Tillamook aimed to innovate shredded cheese products and sought Mattson’s help. After learning that consumers saw shredded cheese as commoditized, Mattson developed various concepts, but none resonated until the idea of a shredded cheese for making cheese sauce emerged. Through Home Use Testing (HUT), the concept proved successful, leading to the launch of Sauce Starters in February 2018 at independent grocers in the NW, followed by distribution at Kroger, Safeway/Albertsons, and Walmart nationwide in March.