Fine Cheese & Charcuterie September / October 2012

For anyone who might think that good customer service is a thing of the past (except in our industry, of course), I have a story about a recent red-eye flight I took from San Francisco to Boston on Virgin America. It was an uneventful flight (my favorite kind) and after we arrived at Logan Airport, when I was outside the baggage terminal waiting to be picked up, my cell phone rang. It was a local area code so I assumed it was my ride, but it turned out to be a representative from Virgin asking me if I had left something on the plane. I thought about it for a moment, recollected the things I had out on the flight – book, reading glasses, head phones – and knew that I had everything with me. I had sat next to two young women and said whatever it was must belong to one of them and thanked him for his concern. Afterward, I was slightly stunned. It was definitely the first time this had happened. I know I’ve left things on planes before on other airlines and it had never been pursued by anyone. Anyway, the point is that they went above and beyond what they needed to do, and even though it was simple enough – after all, they ask for mobile numbers when you book flights – I was impressed by their efficiency, and the experience served to increase my loyalty to the airline (I like to fly Virgin Atlantic to London, too). Good job with that customer service training, Mr. Branson!

On a more somber note, the cheese world lost one of its biggest cheerleaders recently, someone I was pleased to call a friend. Daphne Zepos, who passed away in July from cancer (I understand she died in the San Francisco home she shared with her husband), had been involved in just about every facet of the cheese business and was a huge promoter of artisanal and traditionally made cheeses. Although she was variously an importer, retailer and wholesaler – she was, among other things, founder of the Essex Street Cheese Co. in New York and co-owner of The Cheese School in her adopted home of San Francisco – she was above all an educator. In this, she was tireless and extremely knowledgeable. I mainly saw Daphne at various trade shows and conferences in one place or another around the world, but whenever I ran into her, it was like I had seen her last week. Her enthusiasm and joy for life were boundless and infectious, and no matter what my day was like or what was going on in my life, I always felt a little better for seeing her. She was always eager to share with me some new cheese or educational opportunity that she had learned of, or to tell me of her latest adventures in cheese and in life. She was a wonderful person and I will miss her. The cheese and specialty food worlds are diminished by her passing.

This issue looks forward to the fourth- quarter holidays, specifically in terms of merchandising and gift-giving. We’ve managed to round up a collection of great products that also make great gifts or components of gift baskets, and it’s not strictly cheese and charcuterie. The cheese shops that I visit around the country and abroad, including a re-cent store tour in the Boston area (see “Passport to Fine Cheese,” page 13), are carrying more and more complementary items in the packaged food realm, going beyond merely crackers and condiments to olive oils, vinegars, teas, confections, and more. So, in keeping with this trend, we’ve included many of those items in our product gallery as well as some very nice cheeses and cured meats.

Soon after this issue goes to virtual press, the Gourmet Business team, including yours truly, will be heading off to Paris for SIAL, one of the largest food trade shows in the world. We hope to bring back reports of new products that are sure to be heading this way in the near future, as well as trends and ideas to look out for, and I shall share them in the next issue. It’s a dirty job but some- one has to do it ... and we’re more than willing for it to be us. Here’s wishing you all bonne chance for the rest of the fall season and we look forward to seeing you all soon.

James Mellgren 

Managing Editor

Gourmet Business Fine Cheese & Charcuterie 

jmellgren@gourmetbusiness.com