As cheesemongers, we know that cheese is a living product and a gastronomic miracle, but also that it is not immortal. When we open a new wheel of cheese, we revel in the scent and taste that will never again be as perfect as it is in that moment, and the clock starts ticking. Ensuring that your cheese stays in peak condition for every customer requires careful attention and meticulous care. There is no hard and fast rule about how long a cheese will stay fresh in your case, and different styles of cheese require different levels and techniques of care. Now that the holiday season has ended, customers aren't rushing to buy cheese quite as quickly. Keep reading for some of our tips on how to maintain the freshness and flavor of the cheeses in your case, even during the slower season:
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.