Velveeta is a processed cheese product that originated in the United States. It is made and sold by Kraft Foods. Here is a brief history and overview of where Velveeta cheese comes from:
The Origins of Velveeta
Velveeta was invented in 1918 by Emil Frey of the Monroe Cheese Company in New York. Frey was looking for ways to use up broken cheese parts and cheese scrap leftovers from production. He experimented by heating and emulsifying the leftover cheese parts like Cheddar, Colby, and Swiss. This resulted in a smooth, creamy paste that could be sliced and packaged like regular cheese.
The smooth texture and mild flavor of this new cheese product made it popular as a cheese spread. However, Frey struggled to keep up with demand. In 1923, he sold the Velveeta recipe along with the rest of his cheese company to Kraft. Under Kraft’s large manufacturing capabilities and distribution network, Velveeta sales took off across the United States.
How Velveeta is Made
While the original Velveeta recipes used leftover cheese parts, today’s Velveeta is made through a finely tuned industrial manufacturing process optimized by Kraft Foods scientists over decades.
The main ingredients in modern Velveeta are milk, whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate, and milkfat. Other ingredients include emulsifiers, preservatives, calcium phosphate, and food coloring.
Here are some key steps in how Kraft Foods makes Velveeta cheese today:
- Milk is separated into curds and whey using enzymes like rennet. The whey is condensed through evaporation into whey protein concentrate.
- The curds are processed along with milk protein concentrate and emulsifying salts into a homogeneous cheese mass.
- This cheese mass is melted and mixed until smooth. At this stage, preservatives, coloring, and flavors are also added.
- The smooth molten cheese mixture is poured into molds and cooled to form solid blocks.
- The cheese blocks are carefully sliced and packaged as Velveeta cheeses slices and other products.
Kraft keeps the exact specifications of its Velveeta manufacturing process a trade secret. But the general steps aim to produce a very smooth, shelf-stable, and meltable cheese product by tightly controlling the ingredients, process variables, and final moisture content.
Where Velveeta Cheese is Produced
As a Kraft Foods brand, Velveeta has always been made in Kraft’s cheese manufacturing facilities located across the United States. Some of the main plants that produce Velveeta today include:
- Champaign, Illinois – One of Kraft’s largest cheese plants in the country. Manufactures multiple cheese products including Velveeta.
- Walton, New York – A major plant focusing on cheese slices and shreds. Significant maker of Velveeta products.
- Mountain Lakes, New Jersey – Specialized in spreads like Velveeta along with other Kraft cheeses.
- Fresno, California – Large West Coast plant that makes cheese products for both retail and foodservice customers.
Kraft does not disclose exactly how much Velveeta is made at each facility for competitive reasons. But Velveeta has been an integral American brand for Kraft plants across the country for over 90 years.
Fun Facts about Velveeta
- Velveeta was advertised as a “health food” in the 1920s for its smooth texture that was easier to digest.
- During World War 2 rationing, Velveeta was excluded from some rationing requirements due to its low moisture content and shelf stability.
- The original Velveeta recipe did not contain any preservatives. Modern formulations use preservatives like sorbic acid for extended shelf life.
- Velveeta Melts and Velveeta Shells & Cheese were introduced in the 1930s and became immensely popular convenience products.
- Kraft chemists continue to tweak the Velveeta formula, for instance changing the coloring from yellow #5 to yellow #6 in 2014.
Velveeta’s Lasting Popularity
Despite some criticism that it is highly processed and artificial, Velveeta has remained as popular as ever after 100+ years:
- Its smooth, creamy, meltable texture makes it extremely versatile for cooking, baking, dips, etc.
- It is shelf-stable and has a long refrigerated shelf life of several weeks to months.
- Velveeta melts smoothly without separating or clumping.
- It is affordable and economical compared to natural cheese.
- Familiar yellow-orange color is recognizable by consumers.
Velveeta may not satisfy cheese purists, but its unique gooey melting properties have secured its place in American culture and recipes for generations.
Conclusion
While Velveeta originated almost 100 years ago as a clever innovation to use cheese scrap, today it is its own distinct cheese category. Its unique smooth, shelf-stable, melty attributes have made Velveeta a staple in kitchens across America. This quintessentially American cheese food continues to be produced at Kraft’s manufacturing plants around the country.