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Zivney Cheese for sale; Ropp to use recipe
By Michelle Koetters
mkoetters@pantagraph.com
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NORMAL -- An official at Zivney Cheese has confirmed the business is for sale, and a Twin City company is using one of its recipes.

The longtime Minonk business, which ceased production a few months ago, has received some interest from prospective buyers, said Mike Frei, Zivney plant manager. Frei would not comment on the reasons for the sale.

“It’s offered as a cheese factory that could be started within 48 hours,” Frei said.

Jeff Zivney, a co-owner of the business, also would not discuss the sale.

Meanwhile, Ropp Jersey Cheese in Normal now makes a baby Swiss cheese from a Zivney Cheese recipe.

“It’s just a new variety for us to make,” said Manager Ken Ropp.

Ropp used to carry Zivney’s baby Swiss and havarti cheeses in his retail shop. Once Zivney Cheese stopped making cheese, Ropp asked for some help with a baby Swiss because his customers kept requesting a Swiss cheese.

“I had no inkling on how to make Swiss,” Ropp said. “Mike was willing to let us try it.”

In his first nine months in the cheese-making business, Ropp has leaned on veterans Frei and Zivney for answers to some of his questions.

Frei said Ropp’s cheese won’t taste the same as Zivney’s baby Swiss because every place — from Wisconsin to Minonk to Normal — will modify the process.

“It’s a basic recipe,” said Frei, who worked on recipes for Zivney’s products. “He’s perfecting it according to his own needs.”

Frei shared the recipe to help out another cheese maker who’s growing his craft.

“Every pound of cheese that he sells … it’s not Velveeta,” Frei said. “It’s a natural cheese product.”

Ropp Jersey Cheese also might receive a havarti cheese recipe from Zivney Cheese, Ropp said.

Take a look
Zivney Cheese laborers, from left, Douglas Beckman, Cheryl Block and Betty Buss worked on an order of Baby swiss cheese wheels at the factory in Minonk on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007. Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY
Ken Ropp checked the temperature of the very first batch of cheddar cheese being made in the Modular Dairy Plant. The cheese is sold at Ropp Jersey Cheese Store on Ropp Road. (Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY)
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Reader comments on this story - 8 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

read it closer wrote on Aug 31, 2007 9:47 AM:

" It said it was a basic recpie, not the ORIGINAL recipe, and btw knowing more info than this article. they are not getting the havarti recipe nice try ropp "

to ummmm wrote on Aug 31, 2007 1:12 AM:

" it is because it affects the lively hood of the former employees and a small town that lost one of it oldest businesses. by the way if we asked this about the majority of the stories in this paper the answer would be yes! "

I agree with Cmj wrote on Aug 30, 2007 3:37 PM:

" This was a good family business in Minonk as was the Minonk Bakery. I use to love the smell of the fresh garlic bread the bakery used to make. I will miss having Zivney Cheese to go into and buy fresh good cheese from as well. I also though wondered about them sharing a recipe if wanting to sell as a cheese business still. Yes, it seems Minonk is getting smaller instead of bigger. Sad to see. "

Cmj wrote on Aug 29, 2007 10:24 PM:

" I am going to miss Zivney Cheese! The cheese tasted amazing. I think it's sad that Minonk is losing yet another piece of history. First the Minonk Bakery and now Zivney cheese.....yes, sad indeed. "

What???? wrote on Aug 29, 2007 10:30 AM:

" Letting trade secrets out while trying to sell the company??? Wow "

Schoolmarm wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:24 AM:

" You shouldn't lead off a sentence with an ellipsis (...) and you should use a question mark (?), not an exclaimation point (!), if you are asking a question. You should pay more attention in school and stop playing video games! "

mmmmmm wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:18 AM:

" swiss cheese "

ummm wrote on Aug 29, 2007 2:11 AM:

" ....is this really news! "
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