Speciality Food Inspirational Cheese Retailers 2025

specialityfoodmagazine.com 33 When people come in, they just see me. I can only serve one person at a time, so others have to usually browse and wait their turn, but they don’t seem to mind that at all. Running this on my own, it’s very personal service.” A friendly face Being at the helm of the shop every day means Christophe has come to know his regular customers well, building a strong rapport with them. While the key demographic is retirees, he says he enjoys seeing a younger audience of cheese buyers towards the end of the week too. “We have a lot of families come in then. Everyone has busy lives now. People find it difficult to shop during the week, so we tend to see younger people at the weekends and also for lunch. I do a takeaway lunch every day, baking quiches, making a few salads, I’ve got bread all the time so I can make them a cheese and chutney baguette.” Giving customers an additional reason to visit (ie feeding them on the spot) is a great way, Christophe thinks, to expose them to the cheeses he sells. While they might not buy at the time, the introduction to artisan cheeses while they’re buying a salad or sandwich plants a seed in their mind, so they know exactly where to go should the desire to conjure up a cheeseboard or seek out a really good cheese for after dinner strike them. What the cheesemonger loves best about his job is it’s something he’s created himself. “I enjoy what I do, really.” It’s not a pretentious shop, he adds. “And I think it’s well priced compared to some places. There’s something for everyone, from eggs to a little baguette. It doesn’t break the bank. That’s why, I think, I’m busy. People don’t feel too intimidated coming here. It’s welcoming and it’s more of an experience than a supermarket. I think it’s the right price, for the right place.” BEST-SELLING CHEESES WESTCOMBE CHEDDAR One of only three classified Artisan Somerset Cheddars. Nutty with hints of citrus and caramel. westcombedairy.com VACHERINMONT D’OR A yielding, melty, luxurious seasonal cheese. Something very special for the cooler months. fromageriedumontdor. com MONTAGNOLOAFFINE An award-winning, soft triple creamblue cheese, with a rich, luscious texture. champignon.de SAINTE-MAURE- DE-TOURAINE Fresh and full- flavoured, this delicate French goats’ cheese has a thin, ash-coated rind. rodolphelemeunier.fr