1. Rotate your cheeses properly to ensure they are sold in a timely manner. Don't over-order in certain categories, and be careful when putting out several cheeses of the same style so that they don't compete with each other in the case and prolong the time they spend on display in plastic wrap. Use a Date Log to keep track of when wheels were first opened, and how long they've spent in the case, and a Push/Pin list can help your mongers know which cheeses to focus on to move them more quickly if they've been in the case a bit too long. Use your weekly case cleaning as an opportunity to reset the display and move cheeses to the front that you need to sell more quickly.
2. Consider wrapping larger display pieces or back stock in Formaticum cheese paper instead of plastic wrap. Plastic wrap will suffocate the cheese and impart off flavors, and the longer it stays in contact with the cheese, the more intense the effects will be. Our One-Ply Roll is perfect for wrapping half and quarter wheels, and is also available in 20" so that you can store even your largest pieces, like 1/8th and even quarter wheels of Gruyère and Comté.
3. Cheese should be faced and rewrapped daily. Remember, customers eat with their eyes first! Any visible mold on the face of the cheese may deter your customer from ordering. Cheesemongers and microbiologists agree - when it comes to surface mold on harder cheeses, it is both safe and recommended to gently scrape the surface to clean the mold, or cut off a bit of the affected side before rewrapping or cutting for a customer. Plus, wrapping cheese in Formaticum cheese paper will slow surface mold growth and help preserve the cheese longer than plastic wrap.
4. Different cheeses require different types of wrapping materials! Bloomy-rinds and geotrichum rinds require more oxygen to thrive, making our plant-based and plastic-free Cellophane an ideal material to keep them happy in a full serve or grab and go case. One-Ply and Two-Ply sheets are versatile and great for all cheese styles, while fresh and blue cheeses are best kept in sturdier materials like Reusable Wrap, Super Wax, and Brown Alios, which are greaseproof and will prevent leakage.
5. Provide the best possible experience for your customers by wrapping their cheese in Formaticum paper. This will help to preserve the flavor they loved at the counter and keep the cheese fresh in their fridge for as long as possible. Consider offering retail products like Classic or Reusable Cheese Storage Bags so that your customers can have professional-quality cheese storage in their own homes!
The proof is in the paper. Honor the cheesemakers, save your cheese - with Formaticum cheese storage solutions. Order products for next business day shipping at wholesale.formaticum.com and email wholesale@formaticum.com with any questions.
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Here at Formaticum, we understand your needs because we have been in your shoes. The Formaticum team has a combined 20+ years of experience working in the cheese industry as mongers, buyers, caterers, importers, and more. We are problem solvers, and we are dedicated to ensuring complete satisfaction with our products and services.
Plus, it's never too early to start preparing for Q4! The current lead time for custom printed product is 12-14 weeks, so now is the time to start the conversation to ensure you have product in-house for the holidays.
So what are the benefits of custom branded cheese paper?
1. Reinforce your brand. Your customers will remember you after they leave your store and be reminded of you every time they open their fridge.
2. Introduce your brand to new customers. When your customers share their cheese with friends or give cheese as a gift, they are spreading the word about your business and services. It's a built-in business card!
3. Elevate your presentation. Share professional-quality cheese storage with your customers by providing them with sleek European packaging that keeps their cheese tasting fresher, longer. Watch our wrapping tutorials to elevate your techniques and service!
4. Include a variety of information. We can print logos, graphics, maps, text, and even QR codes onto custom branded cheese paper and bags.
5. Expand your reach with other customizable products. We can print your logo on almost any item in our catalog, including retail Cheese Storage Bags & Sheets, Cheese Signs, Professional Cheese Knives, and Cheese Log Books.
6. Maximize the minimum. Our custom-branded products have minimum order quantities, but you can customize your pack-offs by splitting the MOQ between bulk product, retail packaging, and more to help you move product in the best way for your business.
Why work with Formaticum?
Simply put, we handle all the details so that you can focus on the cheese.
Honor the cheesemakers - save your cheese with Formaticum professional cheese storage products.
Email wholesale@formaticum.com with custom branding inquiries.
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Women are and always have been inherently connected to cheese. Cheesemaking was traditionally a woman's task, as evidenced by written record as well as historic recipes - for example, some of the earliest cheddar-style recipes were very forgiving and included a long, slow acidification to allow for the cheesemaker to accomplish other tasks during the day. Many families owned a few cows and women were responsible for milking them and turning that bit of milk into cheese, the ultimate value-added product. The blueprint for many homes and creameries included a make room that was connected to the kitchen so that the cheesemaker could keep an eye on the vat while working on other things. The invention of Camembert is credited to Marie Harel, and the artisan cheese renaissance in the United States would not have been possible without the Goat Ladies of the 80s, a group of goat farmers who began making French-inspired chèvre and changed the landscape of the American cheese scene forever. Today, women all over the world and from diverse backgrounds work hard to both uphold this legacy and create their own - from cheesemakers to affineurs, educators to importers, farmers to buyers, women continue to be integral to the cheese industry, now more than ever.
In honor of International Women's Day, the March edition of Meet Your Monger highlights not one, but four women in cheese who we believe deserve recognition for their hard work and contributions to the cheese industry. We spoke with them about their career paths, their advice for cheese consumers, and why they all chose Formaticum products for their business and personal use.
Mary Casella is a New York-based cheesemonger and educator and has been working in cheese for 9 years. She is a manager of the Central Market at Tin Building in Manhattan and has worked hard to shape and refine the cheese and charcuterie selection. In 2021 Mary was the inaugural recipient of the Daphne Zepos Research Award and she continues to champion and highlight the work and impact of women in the industry,
Agela Abdullah is a seasoned cheese educator who has worked with cheesemakers around the country over her 15+ years in the industry. After attending culinary school, she discovered her passion for cheese and today is the President of the Cheese Culture Coalition, a nonprofit organization that aims to promote equity and inclusion within the cheese industry by empowering BIPOC communities through education.
Vanessa Tilaka is the co-owner and Head Cheesemonger at Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery in LA, a full-service cheese shop, restaurant, and event space. Vanessa has worked in the restaurant and specialty food industry for more than 15 years and teaches classes, as well as curates a selection of cheese and other items that rotates frequently and features as many local makers as possible, focusing on products made with integrity by small producers, women, and BIPOC makers.
Amye Gulezian is currently the Specialty Foods Operations Manager at High Lawn Farm in Lee, Massachusetts, a family-owned dairy farm in the Berkshires that milks 100% Jersey cows and was started by a woman named Marjorie Wilde. Amye studied heritage breed and dairy management in France, made raw milk cheese in Indiana, and was a cheesemonger in LA before settling at High Lawn Farm. Amye's main role is to help develop value added products like cheese, butter, and ice cream, with a focus on product quality and consistency as well as relationships with customers and vendors.
What inspired you to pursue a career in cheese?
VT: I always enjoyed eating cheese but didn't really understand differences and little nuances until I started exploring the creameries of Northern California and taking cheese classes at The Cheese School of San Francisco. I became enamored with learning more about it and finding out why they're all so different but similar. I decided I wanted to move from cooking to working in cheese shops and couldn't be happier.
MC: Like a lot of people, I just stumbled upon it when I started to pursue a career in food. It didn't take me long to fall in love with mongering. I've always loved learning history through culture and my degree is in art history and photography and I feel like it all just came together. What's cheese if not history and artistry? I also love being able to share my joy of food with others and help people find their own relationship with cheese.
AA: I was a cook in Virginia when I first had my Eureka! cheese moment with a wedge of Humboldt Fog. Each kitchen I worked in from then on I made sure I was somehow involved with cheese. In 2008 I took a break from cooking and got a part-time job behind the counter at the now-closed Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread, & Wine. Next thing I know, it’s going on 16 years and I’m still passionate about the industry
Overall, I think cheese is such a fascinating food. From it originally being a food of peasants as a way to preserve all the nutrients of milk. Every culture has their own types of cheeses that were 'developed' to be most ideal for their climate, animals, and population. I think that should remain the core of everything we do. Cheese is endless and is for everyone.
How do you use Formaticum products in your business or at home?
VT: We definitely love that Formaticum offers sustainable options for wrapping cheeses, we use Formaticum Zero to wrap cheeses for take-home. We sell Cheese Storage Bags in the shop for ease so guests feel confident in keeping their cheeses fresh without having to fold origami.
MC: I’ve used Formaticum cheese paper almost everywhere I’ve worked. The different sizes and styles make it easy to get a nice clean wrap and you know that when you send someone home with their cheese it’s going to stay in the best shape it can. At Tin Building we use the White Two-Ply for our cuts, both hard and soft cheeses. We use the Perforated Cellophane for our small formats, which allows them to breathe without drying out, and makes it easy to just hand them off to our customers.
AA: I’m always trying new cheese, or buying my favorites so my fridge can get pretty full and disorganized if I’m not careful. Formaticum helps keep my cheese in optimum condition, and helps me keep track of what I’ve got in the drawer, and when I bought it.
AG: At High Lawn Farm we use the Formaticum Cellophane Sheets in our shop for wrapping instead of plastic wrap. This helps to keep the cheese so much fresher and still visible to our customers. The fact that the clear storage sheets are 100% biodegradable means a lot to our farm as we are always trying to find the best and most environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging for our products. Seeing how this industry uses so much single-use plastic, it is important to us to be mindful and to do our part to reduce environmentally harmful waste. Also, I also love bringing the Cheese Storage Bags to demos so I can send guests home with little bags of their favorite goodies.
What is your favorite Formaticum product and why?
VT: White Formaticum Zero. It's clean looking, user friendly, and good for the environment!
MC: I really like the Reusable Cheese Storage Bags. They're easy to use, and honestly at home sometimes I just can’t be bothered with wrapping! Plus, they’re great for storing veggies and other items too…
AA: I love the Reusable Cheese Storage Bags. I always have a huge wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano in the fridge and the bags are the best way to keep the cheese fresh. The bags don’t tear either, which is great when you’ve got sharp rinds on aged cheeses.
AG: I love the Cheese Storage Bags, for business and personal use. All the cheese I keep in my fridge goes into those and it for sure helps to keep the cheese tasting fresh and lasting so much longer. It is amazing how much longer you can preserve the cheese's quality when you use the right packaging materials at home. Also, I love the Cheese Logs! I like giving them away as gifts to friends or people who are just getting started in exploring cheese. I have one handy whenever I taste a new cheese that I am excited about and don’t want to forget as well as using them during R&D when we are working on recipes or goals for High Lawn Farm cheeses.
If you were a cheese, which one would you be and why?
VT: Brabander Gouda from L'Amuse. It's fun, complex, nutty, and creamy... kinda like me!
MC: I was going to go vague and say any young pecorino – I go hard for anything sheep. The more I thought about it though, Marzolino felt right. My close friends happen to call me Marz (completely unrelated to cheese) and I like to think I’m understated and a little sheepy and sheepish. Marzolino embodies a lot of what I love about cheese too: formerly seasonal, practical and durable, it has that lovely natural shape, and can be enjoyed at any meal of the day. I think cheeses with a nuanced profile make the perfect table cheese. Also hey, coincidentally it's March!
AA: I have always had a special place in my heart for goats and goat milk cheeses so today I’ll say that I’m Monte Enebro. The rind tricks you into thinking you’re getting one kind of cheese, maybe a blue. You’re not quite sure. But when you cut into it it’s not at all what you expect. There are layers of flavor going on from the center to the rind, and like me, it changes and develops as it ages.
AG: Armenian String Cheese- Not only does this cheese remind me of my childhood, it's also just so fun! All beautifully twisted up with bursts of oniony flavor from the nigella seeds, and yet so simple. It's versatile, great in quesadillas/ broiled over toast, or just simply stringed up as a snack or on a board. If you have not tasted it, you are missing out. Simple, fun, familiar, and always there when you just need a little something. - This cheese was a huge part of my childhood before I really got into cheese and I was unable to find it for such a long time. I am now seeing it around more, and I hope she never disappears on me again! I reunited with this cheese at the perfect time in my life, right when I needed it.
What is one thing you wish consumers knew about artisan cheese?
VT: Good cheese is not cheap. Quality ingredients and the art of making really good cheese comes at a cost, and their expertise should not be discounted.
MC: I wish that when people get price shock they understood what goes into cheese making. Dairy farming and cheese making is incredibly hard work– there's no day off. Behind every artisanal cheese is somebody's love and dedication for what they do and the animals and land they work with. It’s not expensive because it’s “fancy”; it's a reflection of the skill, care, and precision with which it's made.
AA: At the Cheese Culture Coalition we say that “Cheese is for Everyone.” I truly believe that. There’s this idea that artisan cheese is out of the average shoppers’ reach, but that’s not true. If you like the 6-8 oz bars of cheddar that you see at the store, try something that’s aged a bit longer. The next time you want some cheddar go try clothbound cheddar. Exploring the artisan cheese world is fun, and isn’t an all or nothing adventure. As my friend and future cheese shop owner Natalie says “All Cheeses Are Beautiful”
AG: IT IS SO MUCH WORK - I wish people knew how much goes into making cheese. From raising the animals, feeding and caring for them - farming is 365 days a year commitment and is extremely hard work. During the vat production, it is hot and humid and long labor intensive back breaking days. There's so much bending, lifting and long weird hours. A cheesemaker’s life is dictated by pH and what the cheese needs. Then there's the days, weeks, or even years of affinage. Washing, flipping, brushing, adjusting, and spending time in cool dark spaces for many many many hours is not for the weak minded. Finally, delivering the cheese to the care of a store and a monger. The mongers we work with are so dedicated, passionate and educated. We really love working with them to translate all the hard work of the farm and production to the customers.
I think consumers and some mongers may not realize how many variables there are in all these steps, how much opportunity there is for things to go wrong and how it is almost a miracle when you can make the same cheese consistently well.. Especially with so many variables that you may not realize were a problem until months later. Cheesemakers are some crazy dedicated people who really invest so much into producing an incredibly diverse food and I hope they continue to get the recognition and support they deserve.
Lastly, makers really rely on mongers to represent them. I always try to encourage mongers to think about all the hours and hard work that went into making a particular cheese. As much as they need to sell the cheese, they also need to be mindful of what the cheesemaker would think if they walked into the shop and saw their cheese at that counter. Is it what the cheesemaker intended? Also, ask questions! Ask your monger, ask your maker, and ask your farmer. There can be a real disconnect, but with social media as well as just within the artisan cheese community, we have more access than ever before to connect with the producers and I think we should really be leaning into that. ‘Why is this batch softer or harder? What impacts these changes? How can we work together to move a batch we may not be 100% proud of?’ These are all great questions to ask.
What is your favorite cheese storage fact?
VT: Cheese is alive and needs to breathe! Also, don't buy more cheese than you can consume in 2 days.
AG: Cheese is alive and there is no one best practice for all of them. It's all about looking at and observing what the cheese needs whether it be with home storage, at the counter, in the vat or in the caves. Cheese can last much longer than you may think. Use all your senses, and your best judgment. Some cheeses last well beyond their ‘best by date’, so don’t just throw it out. Also, people always laugh, but think about what else is in your fridge. Cheese has so much fat in it and fat absorbs flavor. If not stored or wrapped properly, cheese will absorb other flavors in your fridge, or from its packaging. I can always taste when cheese has been packed in plastic or vacuum sealed for too long. It makes me sad to taste a piece of cheese that tastes like plastic after all the hard work that went into making it. So the correct packaging is so important to preserve the integrity and flavor of our deliciously decadent dairy foods.
To nominate a shop or monger for the Meet Your Monger series, email emilia@formaticum.com.
]]>Right after New Year's Day, we got to work tackling the age-old question: how long will my cheese last in the fridge? Read this post and watch our short video below to learn more about how to rotate and store your cheese selection to preserve the flavor of your cheese. Moving cheese in a timely manner can promote repeat business and shows respect for the work of cheesemakers.
We wanted to keep the cozy vibes going even after the holidays, so we hosted a Raclette night to provide you with tried and true serving and pairing suggestions for everyone's favorite hot, melty cheese. Read this post to learn more about the history of this iconic cheese and how to maximize your Raclette sales by offering a varied and comprehensive selection in your case.
Wires and hollow knives and offset blades, oh my! The choices for cheese tools can seem endless, but we're here to guide you. Read this post to learn how to perfectly pair different knives and tools with different styles of cheese, and why it's important to carry a sense of pride in your work through every sales interaction. The below video includes tutorials on how to use each of our knives and other cheese tools to get the perfect cut, every time!
You "cheddar" believe we finished the month out with an in-depth discussion about one of America's favorite cheeses. With the variety of cheddars available on the market being almost as vast as the number of cows who produce the milk to make them, it's important to work with your customers to select the cheese that is right for their needs. In this blog post, we discuss how to talk to your customers about cheddar in a way that forms a connection between them, their monger, and their cheese, and hopefully will have them coming back to give you more of the cheddar in their wallet.
Thanks for joining us this month! Check back in February for more service tips, cheese history, wrapping tutorials, and so much more. And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube.
If you have any questions or want to suggest a topic for us to cover in the future, please email emilia@formaticum.com.
]]>So if it isn't the place of origin, then what makes cheddar, cheddar? The answer is partly in the process - appropriately called "cheddaring". During cheddaring, the curds are cut into slabs and continuously stacked on top of each other on the sides of the vat. This encourages whey expulsion, which also results in the signature texture of many cheddars - crumbly, slightly granular, with visible curds.
Knowing the vast number of cheddars on the market these days, we have to make sure that the way we talk to our customers about cheddar is specific and informative, but not overwhelming to them. We need to make sure that we are providing them with a cheddar that meets their needs and expectations, understanding that they may not have the breadth of cheddar knowledge that we do.
With the flavor profiles of cheddar being as vast as the number of producers, it's always a good idea to start by asking your customer what kind of flavor they are hoping for. You can start with more general questions and use more specific tasting notes to help narrow down the options - Savory or sweet? Grassy or mild? Oniony or nutty? More creamy or more crumbly? Is it for snacking or is it for a recipe? If you have an understanding of the different cheddar offerings at your counter, you can be an effective guide for your customer and help them select the right one for their specific needs. In the process, you are also helping your customer develop their palate and learn more about their tastes and preferences! Taking the extra few minutes to work with your customer in this way creates a connection between you, the customer, and the cheeses and will likely have them coming back to the counter again for more cheese and conversation.
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The January edition of Meet Your Monger spotlights Alena Douglas, the Cheese & Specialty Food Director at Provisions Wine in MA. Growing up in a multicultural household helped nurture Alena's passion for specialty food, which has carried her through more than 8 years in the cheese industry! Alena uses her passion and extensive cheese knowledge to create a truly impressive cut-to-order cheese & charcuterie program across Provisions' 3 locations, including teaching their cheese pairing classes and events. Along with being a stellar ambassador of Formaticum products, Alena is also a Cheesemonger Invitational finalist, making her one of the country's best cheesemongers! Keep reading to learn more about why Alena loves Formaticum products for her counters.
Follow Provisions Wine on Instagram @provisionswine and Formaticum on Instagram and TikTok @formaticum, and stop by one of their 3 locations if you find yourself in Massachusetts!
To nominate a shop or monger for the Meet Your Monger series, email emilia@formaticum.com.
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But the interaction doesn't end when the customer leaves the shop - they will continue to be reminded of you and your business when they unwrap and serve the cheese. Make sure that their experience continues to be positive by providing them with a neatly and attractively cut and packaged piece of cheese - and that all starts with choosing the right tool for the job! No matter what kind of cheese you're cutting, there's a Formaticum tool for that. Cutting cheese well is an art form, and there are nuances to this skill that we are happy to share with you to help improve your level of service.
For soft cheeses like Brie, Taleggio, or Robiola, we recommend the Professional Soft Cheese Knife. The hollow blade will prevent the paste from sticking to the knife, resulting in a cleaner cut.
For softer, more delicate cheeses like triple creams, fresh goat cheese logs, and aged chevres, we recommend using our Wire Cutter, which will glide through the paste neatly and quickly, without disturbing the delicate rind of these cheeses.
For semi-hard and hard cheeses like Manchego, younger Goudas, Gruyere, and cheddar, we recommend our Professional Cheese Knife. The thick blade is long enough for you to have good control that results in a sharp, straight cut.
Blue cheeses are sometimes difficult to cut due to their texture. Our Professional Blue Cheese Knife has a thin, offset blade that is perfect for neatly cutting blue cheese, without needing to pick the cheese up like you would to use the Wire Cutter.
More aged cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano, extra-aged Gouda, and Mimolette can be tough to get through with just a knife. For these cheeses, we recommend using a set of good parm tools, or a box wire for safety and accuracy.
Once you've cut the perfect piece of cheese, carry that same energy through to the end of the interaction by taking the time to wrap the piece of cheese in a neat, attractive way. Take the extra few seconds to make sharp, tight folds, and tuck in any pieces that are sticking out. Attach the sticker or scale tag to one of the faces of the cheese, without folding it over a corner, if possible. Not only is this better for keeping the cheese healthy, but you'll feel a sense of pride in your work that your customer will thank you for, too.
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So, how do you decide which Raclette(s) to carry when there are so many different and delicious options on the market these days? In order to please everyone (or at least try to), we recommend offering a minimum of 3 varieties during peak Raclette months (October through March):
- Swiss Raclette (we recommend Raclette du Valais AOP)
- French Raclette
- Domestic Raclette (we recommend Reading Raclette from VT or Alpinage Raclette from WI)
- Flavor-added Raclette (popular flavors include smoked, truffle, peppercorn, chili, and herb)
We recommend selecting 2 classic Raclettes from the above categories, and at least 1 flavored Raclette, making sure that you offer at least 1 pasteurized option for those who need it. Everyone should be able to enjoy this hot, melty treat!
If and when your customer asks how much cheese they should order, we recommend accounting for 1/2lb per adult as a main course, or 1/4lb per adult as an appetizer.
If you want to go the extra mile for your customers, you can offer to slice their Raclette for them. Getting those thin, even slices can be difficult and offering this added service is a great way to build rapport and trust with your customers, and keep them coming back for more.
Don't forget to wrap their Raclette in Formaticum cheese paper to keep that beautiful flavor fresh - ensure that your customers are able to experience the full flavor of those lush Alpine pastures, as the cheesemakers intended.
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1. Sell the entire wheel in a timely manner, as quickly as possible. Soft cheeses like bloomy or washed rinds have a much shorter shelf life after being cut than an aged cheese like Gouda or clothbound Cheddar. Use a Push/Pin list to keep everyone on the team aware of which cheeses need to be sold more quickly than others to ensure the best quality and experience for customers. Keeping your rotation in motion helps you make sure the cheese is always fresh, and that there is always something new to catch your customers' attention!
2. Face your cheese regularly. Customers eat with their eyes first, so make sure there is no visible mold on your display pieces of cheese. Gently scraping the face of the cheese will remove any mold as well as any "off" flavors caused by plastic wrap or oxidation. The better the flavor, the more likely the customer is to come back and buy more!
3. Use proper packaging that keeps your cheese healthy! Formaticum bulk paper is a great way to store backstock that may not be sold for a few weeks - our paper will allow the cheese to breathe and retain humidity, meaning it will not suffocate in plastic wrap, or dry out. Formaticum Cellophane is a plastic-free alternative to plastic wrap that allows extra oxygen exchange and prevents moisture buildup, making it perfect for those delicate geotrichum-rinded and bloomy rind cheeses that need a little bit of extra care to keep the rinds healthy and thriving.
At Formaticum, we know how passionate you are about cheese and how much work it takes to run a shop or a counter. Let us help you by helping to take care of your cheese with products that are specially designed for just that. Good cheese is expensive - protect your investment! Making a small change like using professional cheese paper can turn into big changes in the future by creating repeat business from customers who consistently receive cheese in peak condition.
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VARIETY: Choose a cheese lineup that encompasses multiple styles, ages, and milk types. Triple cream cheeses are a classic NYE pairing with bubbles like Champagne and Prosecco, while Alpine cheeses like Gruyere and Beaufort are iconic seasonal cheeses that will transport your customers to the high altitude chalets of the Swiss mountaintops. Aged chèvre is always a hit, and don't forget the farmhouse Manchego or crystalline goat Gouda!
ACCESSIBILITY: Make sure each cheese is cut into relatively bite-sized pieces that are easy to grab and go, making the board more approachable for guests. Soft cheeses don't always need to be portioned, but you should provide a knife or spreader of some kind. Check out our Catering Cut Guide video for more information and examples!
PRESENTATION: It's essential to make sure everything on the board is edible. Use lots of color and a variety of seasonally appropriate pairings, including dried or fresh fruit, candied or raw nuts, crackers or bread, jams or honey, sliced charcuterie or pate, or any other products you know your customers will love. Garnish with fresh herbs, or edible or dried flowers.
IDENTIFICATION: Using Formaticum Cheese Signs to label everything on the platter will help your guests identify what they're eating and make it easier to navigate the platter. (Pro tip: we can customize these signs with your logo and products, so you can save your hand from cramping and your Sharpie from running out of ink.)
Happy New Year, and here's to us all eating more cheese in 2024!
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Doing both active and passive sampling will increase your chances of making the sale.
Active sampling is when you offer to cut a sample during a direct interaction with a customer. Here are some tips for active sampling:
1. Never sample off the tip of a knife for safety reasons.
2. Always face (gently scrape) the cheese before cutting a sample to ensure that the customer is getting an accurate representation of the flavor, rather than the taste of plastic wrap. Similarly, always cut a piece for sale from the same side you sampled from.
3. Include the rind of the cheese when necessary so that your customer can experience the nuances of the cheese's flavor as the cheesemaker and affixer intended. This is a great opportunity to talk to your customer about which rinds are edible and encourage them to try a rind they may have been hesitant about.
4. Make cuts that respect the integrity of the cheese and that won't impact the overall appearance of your working piece.
5. If you are cutting a sample for one customer, offer samples to other customers who are waiting so that they feel included, as they might want a piece of what you are already cutting. This streamlines your work and keeps your customers in good spirits.
6. Create a "Push/Pin List" - focus on suggesting cheeses you want to push and sell more of, and also cheeses that you have a small amount left of and want to finish by the end of the day (so that you can put the "pin" away from the sign). This is a great way to promote certain cheeses and increase sales.
Passive sampling is leaving composed samples on top of the counter for customers to try when they walk by or are waiting to order. This is a great opportunity for impulse buys that will raise your basket average. Here are some tips for passive sampling:
1. Leave small cut and wrapped pieces of the sample cheese on top of the counter near the samples to make it easy for customers to to grab and go if they like the cheese without having to stand in line.
2. Include a cross-merchandised display of suggested pairings like jam, honey, nuts, or crackers. This not only enhances the sample but can also increase sales of these complementary products.
Use these sampling tips to help increase your sales this holiday season and make your customers' cheese shopping a fun and interactive experience!
]]>We offer a variety of different materials to properly care for all types of cheese, from blue cheese to the most delicate of bloomy rinds. Check out our video below where we show you different techniques for wrapping different shapes of cheese in our cheese paper. We will also introduce you to our best-selling retail Cheese Storage Bags, so that you can provide your customers with the opportunity to have professional-quality cheese storage at home in a user-friendly bag format.
Tips for wrapping cheese in paper:
1. Don't rush. We know the holidays can be busy and stressful, but taking the extra few seconds to wrap slowly and neatly and present them with an attractive piece will impress your customer.
2. Choose the right size paper for your piece of cheese, and cut paper in half for smaller pieces instead of bunching it up under the sticker.
3. Make sure your folds are tight and angles are sharp. This will help you avoid unsightly creasing and wrapping your cheese tightly improves the performance of the paper.
4. Always place your sticker or scale tag on a flat surface, and avoid putting the barcode on an angle.
Wrapping cheese beautiful and effectively is a great way to honor the work of farmers, cheesemakers, affineurs, and everyone in between. Show us your wrap skills by posting a video and tagging us @formaticum on Instagram and TikTok and we will share your video!
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Unlike plastic wrap, which suffocates your cheese by trapping moisture and allowing excess mold growth, Formaticum cheese paper allows your cheese to breathe while maintaining the right humidity levels to prevent your cheese from drying out. Our Classic Sheets & Rolls are a layer of waxed paper laminated to a thin sheet of food-grade polyethylene, while our Zero sheets offer the same performance without any plastic, and our new Reusable Sheets can be washed and air-dried many times over.
The biggest advantage of using Formaticum cheese paper is that it can significantly extend the shelf life of your cheese, ensuring that your customers receive the highest quality product possible. Cheese is a living product, and plastic wrap can leach harmful chemicals into the cheese over time, as well as affect the flavor. Formaticum cheese paper does not contain any harmful chemicals and will not affect the flavor of your cheese.
We also offer our best-selling cheese storage products in retail format Cheese Bags & Sheets so that you can provide your customers with the opportunity to have professional-quality cheese storage at home. This not only helps to build customer loyalty but can help raise basket averages as well, especially during gifting season!
If you are looking for another way to honor the work of farmers, cheesemakers, affineurs, and everyone in between, consider making the switch to Formaticum cheese storage products. Your cheese (and your customers) will thank you!
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What inspired you to become a cheesemonger and open your own business?
Cheese found me unexpectedly back in 2014 when I was living in Manhattan. Fresh out of college with a degree in writing and ambitions of becoming a pop culture/celebrity gossip/music journalist, I landed an internship at The Source, a hip hop magazine. Ends weren't really meeting, so I decided to pick up a second job and noticed a Murray's Cheese counter nearby. Somehow I landed a gig there as a cheesemonger, and quickly found myself head over heels for the Cheese Industry, and the rest is herstory!
The November edition of Meet Your Monger highlights some newcomers to the cheese industry, but undoubtedly seasoned turophiles - David Conison, Rebecca Moyer and Brian Sutton of Sullivan Sundries, a general store and specialty shop that opened earlier this year in Jeffersonville, New York. Like many, the originally NYC-based trio settled upstate during the pandemic, and the idea for the shop was formed around one central goal: to bring the highest quality artisan cheese and other products to the people of the Catskills. After conquering some significant sourcing obstacles that are unfortunately all too common in rural areas, David, Rebecca, and Brian hand-selected every product in the shop, and you can find them all behind the cheese counter daily cutting, slicing, and wrapping like pros. In collaboration with Bloom Coffee, R52Home, and Slug Wines, which share the space with Sullivan Sundries, their storefront is a impeccably curated specialty food paradise - from award-winning cheeses, to small-batch local condiments, to unique international snacks, and the best French butter you'll ever taste (that became so popular at the shop that it got its own merch drop), Sullivan Sundries has something for everyone. And they've been championing Formaticum products from the beginning - read our interview below to learn why David, Becca, and Brian chose Formaticum custom cheese paper to set their branding apart and provide their customers with the highest quality storage products to preserve the flavor of their precious cheese and charcuterie.
What inspired you to open your own cheese shop?
David: I grew up mostly in a small, provincial midwest town with not a lot going on (especially when it came to food). When a small cheese and wine shop opened during high school, I tasted artisanal cheese for the first time, and it launched a lifelong obsession with delicious things. When Becca, Brian, and I decided to open a specialty food shop in Jeffersonville 20 years after I first tasted Humboldt Fog and aged Gouda, we knew that cheese had to be the center of everything we did. If you’re into eating, cooking, or even just partying like we are (in a civilized-ish way of course), then becoming obsessed with cheese is pretty easy to do.
Becca: Ever since I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Paris, I learned there’s no wrong time of day to eat cheese, and that cheese in itself can be a meal! And also, smelly cheeses are absolutely delicious. Fast forward many years when we relocated during the pandemic to the Western Catskills, we found ourselves in a ‘right-to-farm’ community that is abundant in fresh trout, produce, dairy, fruits, meats and poultry. Complimenting the area with the world’s best international cheeses just made sense to us, so we went for it.
Brian: Growing up I was an insanely picky eater and cheese was one of the only things in the food world that I was interested in. My love for cheese and desire to try every cheese that I came across pushed me to become a more adventurous eater all around. When we made the permanent move to Sullivan County, one of the things that I missed most about living in NYC and traveling the world on a regular basis was the access that we had to many of the cheeses that inspired my obsession with food.
How do you use Formaticum products at your counter?
David: We proudly use Formaticum-branded papers at our counter; every cheese and meat we sell comes wrapped (to varying degrees of competence) in a Formaticum product.
Becca: We printed our logo across multiple Formaticum cheese papers – its a cute personal touch that codifies our brand but also does a great job ensuring the longevity of meats, cheeses and butter for our customers.
Brian: We slice meats to order on our hand-cranked Berkel flywheel slicer, and its an extra special touch to be able to send customers home with their charcuterie wrapped in the Formaticum Brown Alios paper.
What is your favorite Formaticum product and why?
David: Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags (which we sell at our counter) are such a perfect product. I really push our customers to use it and prolong the life of their cheeses.
Becca: Definitely the custom-branded Formaticum Two-Ply cheese paper. It looks great, I know its going to ensure quality storage for the cheese, and I love when I get perfect creases around a cut (but it also works really great around the oddly shaped ones too!).
Brian: The Cheese Logs! The guided notes are a great way to get people thinking about cheese and what makes each one unique and different. Plus it acts as a reminder to revisit your favorites!
If you were a cheese, which one would you be and why?
David: Finca Pascualete Retorta – my favorite cheese in our case. Like the Retorta, once you peel back the exterior I’m also a stinky little goo boy.
Becca: Hands down the 2-year aged L’Amuse Signature Gouda. Its surprisingly complex – it's both sweet and salty, and it's firm and creamy while still boasting that signature crunch you expect from a Gouda. I find it so savory and oh so addictive.
Brian: The Willoughby from Jasper Hill Farm. Unassuming on the outside but full of funk on the inside.
What is one thing you wish consumers knew about artisan cheese?
David: Excellent cheeses should of course be enjoyed solo, but any artisan product can elevate even the simplest cooked dishes to new heights. I recently made a roti paratha grilled cheese with Harbison that blew my mind.
Becca: There’s a cheese for you! And there’s a whole world of cheese out there to discover. We try to taste out as many cheeses as we possibly can to help create more awareness that specialty cheeses are more unique and flavorful than the everyday cheese you find in the grocery store.
Brian: Artisan cheese packs many helpful health benefits. High in vitamins and protein, so dig in!
What is your favorite cheese storage fact?
David: Cheeses without labels might not get eaten! Make sure to label your Formaticum Cheese Storage Bag!
Becca: Just like us, cheeses need to breathe! Our Formaticum papers do just that!
Brian: Proper storage is an integral part of the cheese-making and aging process. Spending two minutes to learn how to store your cheese is an investment that helps you enjoy cheese so much longer - if it lasts that long of course!
Follow Sullivan Sundries on Instagram @sullivansundries and Formaticum on Instagram and TikTok @formaticum, and stop by the shop to support this new venture if you're in the Catskills!
To nominate a shop or monger for the Meet Your Monger series, email emilia@formaticum.com.
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M: Kind of on a similar note to what I was saying about cheese having birthdays, cheese does best with some airflow and the ability to breathe. I keep mine in one of the vegetable drawers in my fridge for this reason! As I'm sure many cheese lovers will relate to, that drawer is just cheese.
We’d like to thank you for being a part of our cheese loving community and hope that 2022 is filled with good health, happiness and all the great cheese one could ever want. To that end, over the next several months we will be featuring some pretty special cheese shops from around the country with the hopes of sharing their stories and love for cheese with you and with some luck…inspiring you to reach out and try some new cheeses in 2022.
Today, we are highlighting Fromagination in Madison, Wisconsin. For those who do not know, Wisconsin produces more cheese than any other state in the US. In fact, Wisconsin cheese makers account for 26% of TOTAL US cheese production. In 2020, Wisconsin cheese makers produced 3.39 Billion (with a “B”!) pounds of cheese. Doesn’t that sound lovely?
While Fromagination carries cheese from all over the US and from around the globe, it’s no wonder that their primary focus is on Wisconsin’s artisan cheese producers. Read below to learn more about Fromagination, what makes their shop so special and unique and why they choose Formaticum cheese paper for their store.
Formaticum: How long have you been in business?
Fromagination: We began in 2007 when Founder and Creative Director Ken Monteleone, who believed that Wisconsin’s cheese-making heritage, and its growing artisan food movement deserved a proper showcase.
Formaticum: What inspired you to open a cheese shop?
Fromagination: Wisconsin is the Capital of Cheese accounting for over $43 billion of our state's economy. We thought it was fitting to have a cheese shop located on the Capitol Square. We opened in 2007 and our goal is to leave each customer loving cheese more. Expand your imagination into the world of cheese at Fromagination.
Formaticum: How many cheeses does your shop carry at any given time?
Fromagination: We specialize in small batch cheeses that are traditionally made by artisans throughout Wisconsin and outside of our state. We have a curated assortment of around 80 cheeses. Taste and explore some of your favorites and our cheesemonger will introduce you to some new favorites.
Formaticum: What are some of the regional cheeses people can purchase at your shop?
Fromagination: Too many to mention from soft ripened goat cheese to cave aged cheddar and cheddars aged up to 20 years. We have a great relationship with Wisconsin cheesemakers and we're always the first to get Wisconsin cheeses in development.
Formaticum: Tell us why you love your Fromagination branded cheese paper from Formaticum?
Fromagination: We love our Formaticum branded cheese paper. Not only does it protect the cheese and allows it to breathe, it also is a great reminder every time you open your cheese drawer.
Formaticum: What is one thing you wish all of your customers knew?
Fromagination: Our cheesemongers are experts at what they do. You can taste your way through our cases and we can pair your cheese with everything from beer, spirits, wine and the hundreds of other cheese companions we carry in our shop.
Formaticum: Anything else you’d like to share?
Fromagination: Wisconsin's rich tradition of cheesemaking goes back 185 years, we have Master Cheesemakers and win more awards than any other state. We are very proud of Wisconsin’s rich tradition of cheesemaking and are lucky to be a small part of this tradition.
To learn more about Fromagination, their story and to access their online shop (yes, they ship all over the US!) please visit fromagination.com
]]>The cheese counter can be an intimidating place for even the most passionate turophiles. Specialty cheese is a living, breathing, and ever evolving delight that can change from one wheel to the next, or even from one day to the next. It’s the cheesemonger’s responsibility to guide and educate their customer base, while working tirelessly to present each example of cheese in its best light. What is even harder is that once the cheese leaves their shop, their responsibility doesn’t end. As the last point of contact, the cheesemonger is responsible for their customer’s experience until the cheese is gone. Now, for us, cheese doesn’t last long in our fridge, but for many, cheese can linger at home for weeks.
The best cheese shops and mongers know this and do all that they can to ensure the best possible experience for their customers until the cheese is gone. When you buy specialty cheese, that is why it will come wrapped in Formaticum Cheese Paper. Proper storage of your cheese preserves the purity of its flavor while extending its shelf life. Our Premium Cheese Storage Paper simulates the environment of a cheese cave, where cheeses are traditionally aged. While conventional plastic wrap suffocates cheese, our unique material allows cheese to breathe while maintaining optimal humidity. The result is cheese stays fresh, longer.
That’s the reason America’s favorite cheese shops use Formaticum paper. Over the next few months we will be taking you on a journey to these cheese shops across the country, chatting with their owners, mongers and customers.
Who should we visit? We want to know your favorite cheese shops, cheese counters or even individual cheesemongers. Let us know.
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