Not many businesses can trace their roots back to 1874. Bright Cheese & Butter can — and they’re still making cheese in the same location where it all started.
Established by a group of local Oxford County farmers who found themselves with a surplus of milk, Bright Cheese & Butter has grown from a simple cooperative into Canada’s oldest remaining cheddar factory. At the turn of the twentieth century, there were 1,242 cheddar factories operating across Ontario. Bright is the last one standing.
What’s kept them going for over 150 years? A commitment to doing things the right way. Their cheeses are all-natural, naturally aged, and made with 100% local whole milk — no shortcuts, no artificial agents. The result is cheese with a creamier, more developed taste that you simply can’t replicate any other way.
Their lineup goes well beyond cheddar. Visitors to the factory store can find Asiago, Colby, Feta, Havarti, a range of flavoured cheeses, fresh curds, shredded cheese, and cheese dip — plus local products perfect for pairing on a charcuterie board. They also have a second retail location in Shakespeare for anyone who can’t make the trip to Bright.
As a stop on the Oxford County Cheese Trail, Bright Cheese & Butter is one of the most historically significant visits you can make in the region. And at Discover Rural Oxford, running September 15–17, 2026 in the Rural Pavilion at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, you’ll get to sample some of their cheeses in person and take some home to enjoy through the week.
If you’d like to visit the factory store directly, Bright Cheese & Butter is located at 816503 Oxford Road 22 in Bright, Ontario. You can browse their full product line and find their second location in Shakespeare at brightcheeseandbutter.com.
Take our curd for it — you better brie there.
Visit in person:
Address: 816503 Oxford Road 22, Bright, ON N0J 1B0
Website: brightcheeseandbutter.com