SONOMA, CALIF. – Laura Chenel kicked off 2024 with a refreshed look, including updated brand packaging that Durae Hardy, the company’s brand manager, said celebrates the company’s past and present: authentic French cheesemaking techniques, filtered through the landscape and culinary traditions of Northern California.

An evolved color scheme, brand messaging and back-film elements have been updated to support brand recognition while also incorporating elements that emphasize the brand’s values and foundation in Sonoma, Hardy said.

The company’s newest artisan crafted goat cheese, Pear, Wine & Rosemary Fresh Goat Cheese Log, was developed in collaboration with the Culinary Institute of America Consulting and debuted in retail specialty cases this spring.

Inspired by the taste of Sonoma’s Wine Country, Hardy said the new cheese pairs the flavor of a fresh, creamy goat cheese with sweet and earthy ripe pears and the aroma of a bright Sauvignon Blanc and finishes with an herbaceous burst of fresh rosemary.

Laura Chenel’s top seller remains what Hardy calls the company’s “most simple, yet extraordinary” Original Log. The company molds its fresh goat cheese in the French tradition – slightly dense logs that maximize freshness and versatility.

Its 8 oz Original Log is made in the traditional French elongated shape and has a creamy texture at room temperature or baked. Famous for its rich-tasting and bright citrusy tang, the flavors are enhanced due to a balanced amount of salt.

Unique flavors have been the dominant trend in the specialty cheese category, Hardy said.

“It’s a priority of ours to continue innovating and introducing distinctive flavor profiles, while still maintaining its appeal with the same exceptional products and ethical standards that have made our goat cheese an industry icon.”

Laura Chenel California Chèvre, as it was known back in the late 1970s in the company’s early days, popularized goat cheese and heralded a new wave of specialty cheesemakers in America, Hardy said.

As the only domestic artisan cheesemaker selling French-style goat cheese at that time, Laura Chenel’s growth coincided with the evolution of California wine and cuisine and profoundly influenced cheesemaking in America.

“As demand and preference for goat cheese continues to grow today, we continue to produce high-quality handcrafted fresh goat cheese in America,” Hardy said.

Laura Chenel’s roots are in traditional French goat cheesemaking, but the producer loves to bring those techniques to modern consumers, Hardy said, with a “very Californian approach” based on fresh flavor combinations.

“Our brand got its start serving chefs, but as we’ve evolved, we’ve expanded our range to serve not only chefs but also consumers with a variety of cheeses that suit a range of occasions from appetizers to home cooking and snacking.”