What does our collaboration look like?

After years of working in various roles in the cheese industry, I joined Remijn Cheese Shop in 2018. I didn't start out as a market vendor, but initially as an inside and outside salesperson. After a while, however, I started to get the itch; I missed the direct customer contact and the joy of selling cheese myself.

Around that time, the concept of Dé Kaasboer was introduced, and it fit perfectly with what I had in mind. I started on Saturdays in Meteren and now also work in Rosmalen (Thursdays) and Nistelrode (Fridays).

Why did you choose to sell our cheese?

About 95% of my assortment comes from Remijn Cheese Shop. When it comes to Dutch cheese, I simply don't want to sell anything else—I think they're the tastiest. These cheeses are the best-aged, and you can taste it. I want to pass on that quality to my customers.

When it comes to foreign cheeses, most cheese shops in the Netherlands have pretty much the same selection. There's little that's innovative. Fortunately, things are different at Remijn Cheese Shop. The lines of communication are short, and they have good contacts with France. If there's a cheese that makes me think: “Hey, I'd like to sell that,” Then it's easily arranged. A phone call or an email and it's done. This flexibility allows me to quickly respond to new opportunities and continually update my product range.

Have we helped you with anything in the past? Anything that still resonates with you?

When I opened my cheese stall, Kaashandel Remijn created flyers and distributed them door-to-door in Meteren and the surrounding area. The flyer advertised that customers who brought in and bought a piece of cheese would receive a free pack of cheese biscuits.

To be honest, I was a bit skeptical at first. I thought: “That's old-fashioned, nobody goes there anymore.” But afterward, I had to admit that a surprising number of people showed up with the flyer. It just goes to show, sometimes a tried-and-true approach still works just fine.