How to be a sustainable cheesemonger

While on the surface, selling cheese sustainably can seem manageable with a simple checklist – minimise plastic use, reduce energy consumption and source locally – and all of these things are well worth pursuing, but true sustainability goes beyond this into a more wide-reaching realm where people and planet are equally valued. 

A holistic approach

For Chris Hallam of Chorlton Cheesemongers, selling sustainability is much more than a box-ticking exercise – it’s a holistic way of doing business. “When we set up the shop five years ago it was all a very practical exercise,” he says, “and we focused on things like making local deliveries by bicycle, wrapping the cheeses in paper not plastic, having a machine which dispenses untampered with but pasteurised milk which customers can refill using any of their own containers or purchase one of our glass bottles, and minimising our energy usage – for example by keeping the shop cool rather than storing and presenting cheeses in a refrigerated counter.”

Chorlton Cheesemongers now charges for its paper bags after noting the annual cost of giving them away for free – and the fact that most people will likely bin them as soon as they get home – and usage has fallen as a result. They are also on the hunt for a planet-friendly alternative to plastic pots for Feta and olives. “Everything’s a trade-off,” says Chris. “We can either buy non-sustainable pots locally or sustainable options but need to have them shipped.”

James Grant, owner of No2 Pound Street, advises, “In a shop sense there are many improvements you can make including reduce your power and lighting usage and consolidate storage. If possible, order more to reduce the number of deliveries you receive to help lower your carbon footprint.”

Mindful stocking

Over and above the sustainable measures listed above, Chris and his team are keen to support the work of like-minded cheesemakers from the local area and beyond. “We buy from dairies and farms which are feeding into their local economies and local communities, so although they’re not necessarily local to us we are supporting businesses which are very much feeding into their region sustainably,” he says.

At No2 Pound Street, improving the business’s sustainably credentials is firmly on the agenda – and the mission begins with smart sourcing. “I am changing my cheese shop choices to focus on the planet by stocking good cheeses with organic and regenerative credentials,” says James. Healthier for the planet means healthier for people, James believes, and “as people we deserve to live healthily.

“Sustainability is about the earth and how we look after it,” he says. He is passionate about supporting the work of eco-conscious cheesemakers – and ensuring that their message is shared far and wide. “We need to encourage people to spread the word about the goodness we get from organic and proper regenerative cheesemakers.”

James and his team have been on a path of discovery around sustainable cheese – and the time has arrived to make tangible change. “I have learnt that mega agricultural industries are killing the planet. If we don’t make the change to focus on real farming then the planet will die,” he says. “Don’t buy from mega dairies. Do buy from small producers that are happy with subsistence, and buy produce that works with nature – find facts. There is a lot of greenwashing.” Ultimately, he says, “Enjoy knowing the truth about what you sell and that it is genuinely brilliant.”

Chris is also passionate about doing thorough research about the cheesemakers he is considering working with before hitting ‘buy’ – this not only supports local infrastructures but directly benefits the makers, too. Supermarkets are undoubtedly getting better at stocking good cheese, but Chris explains that due to the scale of the operations in question, more money goes directly to the cheesemaker when small retailers stock the products of small cheesemakers – “it’s a healthy and sustainable way to support their local economies.”

Spreading the word

Thorough, well-considered labelling help customers to make better purchasing decisions. “Food needs to be have labels stating ‘chemical-free’ when no fertilisers and pesticides are used,” James says. When a product has been produced to a high standard, customers should be made aware – and communicated with about why that’s the case. For example, “cows were born to eat grass not grains.”

While you may be at the start of your sustainably journey, you can still teach others. “On a number of occasions I’ve been surprised when a customer isn’t aware of something I take for granted around sustainable food production,” says Chris. “Similarly, people are horrified when they learn what’s behind non-sustainable food production.”

By taking a holistic approach to sustainable cheese-selling Speciality Food readers can offer their customers a taste of the future for years to come.