35 min
Miguel Leal (The Godfather of Mexican Cheese) - The Art of Cheese and Life: Overcoming Obstacles, Valuing Discipline, and Pursuing the American Dream Adventurous Entrepreneurs
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- Entrepreneurship
Joining TJ on the Adventurous Entrepreneurs Podcast today is Miguel Leal.
Often hailed as the “Godfather of Mexican Cheese” in the U.S., Miguel has a remarkable story that is a testament to resilience, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. One of six children raised in poverty after the tragic death of his father in an earthquake, Leal arrived in Wisconsin without money and speaking little English. He had no choice but to make a bed of cardboard on the factory’s boiler room floor. Despite these challenges—through grit, persistence, and hard work—Leal observed and learned every step of cheesemaking, from cleaning the equipment to cutting and packaging cheese for sale.
Recognizing the growing demand for authentic Mexican cheese among the Latinx community in the U.S., Miguel pioneered the production and sale of specialty Mexican cheese. Eventually, he partnered with a master cheesemaker from Wisconsin to work with the Amish in Ohio to produce and hand-sell 60-pound wheels of cotija cheese in the Chicago metro area. The skyrocketing demand for his cheese led Leal to establish his own company, Mexican Cheese Producers, Inc., in 1994. He eventually constructed a state-of-the-art production plant in Darlington, Wisconsin—a prime location with access to the finest quality milk in the country. There, he continued to perfect recipes for various Mexican cheeses and took out patents for the machines used to produce them. Leal eventually sold his business to the global company Sigma Alimentos for 50 MILLION, which still uses his recipes, and won the 2020 World Championship Cheese Contest with their flagship cotija cheese.
Today, Miguel is a successful real estate developer with a deep investment in his new passion project: supporting Mexico’s growing organic foods movement with a farm of his own, where he demonstrates sustainable organic farming methods to communities in his native country while supporting local charitable efforts.
Miguel’s journey from a humble apprentice to a renowned cheese-maker and philanthropic entrepreneur embodies the virtues of hard work, innovation, and community service, making him a true inspiration.
Just a few of the golden takeaways Miguel Leal shares in this episode are practical tips for building a legacy, overcoming obstacles by valuing discipline, 3 pillars to living a purposeful life, and lessons learned from pursuing the American Dream.
Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with Miguel Leal.
Follow and Connect With Miguel Leal:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheeseguysuccess/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguel-leal-240676280/
Check Out Miguel’s USA Today Bestselling Book “The House that Cheese Built: The Unusual Life of the Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar Global Industry”: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+house+that+cheese+built%2C+miguel+leal&crid=SFE92C9ZVZ11&sprefix=The+house+that+cheese%2Caps%2C257&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_21
Connect With TJ!
Link Tree: https://tjmurphy.me/
Level Up Your Digital Marketing And Unlock More Freedom In Your Business: https://www.hitedigital.com/bend/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamtjmurphy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamtjmurphy/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tj-murphy/
Interested In Joining TJ On The Show?
Apply Here: https://adventurousentrepreneurspodcast.com/
Joining TJ on the Adventurous Entrepreneurs Podcast today is Miguel Leal.
Often hailed as the “Godfather of Mexican Cheese” in the U.S., Miguel has a remarkable story that is a testament to resilience, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. One of six children raised in poverty after the tragic death of his father in an earthquake, Leal arrived in Wisconsin without money and speaking little English. He had no choice but to make a bed of cardboard on the factory’s boiler room floor. Despite these challenges—through grit, persistence, and hard work—Leal observed and learned every step of cheesemaking, from cleaning the equipment to cutting and packaging cheese for sale.
Recognizing the growing demand for authentic Mexican cheese among the Latinx community in the U.S., Miguel pioneered the production and sale of specialty Mexican cheese. Eventually, he partnered with a master cheesemaker from Wisconsin to work with the Amish in Ohio to produce and hand-sell 60-pound wheels of cotija cheese in the Chicago metro area. The skyrocketing demand for his cheese led Leal to establish his own company, Mexican Cheese Producers, Inc., in 1994. He eventually constructed a state-of-the-art production plant in Darlington, Wisconsin—a prime location with access to the finest quality milk in the country. There, he continued to perfect recipes for various Mexican cheeses and took out patents for the machines used to produce them. Leal eventually sold his business to the global company Sigma Alimentos for 50 MILLION, which still uses his recipes, and won the 2020 World Championship Cheese Contest with their flagship cotija cheese.
Today, Miguel is a successful real estate developer with a deep investment in his new passion project: supporting Mexico’s growing organic foods movement with a farm of his own, where he demonstrates sustainable organic farming methods to communities in his native country while supporting local charitable efforts.
Miguel’s journey from a humble apprentice to a renowned cheese-maker and philanthropic entrepreneur embodies the virtues of hard work, innovation, and community service, making him a true inspiration.
Just a few of the golden takeaways Miguel Leal shares in this episode are practical tips for building a legacy, overcoming obstacles by valuing discipline, 3 pillars to living a purposeful life, and lessons learned from pursuing the American Dream.
Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with Miguel Leal.
Follow and Connect With Miguel Leal:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheeseguysuccess/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguel-leal-240676280/
Check Out Miguel’s USA Today Bestselling Book “The House that Cheese Built: The Unusual Life of the Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar Global Industry”: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+house+that+cheese+built%2C+miguel+leal&crid=SFE92C9ZVZ11&sprefix=The+house+that+cheese%2Caps%2C257&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_21
Connect With TJ!
Link Tree: https://tjmurphy.me/
Level Up Your Digital Marketing And Unlock More Freedom In Your Business: https://www.hitedigital.com/bend/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamtjmurphy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamtjmurphy/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tj-murphy/
Interested In Joining TJ On The Show?
Apply Here: https://adventurousentrepreneurspodcast.com/
35 min