The Award-Winning Oregon Cheesemaker Begins a New Chapter in its 90-Year History
Central Point, OR – Rogue Creamery is thrilled to announce the appointment of Philippe Bongrain as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mr. Bongrain brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to his new role, where he will be responsible for driving sustainable brand growth at the company’s headquarters in Southern Oregon.
Prior to joining Rogue Creamery, Bongrain served as the CEO of República del Cacao, a renowned premium chocolate producer based in Ecuador with a global presence in over 20 countries. During his four-year tenure, Bongrain led the company to remarkable achievements in brand recognition and revenue growth. He also played a pivotal role in the development and launch of numerous products and services.
Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity, Bongrain stated, “It’s with great honor that I’ve accepted the position of CEO at Rogue Creamery. I am excited to work alongside the talented team here, building upon the company’s rich heritage of crafting exceptional cheeses while extending [former Rogue Creamery president] David Gremmels’ commitment to using business as a force for good.”
Rogue Creamery, founded in 1933, has a long-standing reputation for producing award-winning, handcrafted cheeses, as well as for its forward-thinking sustainability practices. Under former president Gremmels’ guidance, the company became Oregon’s first B Corporation in 2013 and transitioned to 100% certified organic in 2016. In 2019, Rogue’s most acclaimed cheese, Rogue River Blue, was named World Champion Cheese at the World Cheese Awards – a first for an American cheesemaker.
Gremmels, who retired in July 2023, expressed his optimism for the future of Rogue Creamery. “I anticipate that the addition of Philippe Bongrain, with his recent experience in a B Corporation and
organic agriculture, will help further Rogue Creamery’s progressive and positive commitments to its team, the Rogue Valley, Oregon, and industry, while continuing its leadership and influence as a B Corporation and organic maker and producer of the world’s finest cheese and milk.”
Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. At República del Cacao, also a Certified B Corporation like Rogue Creamery, Bongrain helped to further the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ambitions while significantly increasing revenue.
The appointment of Bongrain as CEO of Rogue Creamery marks an important milestone for the historic cheesemaker, as it looks to reinforce its commitments to its people and planet as well as further expand its presence in the global artisan cheese industry.
As Rogue Creamery embarks on this new chapter under Bongrain’s guidance, the company remains dedicated to its core values of sustainability, craftsmanship, and community. With a renewed focus on innovation and growth, Rogue Creamery is poised to captivate cheese lovers around the world with its exceptional products.
For more information about Rogue Creamery and its range of artisan cheeses, please visit www.roguecreamery.com.
About Rogue Creamery: Rogue Creamery is a USDA certified organic cheese maker located in Central Point, Oregon. Over the past 90 years, Rogue Creamery has drawn from the beauty and flavors of Southern Oregon’s Rogue River Valley to create organic, handcrafted cheeses that have won international acclaim. But creating the world’s best cheese is only part of Rogue’s mission. They know that business – and in their case, cheese – can be used as a force for good. That’s why they became Oregon’s first public benefit corporation, “B Corp” for short, joining a global movement of companies that are committed to making the world a better place. Learn more at roguecreamery.com.
