The city of Newton, Iowa, will always be linked to the Maytag brand. The famous appliance manufacturer was founded in Newton in the late 1800s and operated for well over a century before closing its doors in October 2007. Before being purchased by Whirlpool Corporation, Maytag’s Newton headquarters and factory had over 3,000 employees, or the equivalent of one-fifth of Newton’s population.
While the city is still working to create jobs to offset the losses created by the appliance manufacturer, another local Maytag brand is running strong. Located just outside the city limits, it’s the Maytag Dairy Farms, which is known across America for its famous blue cheese. Their blue cheese process dates to 1941 and still involves cave aging and formation of each cheese wheel by hand.
While the cheese itself can be found at many supermarkets around the nation, the company headquarters is well worth a visit, especially if you’re in the Newton area. The exterior of the headquarters building is modern and nondescript, but the cheese-filled coolers inside the lobby easily offset any lack of atmosphere.
