Upon E.H.’s death in 1940, his sons Fred and Robert Maytag assumed leadership of the farms. It was Fred Maytag-President & CEO of the Maytag Appliance Company who pursued his idea of creating a uniquely American blue cheese made from cow's milk. Fred collaborated with Iowa State University dairy researchers to pioneer the first great American blue cheese that would compete with classic European cheeses such as Roquefort made from sheep's milk. The cheese plant and caves were completed a year later and the first wheels of Maytag Blue Cheese were formed in October 1941. The milk from Maytag's Iowa Holsteins resulted in a rich, creamy cheese that resembled the flavors of European bleu cheeses. Ever a visionary, Fred sold his cheese in a unique new way—by catalog—essentially creating the practice of mail-ordering food that thrives today.