{"id":3263,"date":"2023-06-29T03:00:07","date_gmt":"2023-06-29T03:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/cheese-on-the-move-how-4-mobile-cheesemongers-bring-cheese-to-the-people\/"},"modified":"2023-06-29T03:00:07","modified_gmt":"2023-06-29T03:00:07","slug":"cheese-on-the-move-how-4-mobile-cheesemongers-bring-cheese-to-the-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/cheese-on-the-move-how-4-mobile-cheesemongers-bring-cheese-to-the-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheese on the Move: How 4 Mobile Cheesemongers Bring Cheese to the People"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Mobile<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Cheesemonger is the British word for a person who sells cheese, behind a counter. But cheesemongers aren\u2019t limited to the traditional retail setting. Instead of being stuck behind a counter, mobile cheesemongers bring their love of cheese to breweries, wineries, farmer\u2019s markets, industry events, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While a counter in a store may offer a wide selection of cheese, getting out from behind a counter allows cheesemongers to focus on a more curated selection, to be an educator and an ambassador for artisan cheese and to carve out their own unique role. We reached out to 4 mobile cheesemongers to learn more about the challenges and opportunities of going mobile.<\/p>\n

Merchant & Monger <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\"Emily

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Emily O’Conor photo courtesy of Merchant & Monger<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Emily O\u2019Conor got her start in cheese after she moved to Bordeaux, France. There she was welcomed by cheese people and it left an impression. When she and her husband Philip moved to Sonoma, California she got a job working in a cheese program at a local grocery store, eventually becoming the buyer, before stepping away to spend more time with her family.<\/p>\n

The O\u2019Conors decided to open up Merchant & Monger<\/a> in 2022 to provide local wineries with pop up cheese events. Philip is the wine merchant and Emily is the monger. \u201cWe were able to just show up there with our little case and dry goods,\u201d Emily O\u2019Conor of Merchant & Monger explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They also do cheese and wine pairings as well as charcuterie and cheese cones,\u00a0which \u201cfeature 2 kinds of cured meat, 2-3 types of cheese, nuts, and fruit,\u201d explained O\u2019Conor, that are rolled up into a cone. They are basically walking logos, O\u2019Conor said.\u00a0 In California, it\u2019s generally nice enough that people can go to towns and go from tasting room to tasting room. With these cones, \u201cthey can grab a little snack in between and then go on to their next tasting and not be too wasted,\u201d O\u2019Conor noted.<\/p>\n

Small is Beautiful <\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"Merchant<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

For O\u2019Conor, one of the big advantages of mobile cheesemonger is the flexibility. The O\u2019Conors are not tied to a storefront that has to be open seven or six days a week. It allows O\u2019Conor and her husband Philip O\u2019Conor to spend more time with their children.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Also, a big bonus is that they don\u2019t have to worry about moving merchandise before it goes bad. Cheese has a limited shelf-life, some cheeses more than others. Without a shop, Merchant & Monger can order smaller quantities every week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another benefit is the lower barrier to entry. \u201cRents are really expensive in this area,\u201d O\u2019Conor explained, \u201cdoing this brick and mortar shop, just seemed like a little too much.\u201d All Merchant & Monger needs is a little tabletop case, wine contacts, and the cheese itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Challenging Logistics <\/strong><\/h3>\n

However, that does not mean that mobile cheese mongering does not have its own challenges. \u201cWe\u2019re open on the weekends, and you don’t get your cheese delivered on the weekend; you get your cheese delivered, usually on Thursday. So [I had to try] to figure out a place where I could have my cheese delivered,\u201d O\u2019Conor said. Rules and regulations require that O\u2019Conor have a commissary kitchen to store and prepare the food. Sometimes O\u2019Conor finds herself running around picking up the cheese herself, which can take time and a lot of logistical planning.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, O\u2019Conor \u201clearned that there is potential for this kind of small business.\u201d She was surprised that chefs didn\u2019t work with distributors but realized that chefs may know a lot about food but there\u2019s so much in cheese, it can be daunting. \u201cThere’s room to be a kind of interpreter to help people find the right selection,\u201d said O\u2019Conor.<\/p>\n

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The Mobile Monger<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\"Janee\u2019

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Janee’ Muha photo courtesy of the Mobile Monger<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Seattle based Janee\u2019 Muha, The Mobile Monger<\/a>, has taken a different approach. Instead of wineries, Muha works her magic at industry events and in-store demonstrations of foods at grocery stores.<\/p>\n

She had gotten her start in cheese, working the cheese counter at Whole Foods. After competing in the Cheesemonger Invitational in 2016, she saw how big the cheese world was beyond what she knew from her time at Whole Foods<\/a>. \u201cIt just kind of really spurned me to think outside of the corporate structure,\u201d Muha explained.<\/p>\n

While she tried a \u201cmillion things\u201d since Whole Foods, including her own demonstration company before the pandemic. She benefited from all the connections she had in the cheese world and her time at Whole Foods: \u201cMy experience working at Whole Foods means that I know what a good demo person looks like; somebody who can actually engage the customers and actually sell the product.\u201d<\/p>\n

Being Nimble <\/strong><\/h3>\n

The pandemic obviously proved a challenge since no one was doing in-store demonstrations. She ended up expanding into industry events \u201crepresenting companies at industry events that they can’t make it to.\u201d Now demos are back on the menu and she\u2019ll help promote different cheeses in grocery stores again.<\/p>\n

Engaging with Customers\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h3>\n

One of the best parts of the job for Muha is getting to focus on the selling of cheese. She said, \u201cWhen I was working behind the counter at Whole Foods, I always felt like it was almost a waste of time, because I had this laundry list of things I needed to do.\u201d Now as a mobile cheesemonger, her job is to solely sell cheese. \u201cThere’s nothing else that I could or should be doing,\u201d Muha explained.<\/p>\n

However, there\u2019s uncertainty. A 40-hour week is not guaranteed and there is definitely seasonality to demos. \u201cThere are definitely seasons for demos like around the holidays, it gets really busy. But then January and February, you’re not seeing much business at all,\u201d Muha said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The Salty Cow<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\"Daniel

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Daniel Shaw courtesy of The Salty Cow<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Based in Gainesville, Florida, Daniel Shaw, aka the Cheese Man<\/a>, also found his way to cheese through working at Whole Foods. After several years, he left to start doing private dinners for people in their homes with cheese, beer and wine tastings. \u201cI made almost twice as much on my side gig as I did for my regular job,\u201d Shaw said and that made him think he could make it work as his main job.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When a friend called him up asking for information about buying and selling cheese at farmer\u2019s markets, it made Shaw realize that maybe he could make this full-time. He brought his skills to farmer\u2019s markets as well as breweries in the area and incorporated his business, The Salty Cow Llc<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The Agony and Ecstasy of Being Self Employed<\/h3>\n

Shaw said that the big advantage to his job is the community aspect. Shaw said, \u201cI feel more connected to a lot more people that do this kind of stuff than I ever did before.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

But he does appreciate having a team; he did start the business with a partner but now he\u2019s solo. That means having to figure a lot of things out on his own, such as accounting and processing.\u00a0 \u201cThere’s a lot to know that you wouldn’t even think to ask about and when you start doing it all for yourself, you have a very, very different appreciation for it all,\u201d Shaw said. Of course, there\u2019s the cost of gas driving to events but for Shaw, the benefits outweigh the risks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve worked in kitchens most of my life. Before that I did construction, so building things to suit my needs wasn’t that big of a deal. There’s an endless amount of work to do if you want to do it by yourself,\u201d Shaw noted.<\/p>\n

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New Curds on the Block <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\"Kate

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Kate Turini photo courtesy New Curds on the Block<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Based in Oakville, Connecticut, Kate Truini has made the leap from mobile cheese mongering to a brick and mortar cheese shop, New Curds on the Block.<\/a> Truini started in cheese working on farms and managing an off the grid artists residents program. She decided to focus on cheese, working at Greenwich Cheese Company<\/a>, and then moved on to Saxelby Cheesemongers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But the pandemic hit and interrupted her work at Saxelby. \u201cIt also kind of forced my hand into starting my own business,\u201d Truini explained. She knew she loved working with cheese and customers. So in 2020, she had the idea for a cheese tricycle since she didn\u2019t want the commitment of a brick and mortar. \u201cI want to be out and doing markets and pop up events and serving people in this kind of more transient capacity,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n

While the cheese tricycle did not come into being–thanks to all the hills in CT– she has a Honda CRV filled with coolers. \u201cI kind of stripped away down to the bare bare minimums; all I really need is myself and a table and some refrigeration,\u201d she explained. And then she began the farmer\u2019s market circuit as well as winery\/brewery tastings.<\/p>\n

Testing the Market <\/strong><\/h3>\n

One of the big advantages for Truini of mobile mongering was her ability to work in different markets. \u201cI cast a pretty wide net with where I did farmers markets and so I didn’t have to commit to one like demographic. I got to travel all over the state and figure out where it might be a good place for me to invest my time, longer term,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plus farmer\u2019s markets are a great hub for information. She got to know her fellow farmer market business owners who shared their knowledge and provided community. Now her Rolodex is filled with pickle makers, jammers, and more cheesemakers.<\/p>\n

Staying Local <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Since Truini traveled all over the state and region, she decided to focus on sourcing her cheese as close to the area as possible. \u201cI get it right from the cheesemakers,\u201d Truini said, \u201cI get to have a relationship with all the people that I source from.\u201d And that means selling what the cheesemakers have available, given seasonality and aging of cheeses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A Steppingstone to Brick and Mortar <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Driving all over the state to collect cheese and go to markets was exhausting. \u201cI knew that the mobile model wasn’t going to be forever, but I didn’t know what it was going to look like on the other side. I think the seasonal burnout is pretty significant,\u201d she said. She also had to keep moving the product, especially since so much of it was fresh, and needed a place to keep it.<\/p>\n

She and her partner Zach, a fishmonger, were looking for a commercial kitchen to be able to store the cheese and other perishable foods. Eventually they came across a space that had commercial kitchen capability and a small storefront.<\/p>\n

Previously, if customers asked where they could find her, there wasn\u2019t an easy way beyond social media to track her. Now Truini can point them to their new shop. Plus, they can be open year-round, instead of just during the farmer\u2019s market season, which is very weather dependent.<\/p>\n

But owning a shop is completely different from mobile mongering. \u201cI would describe mobile mongering as almost like, you’re in this like fight or flight mode. My brain is always like, I have to buy it and sell it. Don’t sit on any inventory,\u201d Truini said. \u201cHaving a shop now\u2026 the product moves at a much different pace.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mobile cheese mongering really helped Truini cut down the business to the essentials. She focused on selling the cheese without making a big investment. But for her, she was laying the fundamentals of her business so when she did open her shop, she had two years of customers to bring to it. Ultimately, Truini said, \u201cif you do have the tenacity to bootstrap it, it can be really worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flexibility and Focus<\/strong> <\/h3>\n

Flexibility and focus are some of the biggest benefits to mobile cheesemongering. The O\u2019Conors can run their business while spending time with their family; Muha can focus on just selling cheese instead of all the other logistics of running a cheese counter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Of course, mobile mongering comes with its disadvantages. Finding a commissary kitchen is key to be in compliance with state laws as well as having to drive around to source cheese or go from location to location. Weather plays a role for outdoor events; whereas cheese events may not be a steady 9-5 so there may be more downtime and a need to hustle business in a different way. Plus all the logistics behind paperwork, taxes, etc. are all on your shoulders.<\/p>\n

But these cheesemongers are showing that mobile mongering can be a great opportunity for the long term or as a short term transitional move.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cheesemonger is the British word for a person who sells cheese, behind a counter. But cheesemongers aren\u2019t limited to the traditional retail setting. Instead of being stuck behind a counter, mobile cheesemongers bring their love of cheese to breweries, wineries, farmer\u2019s markets, industry events, and more.\u00a0 While a counter in a store may offer a … Okumaya devam et “Cheese on the Move: How 4 Mobile Cheesemongers Bring Cheese to the People”<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1271,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[395],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-milk-and-diary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1271"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3263\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}