CannonBelle’s brings the heat to artisan cheese

The Minnesota dairy community would not be complete without the local artisan cheesemakers who add flair and creativity to a well-known commodity.  

CannonBelle’s Creamery, located on the outskirts of Cannon Falls, is one of the cheesemakers bringing new flavors and varieties of cheese to their community and beyond. Like many cottage or artisan businesses, CannonBelle’s started with a homemade recipe loved by friends and neighbors. That homemade cheese, a Spanish Queso Fresco, is now an award-winning cheese sold throughout Minnesota.  

CannonBelle’s success is the result of several years of experimenting and learning the art of cheesemaking. Scaling the business from a kitchen to a full creamery also required creativity and patience. 

“We started making cheese in a turkey roaster,” says Deeann Lufkin one of the three owners and the cheesemaker. “Scaling from four gallons of milk in the roaster to 5,000 pounds in a vat takes patience and creativity. It took us seven years to go from my kitchen to the creamery we have today.” 

CannonBelle’s has been operational for two years. Before opening the cheese plant, Deeann and her partners, Kathy Hupf and Jackie Ohmann bought an ice cream and coffee shop in Cannon Falls. They used the storefront, also called CannonBelle to build brand recognition and begin building a customer base for their cheese by offering grilled cheese sandwiches made with their special cheeses.  

“We opened the ice cream and coffee shop in April 2019 and were getting established when Covid shutdowns began in 2020,” says Jackie Ohman, Deeann’s business partner. “It was tough but we got through it.” 

Throughout their journey, the women tapped into resources and experiences from others, including the expertise of Ray Miller and the Joseph J. Warthesen Processing Center at the University of Minnesota. 

“Ray Miller is the one who taught us how to make cheese, and we still reach out to him as we work on new recipes,” Deeann says. 

In addition to help from the university, the women also worked with local community leaders to set up their Grade A plant and also with state officials who helped get them connected with the Farm to School program. 

“The Farm to School program is a program that allows schools to use locally-sourced products, and to afford products they normally wouldn’t,” Deeann says. “We make a special Grim Reaper cheese curd that the kids love and we can offer it to them through the Farm to School program.” 

The special Grim Reaper cheese received notoriety this past summer, taking second place in the American Cheese Society Conference and also champion at the Minnesota State Fair. CannonBelle’s cheese was also featured at the Minnesota Wine country booth and the Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop.  

For the three friends and business owners, the success has been a labor of love and passion as they continue to develop and refine their cheese. 

“It takes a village to do what we have done,” Deeann says. “We have help from so many, including the other artisan cheesemakers in Minnesota. We are a tight group and work together to help each other succeed.” 

CannonBelle’s cheese can be found in 80 stores and restaurants throughout the state.