Great Lakes Cheese 401(k) and retirement plans

Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc., Hiram, OH. EIN 34-1015620. Annual reports 2009–2025. Also filed as Great Lakes Cheese Co.

Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc. has 2 active retirement plans on file. The largest is the Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc. 401(k) Plan and Trust, with 4,993 participants and $156 million in assets in 2025. Principal has been its recordkeeper since 2021. No traditional pension plan appears in Great Lakes Cheese's filings since 2009.

Active plans: 2
Participants: 9,520
Plan assets: $614 million
401(k) recordkeeper: Principal
Plans on file: 2
Industry: Manufacturing

All 2 plans

Active plans first

Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc. 401(k) Plan and Trust

401(k)Active

Active. The plan filed its annual report for the 2025 plan year.

Plan number: 003Employer EIN 34-1015620
Participants (2025): 4,993
Net assets (2025): $156 million
Recordkeeper: PrincipalEarlier: National Associates (2018–2020), Newport (2017), Verisight Group (2012–2016), Next Step Defined Contribution (2009–2011)
Plan administrator: Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc.
17955 Great Lakes Parkway
Hiram, OH 44234
(440) 834-2500As filed for 2025
In effect since: July 1, 2007

Earlier plan names: Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc. 401K Plan & Trust.

Year by year, 2009 to 2025

Plan year	Participants	Net assets	Recordkeeper
2025	4,993	$156 million	Principal
2024	4,729	$124 million	Principal
2023	4,342	$106 million	Principal
2022	4,171	$88.4 million	Principal
2021	4,010	$99.3 million	Principal
2020	4,533	$83.3 million	National Associates
2019	3,519	$69.6 million	National Associates
2018	3,208	$54.0 million	National Associates
2017	2,957	$51.0 million	Newport
2016	2,438	$41.2 million	Verisight Group
2015	2,419	$37.6 million	Verisight Group
2014	2,236	$35.2 million	Verisight Group
2013	2,106	$31.1 million	Verisight Group
2012	1,908	$24.2 million	Verisight Group
2011	1,902	$19.1 million	Next Step Defined Contribution
2010	1,870	$16.4 million	Next Step Defined Contribution
2009	1,857	$12.6 million	Next Step Defined Contribution

Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)Active

Active. The plan filed its annual report for the 2025 plan year.

Plan number: 002Employer EIN 34-1015620
Participants (2025): 4,527
Net assets (2025): $458 million
Recordkeeper: PrincipalEarlier: National Associates (2018)
Plan administrator: Great Lakes Cheese Co
17955 Great Lakes Pkwy
Hiram, OH 44234
(440) 834-3550As filed for 2025
In effect since: January 1, 1998

Year by year, 2009 to 2025

Plan year	Participants	Net assets	Recordkeeper
2025	4,527	$458 million	Principal
2024	4,352	$502 million	Principal
2023	4,125	$504 million	Principal
2022	3,898	$410 million	Principal
2021	3,568	$446 million	Principal
2020	3,344	$394 million	Principal
2019	3,173	$357 million	Principal
2018	3,014	$293 million	National Associates
2017	2,788	$274 million	not listed
2016	2,614	$239 million	not listed
2015	2,462	$218 million	not listed
2014	2,372	$215 million	not listed
2013	2,232	$197 million	not listed
2012	2,056	$161 million	not listed
2011	2,044	$139 million	not listed
2010	2,018	$117 million	not listed
2009	1,940	$97.9 million	not listed

If you had money in one of these plans

Call Principal (principal.com), which runs the Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc. 401(k) Plan and Trust. With your Social Security number and the plan name, it can tell you whether you still have a balance and, if not, where it went.
Or call the plan administrator listed on the plan below ((440) 834-2500). That number was filed for 2025; ask for the benefits or retirement plan office.
Still stuck? The Department of Labor's benefits advisers help for free: askebsa.dol.gov or 1-866-444-3272. Never pay anyone to find your own money.

What these numbers are

They come from the Form 5500 annual reports each plan files with the Department of Labor, as the plan filed them. A plan year is usually a calendar year.
Participants counts everyone in the plan at year end: current employees, former employees who still have a balance or a pension coming, and retirees or beneficiaries being paid.
The recordkeeper is the service provider whose Schedule C entry says it keeps the plan's records. Small plans do not file Schedule C, so some plans show none.
We cannot see anyone's account. Only the plan or its recordkeeper can tell you your balance.

Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Form 5500 datasets and PBGC trusteed plans. How we read them.

All 2 plans

Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc. 401(k) Plan and Trust

Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan

If you had money in one of these plans

What these numbers are

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