Cheese Buyer 2026: New sales strategies for your cheese business

New selling formats

While most consumers would love to be able to while away an afternoon chatting to a cheesemonger and revelling in the artistry of having each piece of their order freshly cut and wrapped, that’s a luxury for many in 2026. Smart retailers are rethinking formats, looking beyond simply having a couple of wedges of cheese ready-wrapped and labelled for harried customers to dedicated chillers which allow shoppers to grab what they need and go (and be inspired to return for connection next time).

Snacking cheese is a relatively new innovation, as shoppers begin to appreciate the satisfying, protein-rich nature of small portions of cheese and brands such as Leerdammer create on-the-go formats.

Victoria Dunthorne of Victoria’s Cheese in Ely sells £10 date night bags every Friday, offering value and convenience. The model is proving successful, with many shoppers coming in to the shop week in, week out for their cheese bags – which change every week, led by creativity not potential wastage.

Some other retailers are opting for grab-and-go bags which combine a portion or two of cheese with a chutney and baked good for surely the ultimate lunch out of home.

Online opportunities

Covid-19 was no doubt the catalyst for cheese businesses to pivot to online sales, as bricks and mortar stores often stayed open but footfall was lessened (if not more intentional). While being a delicious resource and hub for your community is key, if reach further afield is on your bucket list it’s worth investing in online.

It’s still a valuable, and growing, opportunity as demand for subscription boxes is still high – and in 2026, they form the foundation of a great night in. Gathering friends for a night around a cheese board makes for a great evening, especially if the selection has been expertly curated by a knowledgeable retailer and offers a monthly event.

They perfectly tap into this year’s trend for a big night in, at home. The Cheese Society, a retailer based in Lincoln, online cheese aficionado Pong Cheese and cheesemakers themselves such as Snowdonia Cheese are all utilising the subscription model to great effect.

Plant-based cheeses

While the number of consumers following plant-based diets is growing, many lapsed vegans cite dairy cheese as the reason they stopped following the lifestyle. Innovation is present but challenging, with few manufacturers nailing the requirement for products that are just as satisfying as the real thing.

“As protein fortification becomes a priority in multiple food categories, the plant-based cheese sector faces a distinct challenge,” Catherine Bayard, global product manager for Plant Attitude, Givaudan told The Plant Base. While this market is developing, it still has very little protein compared to real cheese: many products, especially those based on starch and fats, currently deliver less than 5% protein, significantly lower than traditional cheese. Increasing plant protein content above this threshold has been hindered by sensory limitations and functional constraints, including undesirable flavour notes, textural changes and reduced consumer acceptance.

“Research teams must apply flavour science and formulation expertise to address these barriers,” she continued. “By analysing ingredient behaviour within complex matrices, studying multiple protein sources and developing targeted taste solutions, they can mitigate off-notes while improving mouthfeel in products containing 8–20% protein.”

Larger retailers such as Waitrose have invested in plant-based cheese, stocking ranges from Violife and retailer-turned-manufacturer La Fauxmagerie, but with chiller space at a premium at independent fine food retailers, the choice to stock or not to stock will be guided by their unique clientele.

Sustainability sells

Sustainability is still a key consideration for shoppers in 2026, and manufacturers are greening-up their operations to cater for demand (as well as be future-proof). Whether it’s a change of packaging format or a reformulation of their ingredients lists, it’s an important factor across the cheese industry.

The environmental expense of dairy farming is becoming increasingly understood, and many operators are working hard to improve factors including animal welfare, reduction of resource use and waste, and questions around feed and production.

The cross-industry initiative The Dairy Roadmap was produced in 2008 to create collaboration across farming, retailing and processing, setting targets around environmental impact. In 2021 it raised the bar to aim for Net Zero emissions, making the UK one of the most sustainable dairy markets internationally.

Food tourism

Food-loving nations have long made destinations of their most-loved foodstuffs; tourists from around the world travel to Naples to experience the birthplace of Neapolitan pizza, and it’s virtually impossible to visit Greece without sampling Greek Feta PDO.

Swiss cheese icon Le Gruyere AOP has made cheese tourism into an artform with its museum based on a production site, and here in the UK Wensleydale’s Visitor Centre at the heart of the Yorkshire Dales hosts demonstrations and activities for all ages, including some themed around their most-famous fans, Wallace & Gromit.

On an independent retail front, a great way to play it is to host local cheesemakers for events and celebrate them in your cheese counter. Stock cheeses made nearby that your customers may not be able to purchase anywhere else, and foster supportive relationships with their makers. After all, food tourism benefits the industry and beyond, with its current value to Britain estimated to be £3.1 billion, according to JaneLovesTravel. 32% of British travellers actively seek food-focused experiences, and farm-to-table experiences are growing 28.5% each year, it states.

To read more insights from The Cheese Report 2026, download our July/August issue for free here.