FAQ

It’s the American dream come to life. You can read about our story here.

Karoun Dairies’ products are made in a state-of-the-art plant, located in Turlock, California. The plant has earned a Gold Certificate from Siliker Labs, is BRC Certified (AA Grade) and has implemented strict HACCP quality control standards.

A few of our products, particularly the ones made from sheep milk are imported. The country of origin is listed on each product label.

Just recently, the first cheese made by Karoun Dairies, the iconic Hand-braided String Cheese, was awarded first place in the String Cheese, Flavored Category at the World Championship Cheese Contest 2020. Karoun Marinated String Cheese, the company’s original, classic-style String, marinated to perfection with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and herbs, was one of 16 entries for String Cheese, Flavored and scored an impressive 99.70 Best of Class.

In fact, Karoun Dairies has amassed over 170 different awards for its various Cultured and Cheese products from national and international dairy competitions including:

• World Championship Cheese Contest
• The World Cheese Awards
• United States Cheese Contest
• The American Cheese Society
• California State Fair Championship
• Los Angeles County Fair Championship

Karoun, Arz, Gopi, Yanni, Queso Del Valle and Blue Isle products are available at a variety of grocery stores and big-box retailers nationwide. Full product lines are most commonly found in metropolitan cities across the United States. To find products in your area, please visit Where to Buy. Due to the large number of our distributing partners, it’s difficult to know exactly which type of product is currently stocked in a specific store. If you would like to be able to purchase a product at a store that doesn’t carry the item, we recommend speaking to the store manager and requesting it. Feel free to use our Product Request Template, which you can print out and hand to a store manager.

All sales of our products are made in retail stores. Please use Where to Buy store locator to find a specific product at a store near you. We’re unable to ship our products directly to you, however, you can use the online shipping services of approved carriers like on www.instacart.com.

All of our domestic products are made from Real California Milk. When you see the seal, you’ll feel good knowing that the product is certified as having been made with sustainably sourced, 100% Real California Milk from Real California Dairy families. Dairies supplying our milk participate in the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program. The FARM Program’s Animal Care standards meet the requirements of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Specification. FARM was the first animal-care program in the world to have its standards verified through the ISO process.

When you choose a product that carries the Real California Milk seal, you're getting delicious, wholesome dairy made from 100% Real California Milk. But that's not all, you're also supporting Golden State farms and the farm families who are at the forefront of the effort to create a cleaner, more sustainable future. California dairy is at the forefront of the effort to create a cleaner, greener future for the generations that follow. Our farm families are world leaders in sustainable farming practices and producing nutritious, planet-smart dairy products that consumers love. California dairy farms have made tremendous progress in reducing their environmental footprint, and are doubling down on our mission to lead the world in sustainable farming.

California dairy producers are very concerned about the health, comfort and safety of their cows. They take animal care very seriously and work hard to ensure cows are healthy and comfortable. Dairy cows must be healthy and well cared for in order to produce high-quality milk. Cows under stress produce far less or no milk. Dairy cows receive regular veterinary medical care, including periodic check-ups, preventive vaccinations and prompt treatment of illness. Dairy farmers depend on healthy cows for their livelihoods. Dairy farmers care for their herds by providing a nutritious diet, good medical care and healthy living conditions. California is home to many of the most modern, technologically advanced and efficient dairy operations in the world, financially capable of maintaining systems and best practices for herd comfort and care.

California dairy farms are as diverse as the state itself and feature a variety of farming styles from progressive dairy farms to organic, pasture-based farms. Regardless of farming style, the health and nutrition of dairy cow diets are planned carefully, often by a nutritionist who knows the characteristics of each cow on the dairy and knows exactly how much protein, fiber and the types of minerals and vitamins she needs. Forage is the basis for a cow’s diet. This can include pasture grass in the spring and summer months, or it can be chopped grass (silage). California dairy cows also benefit from the myriad of byproducts from food and fiber production like almond hulls, brewers grains, grape pumice, citrus pulp and cottonseed – byproducts they can turn into healthy, nutritious milk while keeping them out of the landfill. These are the foods that make our cows go, "Mmm-oo!"
Alfalfa
Steam Flaked Corn
Grains
Citrus Pulp
Grass
Silage
Corn Gluten
Cottonseed
Almond Hulls
Sugar Beet Pulp

Yes, if you are careful to select certain types of natural cheeses. Natural hard cheeses as well as soft-ripened cheeses contain little or no lactose.

Most of our Cultured, Cheese and Butter products are gluten-free, however please read the ingredients on the packaging label to view the full nutritional details for each product. If you have any concerns, you should consult a healthcare professional.

Our products are nut-free and are produced in a manufacturing plant that does not contain nuts. Our manufacturing facilities have the highest standards of cleanliness and have documented and verified allergen handling policies.

Karoun Dairies’ Cultured products that are produced in Turlock, California are OU Kosher—the world’s largest and most widely recognized kosher certification agency. OU carefully reviews all of the ingredients and production practices for each item before granting its seal. Foods that are certified kosher carry a U in a circle. A “D” refers to dairy, indicating the kosher product also contains milk.

All of Karoun Dairies’ Cultured and Cheese products that are produced in Turlock, California are certified by the Islamic Services of America – a leading Halal Certification body in the United States and North America, recognized internationally in every sector of the Halal industry. Halal certification and auditing services has made Islamic Services of America (ISA) a globally recognized symbol of Halal integrity.

All of our Cultured and Cheese products that are produced in Turlock, California are made with milk from cows not treated with rBST*. * FDA has stated that no significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rBST treated and non-rBST treated cows.

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for you, especially your digestive system. Your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called "good" or "helpful" bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy. Most of our cultured products contain 6 Live Active Probiotic Cultures: S. Thermophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Lactis, L. Casei, L. Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium.

Yogurt naturally contains the milk sugar lactose. Our flavored yogurts are a delicious blended yogurt with no artificial sugar or sweeteners.

Karoun Dairies is committed to making the highest quality products in the most natural way. The milk used to make our products exceeds state and federal quality standards and comes from cows that are not treated with artificial growth hormones. We don’t offer certified organic products at this time, however, products from our extended portfolio of partnering companies, will have what you’re looking for.

Karoun Dairies identifies all products with a freshness date. This date assures freshness in an unopened package only. We recommend purchasing and using products by the date indicated to assure optimum product freshness. If you use the product after the date, you may experience less than ideal flavor and texture.

If the product is open and has been stored in the refrigerator, it is generally good until the Best By date on each individual container. The shelf life of foods can be significantly shortened if they aren't handled properly. Make sure all utensils are clean before going into a container and secure the plastic lid before re-refrigerating your multi-serve options. One sign that isn't of concern is separation, when liquid separates from solid cream. You can drain it off or mix it back in, as long as you use a clean spoon.

It’s not recommended to freeze Yogurt, Labneh and Soft Cheese due to their high moisture content. Though freezing doesn’t destroy the nutrients in Cheese, it affects its texture and quality.

Hard cheeses freeze better than other types. To freeze, cut into small pieces (less than a half-pound and less than one inch thick). Sliced Cheese should be separated with parchment paper. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or an airtight Ziplock bag. This is essential to prevent dry air from getting into the Cheese. To thaw, leave in the refrigerator for several hours and use soon afterward. Butter can be frozen in its original wrapper for several months at 0ºF. Keep in mind that like any food, Cheese that has been frozen and thawed should not be re-frozen. Cheese that has been frozen is best suited for cooked dishes in which changes to texture are less noticeable.

"Fruit on the bottom" yogurts usually have very little fruit. What we’ve done is take natural fruit flavoring like Strawberry, Coconut and Blueberry, and blended them with our yogurt to create a perfectly balanced sweet taste that’s rich and delicious. You can add fresh fruit to the Honey Yogurt for a delicious treat.

The cucumbers, garlic and dill are blended with the Labne for a smooth flavorful dip or a topping for your gyros. You can add fresh cucumbers to the Tsatsiki if you want that extra crunch.

Click here to access contact details for our consumer relations team, including our phone number, mailing address, and our contact form where you can submit a question or comment.

No. We are not affiliated with Karoun Dairies S.A.L., a Lebanese corporation.