Ellsworth Cheese Curds Beat Out Fries

Well, at least at A&W they do. And in some locations, they outsell root beer floats, too!

It all started many years ago in Baldwin, Wisconsin. A&W’s Baldwin location, a favorite stop for a classic root beer float, is just 18 miles from the Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin. It seemed like a no-brainer to offer this local delicacy to their menu.

The rest is history. Our cheese curds became a favorite local menu item and eventually a national A&W success story.

“The popularity in some restaurants is right up there with the root beer float in terms of the number that are ordered,” VP of Marketing for A&W Sarah Blasi said. “And over the last five years we’ve grown our cheese curd volume over 50%!”

A&W chose the best when introducing cheese curds to their menu. Ellsworth cheese curds are sent to Riverside Foods to be breaded with a special ingredient added for extra flavor! That secret ingredient isn’t a secret anymore. Sarah actually reveals it in this video.

“They bread them fresh and they actually dust it with just a little bit of garlic,” Blasi shares. “You would never be able to point that out when you eat them, but that’s what makes them so savory and so delicious.”

With the growing success of cheese curds as a menu item, A&W is excited to introduce their first cheese curd menu extension…ever! Poutine has been added as a “limited time” menu offering. A staple of Canadian cuisine, it’s fries and cheese curds topped with gravy. If you’re a cheese curd fan, this is a must-try dish!

Regardless of whether Poutine becomes a menu staple, deep-fried Wisconsin white cheddar cheese curds from Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery appear to be on the A&W menu to stay!

How soon before McDonald’s hears the news?