Cheese Retailers April 2024

28 @specialityfood F or Moz Murphy, founder of grate Newcastle, the inspiration for opening the shop was to plug a gap she saw in the city; to provide great service alongside excellent cheese from Britain and Europe. “I opened the cheese shop that I wanted as a customer as I felt Newcastle was missing out,” she begins. Far from being a deli with a complementary cheese counter, grate is “first and foremost a cheesemonger,” says Moz. “We champion British and Irish cheese first, with some Continental cheeses thrown in for good measure.” While the shop also sells locally made chutneys and pickles, crackers and oatcakes, and bread from local bakers at weekends, cheese has long been and will continue to be Moz’s focus. “Lots of people have suggested diversifying into more of a deli, selling charcuterie and oils etc; we have dabbled in some charcuterie from time to time but ultimately my background is in cheese and that’s my passion.” This passionate focus has seen grate grow a sizeable fanbase of all ages and persuasions, as Moz explains. “My customer base is really family orientated – we have so many regulars who come in week on week with their parents or children. We get lots of foodies, and plenty of local chefs and restaurant people too.” A challenge shared... From the position grate holds in the community today you wouldn’t know that it had a less-than-ideal start, but Moz and her team have demonstrated that timing is everything. “We opened in October 2020, right in between lockdowns. I’d planned to open LOCATION: NEWCASTLE FOUNDED: 2020 FOUNDER: MOZ MURPHY grateNewcastle Community Support NORTH “I’m really looking to work with smaller producers rather than wholesalers,” says Moz. I’d like to have a really direct relationship with them and build on what we’ve done so far - I feel like I actually know what I’m doing now!” CONNECTING ONE-TO-ONE