61 Comments
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Marlene Swann's avatar

Tillamook is also one of the only cheeses that don’t use a Pfizer GMO rennet in their production. 90% of cheeses on the market today use FPC (fermentation-produced chymosin) which is a bioengineered rennet. Unfortunately that process developed by Pfizer was given GRAS (generally regarded as Safe) label, so it’s not labeled GMO. I LOVE Tillamook cheese, and I don’t resent them for advertising for a bigger slice of customers. But that’s just me.

Michael P's avatar

The synthetic rennet is not used in the EU like so many other poisons used here is the US. The reason I buy EU imported cheeses to avoid GMO

Skenny's avatar

Are you the same Marlene Swann as the Marketing Director for Tillamook?

... (just kidding) 😁

Judith's avatar

Exactly why I buy it. No GMO rennet. The GMO factor is far more important to me.

KatWarrior's avatar

Thanks for this very important information, Marlene. I did not know this, and would consider buying Tillamook in a pinch. I, like Michael P, stick with unpasteurized imported cheeses from the EU, OR make my own from RAW milk! As a matter of fact, I have a gallon of RAW milk in the fridge which will be lovingly transformed into RAW cottage cheese!

FWIW, it's a business decision to sell (way) more cheese. I assure you it's all about the money!

Betsy Frost's avatar

Thank you for that information. I have been noticing that I can not tolerate digestively some cheeses anymore. I had been wondering already about the rennets being used. Is there some source that provides a list of GMO free rennet based product?

ConcernedGrammy's avatar

Check the labels of the cheeses you're buying and eating. They've added a pantload of extra ingredients and chemicals, rather than just milk, cream, butterfat and salt. Tillamook is one of the few cream cheeses that only use milk, cream and salt and not a bunch of "emulsifiers" and preservatives.

Curtis's avatar

Interesting about the rennet. I was under the impression they did... 🤔

SteveO's avatar

This all you need to say: "to quote Hemingway out of context—two ways: Gradually, then suddenly."

Look at history. Why is it so bad to let two men or two woman to marry??? all of a sudden. It is ok for men to have sex with children. Or boys can be girls.

The islam is taking over and it cannot be stopped if we excuse, LITTLE things.

Mary's avatar

So well said - I can’t keep up with all the companies I am supposed to boycott. And I agree so much that it’s a tactic to keep us distracted.

Laura Cornwell's avatar

I’m unclear. Does the label also say Kosher on it or not? If it says both Kosher and Halal, I’m okay with that. If not, I’m not. Cuz then they actually are pandering to Islam by not adding Kosher in an attempt not to offend the Islamists. Equal opportunity offending is what I’m after here.

Jenna McCarthy's avatar

It does have the kosher symbol and it has for years

Stuart Lynch's avatar

If they have a kosher symbol then why not use a halal symbol instead spelling it out on the label? Again, what would happen it they spelled out the word kosher like the word halal or if they said Christian on the label?

ConcernedGrammy's avatar

They don't have a "halal symbol" and won't because this is used to divide people.

Lisa's avatar

So what? The boycott makes Tillamook loose soooo much money they take the label off. Does that make the cheese any different? They aren't going to change their production process so the cheese will be the same. But its on sale this week. And you really need it. And the label is gone. So its ok now. Jenna is right. Distraction is all it is. Control the masses, control the outcome. Period. If the "masses" are fighting over the cheese, they won't notice all the other big stuff that's going on that will really control their lives.

Tim Pallies's avatar

It's hard to see how this leads ultimately to sharia law, but it just might be a tiny step in that direction. And tiny steps are always the first.

ConcernedGrammy's avatar

Look at history. "We just want to get married and recognized as real spouses and get spousal benefits". Now, it's PRIDE parades, transgender for children and MAPP. Tiny steps is how infiltration works without anyone noticing... or like the same sex marriage, "go along to get along" and don't offend anyone..

Jennifer L.'s avatar

Jenna, appreciated the humorous take you shared with readers on “Cheesegate.” I had not heard anything about it until a Dana Loesch podcast episode showed up in my YouTube feed. Like you she shared the simple facts. Personally Tillamook cheese is a go to in this household, including their cream cheese that is not loaded up with artificial ingredients. Too bad Bridgette Gabriel did not figure this out before her X post.

Dana discussed buying the shredded cheese vs. block cheese until her producer set her straight on packaged shredded cheese not melting as nicely since it has stuff on it to keep the shreds separated in the package. For those who do not like slicing your hands and fingers with a hand held cheese grater, Amazon has superb electric graters that do a great (pun intended) job for a reasonable price.

Dr. Molly Rutherford's avatar

Deactivating my X account was a good decision. I actually feel bad for these influencers who spend time on such nonsense. No amount of money would make internet outrage and virtue signaling a priority in my life.

Barnjai's avatar

We have a stock pile of Tillamook cheese and ice cream that we snagged when they were "Buy One Get One Free" at the local grocery. It would be very hard to chuck all that goodness into the trash. I agree that this is another tactic to keep us distracted from real issues. PS I love the memes.

Meddling Kid's avatar

So easy to buy a different brand. But why support a company that whores itself to the latest market when that change is making it easier for Muslims to infiltrate the West where they don’t belong?

Roberta Stack's avatar

Another thing I knew nothing about. It doesn’t seem like pandering to me, but similar to putting kosher on a label. I try to buy only organic products, so labeling is an important part of choosing a product.

kittynana's avatar

@Roberta- 'organic' is a sales pitch. There is no regulstion for 'organic'.

Patti F's avatar

I've never purchase a Tillamook product in my life. Didn't even know it was a brand. So it has zero impact on me.

ConcernedGrammy's avatar

Tillamook cream cheese is one of the very few cream cheeses that isn't loaded up with chemicals and extra ingredients. Just milk, cream and salt, plus no GMO-rennet from Pfizer. Check the labels on your brand cream (or other) cheese. You'll probably be surprised as what qualifies as "cheese" in the USA, these days.

Jim Moore's avatar

Dang, Jenna—or out of sincere deference, should I call you The Science Gal?—I didn’t even get 30 seconds into this post before learning something interesting: RENNET, a key ingredient in the product I practically grew up on as a cheesehead Wisconsinite. Thanks! Seriously. 😊🧀😋

For anyone interested in more about cheese making.👇🏼(you’re on your own for “cutting the cheese” 🤭)

https://www.wisconsincheese.com/about-cheese/what-is-rennet

MartyB's avatar

Took a tour of the Tillamook cheesery(?) decades ago and declared it delicious. Can’t get it on the East Coast, so it’s dead to me. But I’d buy it if I could easily. Halal is basically kosher but for Muslims. And I don’t pay any attention to that unless my Israeli family is coming and I have to feed them. Shalom!

kittynana's avatar

@Marty- I can get it! I'm in Western NY and the grocery stores have their cheeses and ice creams! Maybe more products but I haven't looked.

Michele Munn's avatar

Yeah, I bought Tillamook a few times when it was on sale - still very expensive - I fell for the hype, ect. Not worth the extra cost, they strike me as a woke, leftist company at core anyways, so nope, not buying anymore. But, just like the companies that have the Spanish language button, I don't shame them for trying to expand their market. By all means, go for it.

Curtis's avatar
2hEdited

Tillamook has always held a revered position in my home, but I've also become a bit of an Islamaphobe, so this is a tough one for me. I live fairly near the Tillamook plant, and have visited it a couple times. They built an impressive visitors center where you can watch them producing their dairy products through giant window-walls, and then buy a bag of "squeaky cheese" cheese curds in the large gift shop on your way out. Some years ago a group of their employees quit en mass and started their own company, Bandon cheese, sold it in the exact size and shape as Tillamook cheddar, but for a dollar or two cheaper. We tried it once and went back to Tillamook...

All that being said, it's easy to see this as yet another step down a slippery slope ending in an Islamic caliphate. By the numbers, it's just a matter of time before Western culture as we know it is completely wiped out. Will my actions stop that? Probably not. But in that case, why should I do anything at all? This isn't just hyperbole for me, and it's not just about consumer boycotts. In my personal/social/vocational/familial/spiritual lives I'm not in a good place these days.

BTW, guess who makes the synthetic rennet that virtually every cheese uses? "Brought to you by Pfizer."

(Edit: Marlene says that they don't use Pfizer rennet after all, so maybe there's hope!)