Our Story

Our History

Mr. Hans Epprecht is a Swiss immigrant who journeyed to the United States at the age of 18 through a cheese maker.  The opportunity for higher education was not an option for Hans Epprecht, however he knew the importance of education and the doors it would open. In 2015, the Epprecht Family Foundation was started as a way of giving back to the communities which have supported the Epprecht family and Great Lakes Cheese. The aim of the foundation is to award a scholarship to a hardworking and deserving high school graduate who plans to get a degree in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) disciplines.

At the inauguration of the foundation, Mr. Hans Epprecht elected his three granddaughters as board members to manage the foundation: one is a teacher, and two that work in the day-to-day operations of the business at Great Lakes Cheese. The board is responsible for reviewing the applications, interviewing students, decision making about scholarship recipients, and governance of the foundation’s funds.