Food - Drink
Tillamook Has Been Around Longer Than You Might Think
By NICO DANILOVICH
Tillamook has made a name for itself not only for its high-quality cheese and dairy products, but also for its sustainable business, transparent practices, and socially-responsible organization. With such a future-forward business model, Tillamook might seem like a modern company, but surprisingly its roots go way back.
The Tillamook Country Creamery Association was founded over a century ago, in 1909. In the 19th century, settlers arrived in what would later be named Tillamook County, Oregon, and began raising cows and selling their dairy; the county and the company both get their name from the Tillamook tribe of indigenous people that have lived on the land for centuries.
In order to sell their products, the settlers turned to water to transport their products to Portland quickly. In 1855, The Morning Star became the first ship ever built in Oregon, and the dairy farmers used it to transport their products. The farmers banded together to capitalize on their success and support one another, and thus the Tillamook co-op was formed.