What Murray's Cheese does

Murray's Cheese is a specialty cheese retailer founded in 1962 and headquartered in New York City, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kroger Co. The company runs a multi-channel business across owned retail (Bleecker Street flagship and Grand Central), direct-to-consumer e-commerce with nationwide FedEx cold-chain shipping, third-party delivery partnerships (Instacart, UberEats, GrubHub, Mercato), and a B2B wholesale program launched in 2007 that supplies restaurants from Michelin-star establishments to neighborhood pubs. A proprietary cave-aging facility in Long Island City, staffed by a team of affineurs and Certified Cheese Professionals, produces award-winning original cheeses (Stockinghall, Treeline, Savage, Greensward, Double Doe) in collaboration with American creameries and small producers — a model described as rare among U.S. food retailers.

The product portfolio spans 300+ cheese varieties and 85+ charcuterie SKUs, complemented by specialty foods (crackers, honey, condiments, tinned fish), Build-Your-Own-Gift tools, pre-assembled composed cheese boards, housewares, and apparel. Recurring revenue is generated through five monthly Cheese Club subscriptions priced from $56.67 to $108.33/month on 3-, 6-, and 12-month terms. Ancillary revenue streams include NYC-based catering for private events and corporate functions, and in-person/virtual cheese classes at the Bleecker Street classroom. Distribution now extends beyond NYC through Murray's kiosks in 15 Kroger-owned Mariano's locations and a dedicated Murray's Cheese Shop within Kroger's new $35M Elizabethtown Marketplace store.

The company targets two primary segments: individual consumers and gift buyers seeking premium artisanal products, and foodservice operators needing curated cheese programs with training and menu support. In 2026, Murray's cave-aged cheeses won six medals at the American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards, including a First Place for Double Doe in the Washed Rind category. Strategic priorities center on scaling the proprietary cave-aged program through the Kroger ecosystem while preserving the curated, expertise-led brand positioning.

Name

Murray's Cheese

Legal name

Murray's Cheese

Website

https://murrayscheese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Murray's Cheese is a New York City-based specialty cheese retailer and wholesale supplier, owned by Kroger Co., that sells 300+ cheeses through retail stores, e-commerce, subscriptions, and restaurant wholesale, anchored by a proprietary cave-aging facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Cheese Retail

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Retail-Food Stores (5400), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cheese Aging/Affineur Services (Maturation & Cave-Aging) (AFAHABAH), Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB), Private Label & Contract Cheese Manufacturing (AFAHABAJ), Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC), Cheese Wholesale (AFAIAEAC)

Keywords

• Specialty cheese retail
• Artisanal cheese distribution
• Cheese subscription clubs
• Wholesale cheese supply
• Cave aged cheesemaking

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Retail Sales: E-commerce and retail store sales of cheese, meats, specialty foods, and gifts. Products sold by weight (per pound), unit (each), or package size.
2. Cheese Club Subscriptions: Monthly subscription boxes (3, 6, or 12-month terms) including Cheese Board Club ($108.33/month), Cheese Explorer's Club ($70/month), Cheers to Cheese Club ($85/month), Mac and Cheese Club ($56.67/month), and Globetrotter's Cheese Club ($65/month). Free shipping included.
3. Wholesale: B2B sales to restaurants and establishments. Comprehensive selection of 300+ cheeses and 85 charcuterie varieties. Minimum $100 for NYC delivery; no minimum for FedEx orders.
4. Catering & Events: Private experiences, weddings, corporate events, and seasonal catering offerings including composed boards shipped to customers.
5. Composed Boards & Gift Products: Pre-arranged cheese boards (Taste of Summer $165, Timeless Classics Small $130/Large $215, Passport to France $175) and build-your-own gift options shipped nationwide.
6. Classes & Education: In-person and virtual cheese classes including mozzarella making, pasta making, wine pairings. Summer sale promotions offering $20 off select classes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Murray's Cheese is a specialty cheese retailer and wholesaler that sells more than 300 artisanal cheeses, 85 charcuterie varieties, and accompaniments through NYC retail locations, a nationwide e-commerce site, subscription cheese clubs, and a wholesale program serving restaurants. The company operates a proprietary cave-aging facility in Long Island City where its affineurs craft and mature award-winning in-house cheeses in collaboration with American creameries and small producers.

Product overview

Murray's Cheese is a specialty cheese retailer operating primarily in New York City with retail locations in Bleecker Street and Grand Central, plus a Long Island City cave-aging facility. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized around their core cave-aging expertise, which represents a rare proprietary program among U.S. food retailers. Their main product lines include: (1) Murray's Cave Aged Cheese Program - in-house aged cheeses crafted at their Long Island City facility; (2) Cheese subscription clubs - five monthly subscription options delivering curated cheeses (Cheese Board Club, Cheese Explorer's Club, Cheers to Cheese Club, Mac and Cheese Club, Globetrotter's Cheese Club); (3) Composed Cheese Boards - pre-assembled, shippable cheese boards for entertaining; (4) Build Your Own Gift - custom gift builder tool; (5) Murray's Mac & Cheese - prepared food products; (6) Individual cheeses - over 300 varieties including cave-aged, international, and specialty cheeses; (7) Meats & Charcuterie - curated cured meats; (8) Specialty Foods - accompaniments including crackers, condiments, oils, and more; (9) Wholesale program - serving restaurants and retailers since 2007; (10) Catering services - NYC-based events and corporate offerings; (11) Classes - cheese education experiences. Products are available through direct online ordering (with nationwide shipping), third-party delivery platforms (Instacart, UberEats, GrubHub, Mercato), Kroger grocery stores (kiosks in Mariano's locations), and wholesale accounts. Murray's Cheese is owned by Kroger.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Murray's Cave Aged: Proprietary line of cave-aged cheeses crafted at the company's Long Island City facility
• Mac & Cheese

Products and services

• Murray's Cave Aged Cheese Program
• Murray's Cheese Subscription Clubs
• Murray's Composed Cheese Boards
• Murray's Wholesale Program
• Murray's Mac & Cheese
• Murray's Catering & Private Events
• Murray's Classes
• Individual Artisanal Cheeses
• Meats & Charcuterie
• Specialty Foods & Accompaniments
• Gift Boxes & Gift Cards

Quantifiable outcome

• Won 6 medals at 2026 American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards with Double Doe taking First Place in Washed Rind category

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KrogercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 21 July 2026Murray's Cheese is owned by Kroger and operates Murray's Cheese Shop and kiosks within Kroger-owned stores. The partnership enables national distribution through Kroger Marketplace stores and Mariano's locations. Award-winning cave-aged cheeses are now available through 15 Mariano's kiosks, marking first expansion beyond NYC retail shops.
• Mariano'scoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 21 July 2026Murray's kiosks inside 15 Mariano's locations as part of Kroger partnership. Award-winning cave-aged cheeses including Treeline, Savage, Mini Greensward, and Stockinghall now available at Mariano's stores.
• American Creameries and Small ProducerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 July 2026Murray's collaborates with American creameries and small producers to craft and mature cave-aged cheeses at their Long Island City facility. This includes producing award-winning cheeses like Treeline, Savage, and Mini Greensward in partnership with external producers.
• Z BreadsticksminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 May 2026Z Breadsticks (first new product line in over 25 years from creators of Z Crackers/Savory Pie Company) has secured partnerships with major chains including Harris Teeter, ShopRite, Stop & Shop, and Murray's Cheese for retail distribution.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cowgirl Creamery: Artisan cheese producer and specialty retailer with award-winning washed rind and aged cheeses. Comparable on cave/affinage expertise and premium cheese brand building.
• Formaggio Kitchen: Cambridge/New York specialty cheese and fine foods retailer and wholesaler. Comparable curated assortment, aging expertise, and restaurant/caterer wholesale program.
• Saxelby Cheesemongers: NYC-based artisanal cheese shop and wholesaler focused on American farmstead cheeses. Highly comparable specialty cheesemonger with retail and wholesale operations in the same metro.
• CheeseBoard Collective: Berkeley cheese shop and pizzeria collective known for curated cheeses and community-focused retail. Comparable specialty cheese shop with strong local brand.
• Zingerman's: Ann Arbor specialty food business with deli, mail order, and wholesale. Comparable multi-channel specialty food brand combining retail, education, mail order, and B2B.
• Di Bruno Bros. Philadelphia-based specialty cheese and gourmet foods retailer with wholesale, retail, and e-commerce. Direct comparable in curation depth, B2B foodservice supply, and consumer gifting/board offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Whole Foods Market: National premium grocer with extensive specialty cheese counters. Sets the competitive baseline for premium cheese assortment, in-store education, and prepared cheese offerings.
• Eataly: Large multi-category Italian-focused specialty food retail and restaurant concept with cheese counters and classes. Overlaps with Murray's on premium cheese retail and education but operates at a much broader portfolio scale.

Emerging players

• Grafton Village Cheese: Vermont artisan cheddar producer with aging caves and direct-to-consumer/retail channels. Comparable on cave aging methodology and aged cheese specialty brand, though narrower in assortment.

Regional players

• Fairway Market: NYC-based specialty grocer with notable cheese counter. Comparable regional specialty food retailer with cheese-forward assortment and prepared offerings in the same metro.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/murrayscheese
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/murrays-cheese
• Instagraminstagram.com/murrayscheese

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Murray's Cheese