Speciality Food Magazine - April 2026

into tales of provenance and the cheeses’ makers, there is certain information it is vital to share. “There are some legal fundamentals with regards to allergens that are always clear for customers (don’t forget there’s oftenmore to cheese thanmilk!),” says Dan. “Over and above this we have signage displaying price, milk type, place of origin etc, rennet type and pasteurisation. And a succinct description of the cheese too, not everyonewants to have a chat about cheese (as much as we do!).” Keeping this information easily accessibleworks for Jen. “At the counterwe try tomake the essential information easy to understand at a glance. This usually includes the milk type (cow, goat or sheep), the style or texture of the cheese, the region or country of origin, and a brief indication of flavour strength or profile,” she says. “Beyond that,we also highlight whether a cheese is pasteurised andwhether it uses vegetarian rennet.We have a lot of vegetarian customers, so this information is particularly important for them.” Creating a ‘360 experience’ Cheese is undoubtedly a beautiful thing, somake the most of it – and include personalitywhere you can. “One of the joys of our counter in Jermyn Street is thatwe are able to have awide variety of cheeses available to seewhole and in all their glory. Itmeans we have the space to create big displays of things we are promoting,” says Dan. “We like to display staff At the counter Communication begins with connection. “It all starts with our cheesemongers on the counter – being able to talk about cheese and allowcustomers to taste cheese for themselves is at the heart of what we do,” begins Dan Bliss, retail manager at Paxton &Whitfield. Jen Grimstone-Jones ACS CCP, Academy of Cheese fellowand cheesemonger at Cheese Etc agrees. “The most important line of communication is the conversation that happens at the counter. It’s wherewe can ask questions, offer tastes, and guide people towards cheeses theymight enjoy based on their preferences orwhat they’re planning to serve. It’s a very personal interaction and oftenwhere customers feel most comfortable asking questions.” The fundamentals While it’s exciting – not tomention inspiring – to go all guns blazing recommendations, perfect pairings – oftenwith some of the chutney orwine open to try too, and blackboards with stories about our cheeses. “Wewill often feature limited edition cheeses, say seasonal cheeses or things that we have been experimentingwith in ourmaturing rooms and have videos andmarketing campaigns both online and in-store so thatwe have a 360 Paxtons experience.” “Sampling is a big part of this,” says Jen. “Tasting helps customers immediately understandwhat we’re describing, andwhen people can taste the cheesewhile hearing a little about its background and how it’s made, it creates amuch stronger connection.” “We use social media, 38 With events, we focus on creating an atmosphere that’s relaxed, welcoming and interactive. Tastings are structured so that people learn a bit about the cheeses, the producers and the styles, while still having plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share what they’re noticing. We try to keep the experience engaging rather than overly technical, encouraging people to think about flavour, texture and pairing ideas. If guests leave feeling like they’ve discovered something new and feel more confident exploring cheese on their own, then the event has done its job. EXPERT VIEW Jen Grimstone-Jones, Cheese Etc Tasting Events “We try to keep the experience engaging rather than overly technical” Cheese Communication 101 Sharing your cheese expertise can be trickier than you’d think – here’s how you can get the balance right for optimum customer service and sales Our knowledge is why people come to a shop like ours STAFF TRAINING IS A KEY PART OF THE PROCESS “All of our team go through rigorous training – they have all been on the Guild of Fine Food cheese retail course and most have done the Academy of Cheese Level 1 course. I then train them as well,” says Jess. “When we have a new team member they aren’t allowed to serve customers until they know all of our cheeses and the stories behind them. Our knowledge is why people come to a shop like ours rather than going to a supermarket.” MAKE IT WORK newsletters and ourwebsite to communicate more broadly, says Jen. “Ourwebsite has accurate, detailed descriptions of the cheeseswe sell, andwe also include tasting notes with each of our hampers. These platforms allowus to share stories about producers, highlight seasonal cheeses, and promote events or newarrivals. They help keep customers engaged and curious, but theywork best when they ultimately bring people back to the counterwhere the conversation can continue. CONTRIBUTORS DAN BLISS PAXTON & WHITFIELD JESSICA SUMMER MOUSE & GRAPE JEN GRIMSTONE- JONES CHEESE ETC