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.
• Since 2015 we've purchased our milk from a few family farms.
  • 2015-2018 we purchased our milk from a Certified Humane Dairy in Seymour, Indian - Lot Hill Dairy. 
  • In the fall of 2018 we started purchasing milk from Dandy Breeze Cramery, in Sheridan, Indiana.  They have a small herd of about 40-50 Jersey cows and are in the process of becoming Certified Humane.
    • Dandy Breeze Creamery Info - directly from their website:  https://www.dandybreezedairy.com/barn-cows/

  • We occasionally source milk (when absolutely necessary) from other local farms  with the equivalent standards (sometimes Certified Organic).

• 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 microbial 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
• Click here to see our Wall of Fame