How do you maintain your cheese counter? That's the question posed by Speciality Food magazine to British creamery-cheese makers. We've come away with three essential tips, which are still very much valid everywhere.

Clearly, you don't become a cheese-cream maker simply for the pleasure of maintaining your cheese counter... Although it may seem tedious, this task is nonetheless necessary to preserve the integrity of your products and, above all, the image of your business.

Because neglecting your cheese counter to serve a waiting customer more quickly can sometimes be enough to dissuade him from returning.

That's why this little article from Speciality Food (the UK's leading magazine for fine and artisanal foods) will help you to do just that. Based on the testimonials of two creamery-cheesemakers, the article offers some practical advice that can be summed up in three points:

  • Separate for greater safety. That's the top tip from Moz Murphy, of Grate Cheese Factory (Newcastle). “We always use different boards and knives for blue, soft and hard cheeses, as cross-contamination is very easy,” says Moz Murphy, who also suggests having extra equipment on hand during busy periods.
  • Clean as you go. “Hot water is your friend” sums up Moz Murphy, who advises above all to avoid the accumulation of objects and utensils to be washed, ensuring that the whole team is duly trained in the same sanitary routine to avoid bottlenecks.
  • Don't give up on cleanliness. “Keeping clothes and equipment clean is sometimes easier said than done, but these are simple ways to combat bad bacteria taking over your cheese selection,” explains Mark Kacary, of the Norfolk Deli. Again, teamwork is key, and everyone needs to be aware of critical contact times to avoid harmful bacteria or cross-contamination and work together to ensure that the temperature of the cheese counter remains within the permitted limits.

 

So much for common sense advice. But if you'd like to go into more detail about the hygiene rules to be observed in food shops, this page from the official business administrative information site may be useful, as well as this practical sheet on cleaning cheese-making equipment published by Déclic Travail.

In the meantime, make a date for the next Cheese and Dairy Product Show, to be held from June 7 to 9, 2026 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles!

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