Third Wheel Cheese Co. specializes in farmstead and artisan cheeses from the northeast region. They work directly with over forty small-scale, local and regional dairy farms and cheese makers from Virginia to Vermont; all are committed to regenerative agriculture and animal welfare.

Owned and operated by Ann Karlen, Third Wheel launched in 2018 as a wholesale distributor of local and regional cheeses serving restaurants and specialty retailers. When restaurant sales plummeted during the pandemic, retail sales skyrocketed. At that time, Ann founded the Pandemic Pantry, a buying club with more than 150 participating households, to better serve new customers, continue purchasing from wholesale cheese producers, and to provide free meals to food insecure Philadelphians.

After this significant pivot to retail sales, Ann outgrew her space and relocated to a new retail facility in 2021. Foodshed Capital proudly supported her with a low-interest loan to outfit the retail space. Happily, her business has continued to grow, and she returned to us for additional capital to expand further. A second round of low-interest financing will allow her to outfit an additional retail unit with everything needed to serve her retail customers.