AMPI establishes National Pepper Jack Cheese Day
Today marks the first National Pepper Jack Cheese Day, recognizing an American original dairy product that delivers the bold, flavorful taste consumers crave.
The annual observation was established by Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), an Upper Midwest-based dairy cooperative. The dairy farmer-owned company is a leading Pepper Jack cheese maker and the first to perfect its commercial production.
“Pepper Jack cheeses are a category that continues gaining in popularity with Americans,” says Marshall Reece, AMPI’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “From a mild roasted red pepper to the extreme Carolina Reaper, today is a celebration of all pepper-style cheeses.”
Spanish missionaries in California created a mild, buttery cheese that became known as Monterey Jack in the 1880s. Artisanal cheesemakers later introduced chili peppers to the velvety cheese to create an intense, complex flavor variant. Pepper Jack remained a handcrafted, small-batch product for more than 100 years.
September 2026 marks 25 years since the first Pepper Jack cheese was commercially produced. Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Richard “Whitie” Wold, regarded as the “Father of Pepper Jack” within the cheese manufacturing industry, led development of large-scale production processes to successfully make pepper-infused Monterey Jack cheese. The first blocks of the cheese were produced in 2001 at the AMPI cheese plant in Jim Falls, Wis. — transforming the U.S. cheese industry, supermarket dairy case, and family dinner table.
Cheese fans are encouraged to celebrate National Pepper Jack Cheese Day by purchasing pepper-infused cheese to add a flavor kick to protein-based snacking, elevate traditional dishes or create premium meal experiences. National Pepper Jack Cheese Day is being celebrated on social media with #NationalPepperJackCheeseDay.
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AMPI is a dairy farmer-owned cooperative headquartered in New Ulm, Minn. The cooperative makes award-winning cheese and other dairy products sold around the globe. The dairy farm families of AMPI are proud of their Co-op Crafted® promise: caring for their animals, being stewards of the land, and supporting their communities.
Visit NationalDayCalendar.com for the official announcement recognizing September 21 as National Pepper Jack Cheese Day.
