LESSON 7: MERCHANDISING & DISPLAY BUILDING

When selling cheese and specialty, it’s important for the department to look like you’re in the business of selling cheese. That is: well-cared for, fresh-looking, abundant, and organized.

Principles of Great Specialty Cheese Merchandising

Make sure that your core items have enough space for an adequate size display and the display areas are strategically spread to make sure customers walk the entire department to shop for core items.

Stack it high, watch it fly!

• Build large, dramatic displays of high-volume items.
• Use uncut backstock as the base for the display.
• Ideal for Top-5 items such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gruyere, Aged Cheddars
  
  

For vertical “multi-deck” cases

• Fill the vertical space as much as possible.
• Display smaller items in the middle shelf with larger items on top and bottom.
• Consider using a riser on the shelves where you’re displaying smaller items.
• To maximize number of SKUs, include extra shelves.
• Consider making a “well” in the bottom shelf (setting lowest shelf higher up) to create a cascading display of high-volume items.
• Arrange product labels to all face the same direction.
  
  

For coffin cases

• Avoid displaying everything in straight rows.
• Display whole, uncut backstock as the base of the display.
• Arrange cuts back into the shape of the whole form.
• Avoid stacking soft cheeses directly on top of one another, stack one straddling on top of two or more (creating a pyramid).
• Arrange product labels to all face the same direction.
• Display smaller items in front and larger items in back, creating a cascading effect.
  
  

For satellite displays (displays outside of the department, used to cross-merchandise)

• Choose popular or easy-to-recognize items that are on a special promotion (weekly, 2 weeks) or temporary price reduction (TPR).
• Choose only 1 or 2 specialty cheese items and pair them with items in other departments that go with them (i.e. blue cheese crumbles w/salad set, Cheddar that’s on sale with apples/pears, Gruyere with potatoes and onions).
  
  

For ambient displays

• Choose high volume cheeses.
• Use uncut backstock as the base of the display.
• Display half and quarter wheels to add height.
• Choose lower moisture cheeses.
• Consider pulling cheese into refrigeration overnight.
• Cross-merchandise with complementary items (condiments, crackers, etc.)
• Cuts should cascade down the entire display.