About Us

Here's a little about us...

• Tulip Tree Creamery was founded in 2014 by Fons Smits and Laura Davenport (with the help of other helpful advisors click here to meet our team)
  • Fons (orignally from the Netherlands) has traveled all over the world consulting with and developing dairy plants – focusing on small to medium scale facilities
  • Other recognized creameries in which he’s worked include:  Cowgirl Creamery (CA), Traders Point Creamery (IN), Teton Valley Creamery (ID), Ludwig Farmstead Creamery (IL)
  • Fons' main focus is cheese making/production.
  • Laura has a background in public health and biology where she worked as an adult educator in hospital settings and for a health-related software company before moving over into the dairy world in 2004.
  • Other creameries she's worked with include Traders Point Creamery (IN), Ludwig Farmestead Creamery (IL).
  • Laura's main focus is sales, marketing, and education.
• We purchase our milk from Lot Hill Dairy Farm, Seymour, Indiana
  • The milking herd is owned by Jon Claycamp
  • He raises Holstein cows on this family farm – they currently milk about 35-40 cows – we purchase half of their milk and the rest, they process on their farm (starting Spring 2018).
  • They grow their hay and silage for their animals using only NON-GMO crops.
  • They do not use antibiotics or growth hormones on their milking herd.
  • The farm is Certified Humane.
• Tulip Tree Creamery is located on the northwest side of Indianapolis, IN
  • Our production facility and classroom is located in a part of town called "Park 100" near 465 and 71st St. on the northwest side of town.
  • We have 5 full-time employees (including our owners) and about 5-part time staff who help us teach classes, sell our products at farmers markets, support sales and package up our products.
• All of our products are made by hand
  • We use traditional European Recipes and add our own twist to them
  • A list of our current products can be found here:  http://www.tuliptreecreamery.com/products/
  • We are always developing new products and love feedback from our customers on which types of cheese we should make next.
  • We use rennet that is vegetarian-friendly.
• Our products are being distributed across the US with heavier distribution in the mid-west, east and west coast.
• We are members of the following:
  • Good Food Guild
  • Slow Food Indy
  • American Cheese Society
  • Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
  • Zionsville Chamber of Commerce
• We have won the following awards:
  • American Cheese Society Winner - 2018 Trillium
  • Good Food Award - 2017 Trillium
  • American Cheese Society Winner - 2017 Trillium
  • American Cheese Society Winner - 2016 Nettle & Fromage Frais
  • Midwest Dairy Competition - 2016 Blue Ribbon Winner Trillium
  • Voted Best Cooking Class by Indianapolis Monthly - 2017
  • Voted Best Soft Cheese by Indianapolis Monthly - 2015