerica.com/sponsorships). *Road America*. January 14, 2020. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201008224308/https://www.roadamerica.com/sponsorships) from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [https://www.investors.com/news/management/leaders-and-success/sargento-founder-leonard-gentine-sliced-success-cheese/](https://www.investors.com/news/management/leaders-and-success/sargento-founder-leonard-gentine-sliced-success-cheese/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Hall of Fame honors for Sargento's founder; DMI, Bai Brands make executive appointments"](http://www.dairyfoods.com/articles/91879-hall-of-fame-honors-for-sargentos-founder-dmi-bai-brands-make-executive-appointments). *Dairy Foods Magazine*. July 29, 2016. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170822135339/http://www.dairyfoods.com/articles/91879-hall-of-fame-honors-for-sargentos-founder-dmi-bai-brands-make-executive-appointments) from the original on August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Hajewski, Doris (May 22, 2010). ["Saying 'cheese' with a genuine smile"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170822133958/http://archive.jsonline.com/business/93958824.html/). *[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel](/source/Milwaukee_Journal_Sentinel)*. Archived from [the original](http://archive.jsonline.com/business/93958824.html/) on August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Durian, Tom (February 21, 2024). ["Made in Wisconsin: Sargento Cheese"](https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/made-in-wisconsin-sargento-cheese). *TMJ4 News*. Retrieved October 12, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Garner, Alex (December 3, 2023) [November 19, 2023]. ["It's a lot, but I love it: Sargento celebrates 70 years of cheesemaking, community and family"](https://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/money/companies/2023/11/19/plymouth-based-sargento-marks-70-years-family-business/71484167007/). *The Oshkosh Northwestern*. pp. C2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** [*Plunkett's Food Industry Almanac 2008: Food Industry Market Research, Statistics, Trends & Leading Companies*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Ckx-w7yuvTUC&q=sargento+cheese&pg=PT483). Plunkett Research. April 28, 2018. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781593921064](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781593921064). Retrieved April 28, 2018 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Hoover, Gary; Hoover's (April 28, 2018). [*Hoover's MasterList of Major U.S. Companies*](https://books.google.com/books?id=HNUTAQAAIAAJ&q=sargento+cheese+1953). Reference Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781573110709](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781573110709). Retrieved April 28, 2018 – via Google Books.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Plunketts_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Plunketts_16-1) [*Plunketts Food Industry Almanac 2008: The Only Comprehensive Guide to Food Companies and Trends*](https://web.archive.org/web/20240906055304/https://books.google.com/books?id=Ckx-w7yuvTUC&pg=PT483#v=onepage&q&f=false). Plunkett Research. 2008. p. 483. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-59392-106-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-59392-106-4). Archived from [the original](https://books.google.com/books?id=Ckx-w7yuvTUC&pg=PT483) on September 6, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Conlon, Kevin; Gatewood, Johanzynn (February 14, 2017). ["Listeria-related cheese recall expands"](http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/12/health/sargento-cheese-recall/index.html). [CNN](/source/CNN). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240906055409/https://www.cnn.com/2017/02/12/health/sargento-cheese-recall/index.html) from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2017.

## References

- Hintz, Martin; Percy, Pam (February 26, 2008). [*Wisconsin Cheese: A Cookbook and Guide to the Cheeses of Wisconsin*](https://books.google.com/books?id=waPVq7au8NsC). Rowman & Littlefield. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780762751969](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780762751969). Retrieved April 28, 2018 – via Google Books.

## External links

- [Official website](https://www.sargento.com/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sargento](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sargento) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sargento?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.