Speciality Food Inspirational Cheese Retailers 2025

specialityfoodmagazine.com 21 WE TRY TO STOCK THINGS YOU CAN’T GET IN THE SUPERMARKET. IF YOU CAME INTO THE SHOP TODAY, THAT’SWHAT YOU’D EXPERIENCE Triumph over adversity While Covid was, of course, a difficult time for everyone, Darren said it was the making of the shop. The few tables and chairs they’d had set up in a cafe arrangement were taken out for social distancing, and sales went up by around 300%. “We were so busy, we don’t know howwe kept up. Nicola was working her full-time day job, and the deli.” “I think the reason Covid impacted us was you couldn’t get pasta or other essentials in the supermarkets,” Nicola says. “We posted on Instagram saying, ‘we’ve got pasta’, and people came in and realised everything we did. They thought we were a cafe, but we could showwe were a deli, and all the things we offered. BEST-SELLING CHEESES BEAUVALE A decadently creamy cheese, with defined blue veining and a delicate blue taste. cropwellbishop creamery.co.uk KALTBACH CREAMY Aged in sandstone caves, this delicious cheese has added cream, for amelt-in- the-mouth texture. emmi-kaltbach.com We introduced grazing platters and it was absolutelymental! I’ve got no idea howwe did it.” The business continues to grow through word of mouth, and the couple’s entrepreneurial spirit, such as supplying local pubs with cheese labelled with the All in a Pickle name, has further increased their local presence. Befriend your wholesaler Despite being small, Darren and Nicola say they punch above their size when it comes to sales, attracting a wide and loyal demographic, who appreciate the fact they can pop in for a chat and to buy just 50g of cheese if they like – there’s no pressure. “Rowcliffe is our main supplier, and our sales rep always talks about us whenever she’s meeting her boss. When he came here, he couldn’t believe how small we were because we buy so much cheese.” Rowcliffe was heavily involved in helping to set up their cheese counter, and it’s a relationship that’s continued to blossom, with the team teaching them how to keep cheese in peak condition, and how to wrap it properly. “We still argue about how to wrap cheese,” Darren smiles. “Working so closely with themhas been key for us,” Nicola adds. BARON BIGOD Luscious and velvety with earthy notes of mushroom. fenfarmdairy.co.uk