Mateo Kehler is the co-founder and head cheesemaker of Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont, a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to rural economic development through world-class artisan cheese. Built alongside his brother Andy, Jasper Hill has become a model for how independent food businesses can remain value-driven, profitable, and deeply rooted in place. In this episode, Kehler shares how cheese became a vehicle for community regeneration, why independence matters more than scale, and how systems, collaboration, and outrageously delicious products can reshape broken commodity markets.

Takeaways

• High-value food can reclaim wealth from extractive commodity markets
• Independence allows businesses to stay values-driven, not purely economic
• Meaningful work requires connection to place and people
• Grow laterally through collaboration instead of scaling vertically
• Premium pricing must reflect the true cost of production
• Quality is non-negotiable, values only work if the product is exceptional
• Partnerships can unlock capital without sacrificing control
• Systems remove ego from craft and create consistency
• Data enables better decision-making across production and finance
• Separate personal identity from product decisions to lead more objectively
• Paying farmers a living wage stabilizes entire communities
• Transparency builds trust across complex organizations
• Asking for help strengthens leadership
• Long-term sustainability requires profitability and discipline
• Innovation and tradition must evolve together

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