Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery—soon to be rebranded as Valley Ford Creamery in 2025—was founded in 2009 by Karen Bianchi-Moreda on the rural Sonoma coastline in Valley Ford, California.

 

Inspired by her upbringing on a family dairy farm, Karen began learning cheesemaking in 2008 and, after extensive research, training, and hands-on experimentation, created her first award-winning cheese, Estero Gold, which sparked the beginning of a thriving family business.

 

Today, Valley Ford produces handcrafted artisan cheese, kefir, soft-serve mix, gelato, and bottled milk using high-quality Jersey milk sourced from Karen’s youngest son, Jim Moreda, who milks 110 pasture-raised, organically managed cows with no growth hormones or antibiotics. Karen’s oldest son, Joe Moreda, serves as Vice President and oversees operations, bringing experience from Cal Poly’s Dairy Science program and several cheese industry internships. Their products are sold through distributors, farmers markets, special events, and their 2019 Valley Ford storefront, which offers cheese-focused meals, local beer and wine, specialty goods, and a view of 2,500 aging wheels of Estero Gold Reserve.

 

In 2024, the family expanded by purchasing adjacent property to build a new dairy processing facility and establish the permanent headquarters for Valley Ford Creamery, continuing their legacy of quality, sustainability, and craftsmanship.