Inspirational Cheese Retailers 2025: Cheese and Bees, King’s Lynn

Cheese and Bees
Location: King’s Lynn
Founder: Peter Davis
Founded: 2022

Originally opened by beekeeper Peter Davis, today Cheese and Bees in the hands of a new family – with another Peter (Pooley) at the helm.

Peter fell into shopkeeping quite by accident, he jokes, having previously worked in the motor industry. “I’ve always enjoyed good food, and socialising around food,” he says, “and when I heard Peter was struggling to keep the shop going and might have to close it, I told him it was such a shame, and gave him lots of ideas. They needed a website. Their social media presence was low. There was so much he could do. He said, ‘I think I’ve found the man to take the shop over!’.”

At the time, Peter knew very little about the cheese world or what it would take to work in retail, but he took the change of pace in his stride, and says he is loving being part of what is such an inclusive, friendly industry. “I find it all so fascinating too. There’s such a culture around cheese throughout history, and then there’s the science – minor changes can make a dramatic difference. All these things resonated with me from the start. I was hooked!”

Sharing knowledge

Cheese and Bees has become a destination shop – for its immense range (around 130 changing cheeses at any time), and for the knowledge and sheer enthusiasm Peter imparts from behind the counter.

More recently, the shop has moved to King’s Lynn, meaning they can reach even more cheese lovers. “It’s been so positive,” Peter says. “We’re on a busy route, making us much more accessible, and we’ve been able to put in some tables and chairs so people can come and have a little cheeseboard with us, which is a great experience. It’s opened up a whole new world.”

“What was very apparent from the start,” he adds of his venture into retail, “is people don’t know what goes into some of the products they buy. I wanted to have a huge stock list so we could be a destination to try lots of cheeses, to draw customers in, so I can share what real, artisan cheese is with them. We can open their eyes without being too preachy about it.” Regular tastings and talks allow Peter to connect further with customers.

“We can make recommendations from personal experience. People like the fact I can tell them not only where the cheeses are made, but the name of the head cheesemaker, and exactly how it’s made. It’s that personal connection.”

In a bid to push his education mission further, Peter set up A Cheesemonger’s Guide on YouTube. The series follows him on his travels across the UK, meeting cheesemakers and giving the inside scoop on where and how their products are made – putting a face to many of the varieties his customers will see week-in, week-out.

“The idea is to keep it nice and down to earth, to try and get some engagement with everybody of every age and demographic, and to put British cheeses on the map.”

Sparking joy

Alongside video, Cheese and Bees now has a website, and regularly posts on social media, in a bid, Peter says, to reach a younger audience, enticing them to try, and to ultimately love, speciality cheeses.

This approach appears to be working, with the shop’s fan base of curious under 30s growing. “We had a young couple come in who said they didn’t know a lot about cheese and didn’t know where to start. It was a bit of an unusual experience for them to be able to come somewhere and ask questions – they’d always bought from a supermarket. We went through some options with them, and let them taste a few things, and they’ve become regular customers of ours. Every time we get a new cheese in they come to try it.”

Keeping on top of ‘the new’ is a key strategy for Peter, who is always being asked about what’s trending, what’s rare or limited edition, or made in small batches. “People want to try cheeses from very small artisan producers,” he continues. “They don’t want something they can find in the supermarket, and they’re getting more adventurous. Because we have such a good selection, we can deliver that experience for them.”

He adds that, in a way, what’s available in the shop isn’t just led by the seasons and cheesemakers, but by the customers, who can put in suggestions and ideas – most of which he’ll follow up. This allows him to curate a counter that truly has something for everyone, from the expected to the unusual. That’s the fun and great joy of being a cheesemonger, he smiles.