There is also provided a method of producing a natural cheese having improved melt characteristics from a quantity of raw milk. The method includes separating the raw milk into a cream portion and a reduced fat milk portion. A portion of the cream portion is emulsified in a machine with a mild homogenate process producing reduced size fat globules. All of the cream portion and the reduced fat milk portion is combined into a cheese fluid and pasteurized. A coagulating agent is added to the cheese fluid and processed to produce a natural cheese having improved melt characteristics from the cheese fluid including the emulsified cream portion.
