ATLANTA — Sometimes chance can be the best source of new ideas.

Not long ago, Schuman Cheese found itself in possession of some extra Cello Copper Kettle Parmesan after it had completed a production run.

So the company’s cheesemakers decided to age the leftover cheese more than twice as long as the regular batch – three years instead of 16 months – said Schuman’s Tino Fernandez.

The result was Special Edition Cello Copper Kettle Parmesan, which was recognized at the 2022 World Cheese Championship and showcased by Schuman at IDDBA ’22.

“For a domestic parm, it really stands out,” Fernandez said.

Also at IDDBA, Schuman debuted four new higher-end value-added trays featuring either cubed cheese alone or cubed cheese paired with proteins like soppressata.

Shipping under the Simple Pleasures brand, the trays are a higher-end alternative to other, similar products currently on the market, Fernandez said.