Speciality Food Inspirational Cheese Retailers 2025

specialityfoodmagazine.com 37 howmuch cheese to buy’, or, ‘my daughter’s got a French boyfriend, what should I serve them?’, or they might be gluten free. We pride ourselves on being able to help solve their problems.” A world of cheese The counter split between British and continental cheeses at Gershon & Sons is about 60/40 - erring on the side of European varieties. “I’m a huge champion of British, and I really believe in supporting small producers and farms, but if you miss out continental cheeses, you’re losing out on sales,” Katherine says. “If people come to you and you don’t sell Gruyère, Comté and Taleggio, they’ll walk out and go to the supermarket!” She works as closely as possible with specialist suppliers, or direct with makers if she can. “When we opened, Ballylisk was winning awards. I called up Mark Wright, who makes the cheeses, and said, ‘I really like them, who can I buy from?’, and he said, ‘me’. Customers can’t get enough of it. It’s nice having something different you can’t buy in most British cheesemongers, let alone supermarkets.” Working with the seasons Consumers don’t often realise some cheeses are seasonal. This is something the team like to educate shoppers about BEST-SELLING CHEESES at Gershon & Sons. And it’s always wonderful to know there are certain varieties to look forward to at particular times of year. “In winter we might have more Beaufort and Raclette. In summer more Alp Blossom. Jumi have a cheese called Mountain Meadows with grasses and tiny blue Alpine flowers on the outside – that looks very pretty.” There’s something lovely about championing seasonal cheeses, Katherine adds. “It makes themmore special.” Though there are some concessions to her method - one being scooping Gorgonzola. “Two years ago I decided to stop selling it in October. I was like, ‘it’s a summer cheese’. But there was practically a riot in the shop!” That’s the other thing she finds interesting about being a cheesemonger. You really do have to listen to your regulars. “So, I’m on the fence about chilli cheese, but when you’ve got 10 customers asking for it, you need to stop saying ‘no’ and sending them back to the supermarket!” STILTON Multi award-winning hand-crafted cheese made usingmilk sourced within 1.5 miles of the dairy. colstonbassettdairy. co.uk BRIE DEMEAUX DONGÈ A renowned raw cow’s milk cheese with a rich, tangy, earthy flavour. intervalexport.com THETRIPLE ROSE Amulti award-winning triple cream cheese fromNorthern Ireland, made usingmilk from a single herd. ballyliskcheese.com IF PEOPLE COME TO YOU AND YOU DON’T SELL GRUYÈRE, COMTÉ AND TALEGGIO, THEY’LL WALK OUT AND GO TO THE SUPERMARKET