Polly-O

Polly-O is an American cheese brand with roots in Brooklyn, New York, and a history connected to Italian-American cheesemaking. The business was established in 1899 by Giuseppe Pollio, who brought family cheesemaking traditions from Italy to the United States. Its early identity was built around fresh Italian-style cheeses, particularly ricotta and mozzarella. According to the brand’s historical account, Pollio initially prepared cheese in kettles on the beach at Coney Island after arriving in America through Ellis Island, an origin story that links the brand to the development of Italian food culture in New York. The company originally operated under the Pollio name. During the 1940s, it adopted the Polly-O name because the original name was considered too similar to the word “polio,” at a time when the disease was a prominent public concern. The revised name became the enduring consumer brand used for the company’s cheese products. Polly-O operated independently for most of the twentieth century before being acquired by Kraft Foods Inc. in 1986. Under Kraft, the brand remained associated with Italian cheeses and expanded its presence through American grocery distribution. Its product portfolio became particularly recognizable for ricotta, mozzarella, and individually portioned string cheese. Polly-O products have been sold through many United States grocery chains, giving the brand broad retail visibility even though its core identity remains closely associated with the New York and Italian-American food traditions from which it originated. The brand’s manufacturing history has included production in Campbell, New York. Reference material describes Polly-O as one of the larger producers of Italian cheeses and reports annual production of nearly one hundred million pounds, although the applicable year and current status of that production figure are not specified. The brand has also received attention for its string cheese, which is designed as a convenient snack as well as a dairy product for children and families. Ownership changed again in the twenty-first century. In 2020, Kraft Heinz sold its natural cheese division to Groupe Lactalis. As part of the antitrust review of that transaction by the United States Department of Justice, Groupe Lactalis entered into an agreement in 2021 to sell Polly-O to BelGioioso Cheese Inc. BelGioioso is therefore the current owner identified in the reference material. Polly-O continues to occupy a mainstream United States cheese position, centered on mozzarella, ricotta, and string cheese rather than a broad international luxury or specialty-food identity.

Polly-O traces its origins to 1899, when Giuseppe Pollio established a cheese business in Brooklyn, New York. Pollio brought Italian family cheesemaking traditions to the United States and focused on products such as ricotta and mozzarella. The brand’s origin story places Pollio at Coney Island, where he is said to have set up cheese kettles after entering the country through Ellis Island. Whether viewed as company folklore or business history, this account reflects the brand’s long association with New York’s Italian-American communities and with fresh Italian-style cheese. The business initially operated under the Pollio name. In the 1940s, it changed its commercial name to Polly-O because the original name was considered too close to “polio,” the name of a serious infectious disease that was highly salient in public life at the time. The new name became the basis of the long-running consumer brand. For much of the twentieth century, Polly-O remained independent. Its product identity developed around Italian cheeses sold to American households, restaurants, and grocery shoppers. Ricotta and mozzarella became central products, while string cheese later gave the brand a highly recognizable convenience format. Polly-O cheese became available through many United States grocery chains, helping it move from a regional New York heritage brand into a broader national retail business. In 1986, Kraft Foods Inc. acquired Polly-O. The acquisition placed the brand within a large packaged-food company while preserving its association with Italian cheeses. During the Kraft era, Polly-O continued to be known for mozzarella, ricotta, and string cheese. Reference material identifies Campbell, New York, as the location where most Polly-O cheese was manufactured and describes the company as one of the larger producers of Italian cheeses. A cited production estimate says the company made almost one hundred million pounds of cheese annually, but the source does not provide a date for that figure, so it should not be treated as a current operating metric. The next major ownership transition occurred in 2020, when Kraft Heinz sold its natural cheese division to Groupe Lactalis. Because the transaction raised antitrust concerns in the United States, the Department of Justice reviewed the competitive implications. In 2021, Groupe Lactalis entered into an agreement to sell Polly-O to BelGioioso Cheese Inc. The divestiture allowed the broader Kraft Heinz–Lactalis transaction to proceed while addressing the government’s competition concerns. BelGioioso is identified as Polly-O’s current owner. Across its history, Polly-O has remained more focused than diversified. Its core significance lies in bringing familiar Italian-style cheeses into mainstream American retail, combining heritage cues with practical formats. Mozzarella and ricotta connect the brand to cooking and traditional dishes, while string cheese supports snack-oriented consumption. The available reference material does not establish a separate international operating network, a public listing, a current corporate headquarters, or a complete modern product catalog. The brand is best characterized as an active United States cheese brand operating within BelGioioso’s ownership structure.

• 2021

  BelGioioso agrees to acquire Polly-O

  [1]Polly-Oen.wikipedia.org

  Groupe Lactalis entered into an agreement to sell Polly-O to BelGioioso Cheese in response to antitrust considerations related to the Kraft Heinz transaction.

• 2020

  Natural cheese division changes ownership

  [1]Polly-Oen.wikipedia.org

  Kraft Heinz sold its natural cheese division to Groupe Lactalis, bringing Polly-O into Lactalis’s ownership subject to regulatory review.

• 1986

  Acquisition by Kraft Foods

  [1]Polly-Oen.wikipedia.org

  Kraft Foods Inc. acquired Polly-O after the brand had operated independently for most of its history.

• 1940

  The business adopts the Polly-O name

  [1]Polly-Oen.wikipedia.org

  The company changed from the Pollio name to Polly-O because of the perceived similarity between Pollio and the word “polio.”

• 1899

  Polly-O’s predecessor business is established

  [1]Polly-Oen.wikipedia.org

  Giuseppe Pollio established the original cheese business in Brooklyn, introducing Italian family cheesemaking traditions and products such as ricotta and mozzarella.

Mainstream American retail cheese brand specializing in accessible Italian-style cheeses and convenient dairy snacks.

• Italian-style cheese

  Mozzarella cheese

  Mozzarella is one of Polly-O’s defining product lines and links the brand to its Italian-American cheesemaking heritage. It is positioned as an everyday cheese for household cooking and meal preparation, including uses associated with pizza, baked dishes, sandwiches, salads, and other recipes. The reference material identifies mozzarella as one of the brand’s principal products but does not provide a complete breakdown of formats, varieties, or current packaging.

• Italian-style cheese

  Ricotta cheese

  Ricotta is part of Polly-O’s original product heritage and has remained one of the cheeses most closely associated with the brand. It represents the traditional, cooking-oriented side of the portfolio and is commonly used in Italian-American recipes and prepared dishes. Available reference material confirms ricotta as a major Polly-O offering but does not specify current product variants, pack sizes, or distribution details.

• Snack cheese

  String cheese

  Polly-O string cheese is the brand’s best-known convenience-oriented format. The individually portioned style supports portable snacking and family consumption while retaining the brand’s mozzarella-centered identity. It has helped Polly-O appeal beyond recipe ingredients to shoppers seeking a ready-to-eat dairy snack. The reference material specifically highlights the string cheese line but does not establish its launch date or a complete range of current variants.

• 2021

  Agreement to sell Polly-O to BelGioiosoM&A

  Background

  The United States Department of Justice reviewed Groupe Lactalis’s purchase from Kraft Heinz for competition concerns.

  Action taken

  Groupe Lactalis entered into a purchase agreement to sell Polly-O to BelGioioso Cheese Inc.

  Aftermath

  BelGioioso became the owner identified for Polly-O, resolving the brand-specific divestiture requirement associated with the antitrust review.

  Source

• 2020

  Sale of Kraft Heinz natural cheese divisionM&A

  Background

  Kraft Heinz sold its natural cheese division to Groupe Lactalis in a transaction that included Polly-O.

  Action taken

  Ownership of Polly-O moved from Kraft Heinz to Groupe Lactalis through the natural cheese division transaction.

  Aftermath

  The transaction was subject to United States antitrust review, which led to a subsequent agreement to divest Polly-O.

  Source

• 1986

  Kraft Foods acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Polly-O had operated independently since its establishment in 1899 and was acquired by Kraft Foods as part of the large food company’s portfolio expansion.

  Action taken

  Kraft Foods acquired the Polly-O business and brand.

  Aftermath

  Polly-O continued as a Kraft-owned cheese brand with a focus on mozzarella, ricotta, and string cheese.

  Source

1. 1Polly-Oen.wikipedia.org
2. 2New York Times interview with Polly-O vice president Mark Pettienytimes.com