Making cheese at the University since the early 1900s. In the 1930s, in the quest to find a way to better store cheese, the idea of canning cheese was created. Once they began, it turned out be so good, it was named "Cougar Gold." Today, they purchase milk from outside farms and produce over 250,000 cans of cheese each year, 80% of which is Cougar Gold.

Purchasing cheese from the WSU Creamery helps support student employees of Washington State University by providing competitive wages and valuable work experiences. A portion of the revenue from the sale of WSU Creamery products is used for educational support of Food Science students.