Antonelli's Cheese

What Antonelli's Cheese does

Antonelli's Cheese is a privately held, founder-owned artisan cheese retailer and experiential food business headquartered in Austin, Texas. Founded in February 2010 by John and Kendall Antonelli, the company operates two physical retail locations (Hyde Park at 4220 Duval St and a South Lamar tasting room at 1100 South Lamar Blvd), a dedicated events venue (Cheese House at 500 Park Boulevard seating up to 28-40), and a warehouse at 6448 US HWY 290 East used for wholesale and producer pickup. The product portfolio is anchored by a Signature Cheese Tasting ($50/person, 7 cheeses with pairings, ~half pound per guest, led by Certified Cheese Professionals), a slate of themed Featured Tasting Events ($55-$145/person), Cheese & Charcuterie Trays ($35-$495), a monthly Cheese Club subscription ($75/month on Table22, with 3/6/12-month gift options), corporate and bulk gifting, and gift cards ranging from $18 to $500. The staff includes 8-9 ACS Certified Cheese Professionals — a credential led by co-founder John Antonelli, past president of the American Cheese Society — making credentialed expertise a core operational input.

Name

Antonelli's Cheese

Legal name

Antonelli's Cheese LLC

Website

https://antonellischeese.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Antonelli's Cheese is a founder-owned Austin-based artisan cheese retailer operating two retail shops, tasting venues, a wholesale warehouse, nationwide e-commerce, and a corporate gifting program, serving B2C food enthusiasts, corporate event clients, subscription members, and Texas restaurants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Cheese Retail & Tasting Experiences

NAICS

Specialty Food Retailers (4452), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Wine-Adjacent Food Stores (Cheese/Gourmet Pairings) (CRAHAGAK)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese retail
• Guided cheese tastings
• Cheese subscription club
• Corporate gifting services
• Wholesale cheese distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

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, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Cheese Sales: In-store sales of artisan cheeses, charcuterie, and accompaniments at two Austin retail locations
2. Public Tasting Events: Guided cheese tasting classes and featured events at Hyde Park and South Lamar tasting rooms, priced at $50-$145 per person
3. Private Events: Corporate events, private parties, and custom tasting experiences for groups of 5-500+, with minimum booking fees
4. Cheese Club Subscription: Monthly cheese subscription box with 4 specialty cheeses, tasting guides, and videos; available as ongoing, 3, 6, or 12-month prepaid gift subscriptions
5. Cheese & Charcuterie Trays: Prepared trays for pickup or delivery in various sizes (serves 2-50+), priced from $35-$495
6. Corporate Gifting: Bulk gift box orders for corporate clients with customizable options and dedicated Cheese Concierge service
7. Wholesale Program: B2B wholesale distribution of artisan cheese and charcuterie to Texas restaurants and retailers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Antonelli's Cheese is an artisan cheese shop in Austin, Texas that operates cut-to-order retail storefronts, a tasting room venue, and nationwide e-commerce. Core offerings include guided in-person cheese tastings, themed featured events, prepared cheese and charcuterie trays, a monthly Cheese Club subscription, gift boxes and gift cards, private and corporate event hosting, corporate and bulk gifting, and a wholesale distribution program for Texas restaurants and retailers.

Product overview

Antonelli's Cheese is an artisan cheese shop and experiential food business operating as a multi-location retail and event platform. The core offerings include the Signature Cheese Tasting (award-winning guided tasting with 7 cheeses and pairings at $50/person) and Featured Tasting Events (themed events like Caviar & Champagne at $145, Raclette at $65, Taste of France at $65). Supporting product lines encompass Cheese & Charcuterie Trays (from $15 for cracker trays to $495 for grazing tables serving 50+), Raclette Experiences (in-person at $65 or at-home kits from $215), Cheese Club subscription (monthly box of 4 cheeses with tasting videos via Table22 platform), and Gift offerings (boxes from $80 and gift cards from $18-$500). The business operates physical locations in Austin (Hyde Park Retail Shop at 4220 Duval St and South Lamar Tasting Room at 1100 South Lamar Blvd), a Warehouse for wholesale operations, and offers nationwide e-commerce shipping. Event services include private corporate tastings (groups of 5-500+, from $50+/person with venue minimums), a Texas Cheese Partners program featuring 13 local artisan producers, and a Charitable Cheese Cause program donating 20% of event sales to nonprofits. The company employs 8+ Certified Cheese Professionals across its operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Antonelli's Signature Cheese Tasting Guided cheese tasting at $50 per person featuring 7 cheeses (approximately half a pound), 7 food pairing bites, crackers, cornichons, and salty snacks, led by Certified Cheese Professionals over about 1.5 hours plus 30 minutes socializing. Available at Hyde Park and South Lamar locations.
• Featured Tasting Events Themed tasting events priced $55-$145 per person, including Raclette Experience ($65), Caviar, Champagne, and Cheese ($145), Donuts and Cheese ($55), BBQ and Cheese ($65), Taste of France ($65), Cheese and Chocolate ($65), and seasonal events such as Halloween Candy and Cheese ($60) and Easter Candy and Cheese ($65).
• Cheese & Charcuterie Trays Prepared cheese and charcuterie trays in multiple sizes from $99 to $495, including Cheese + Meat (S $110, L $190), Cheese + Meat + Treats (S $99, L $185), Vegetarian Cheese Tray (S $110, L $180), Grazing Table (S serves 30+ for $375, L serves 50+ for $495), Cheese-y Dinner for 2 ($75), Cured Meat Platter ($65), Raclette Night At Home from $215, and Caviar and Champagne Luxury Set $199.
• Raclette Experiences Interactive raclette cheese experiences available in-person at tasting rooms ($65 per person) and as at-home kits (from $215), featuring hot melted raclette cheese scraped onto potatoes, pickles, and accompaniments.
• Antonelli's Cheese Club Monthly cheese subscription at $75/month delivering 4 specialty cheeses with a tasting guide and access to tasting videos led by Certified Cheese Professionals. Signature Members also receive 4 handpicked pairings. Available as ongoing, 3, 6, or 12-month prepaid gift subscriptions, with an optional $25 wine add-on for local pickup.
• Gift Boxes & Gift Cards Curated gift boxes starting at $80 and digital gift cards available in denominations from $18 to $500, plus pre-set combinations for tastings and events (e.g., $108.25 for 2 tickets + tax, $238.15 for 2 boat cruise tickets + tax). Gift cards apply to both product purchases and class bookings.
• Private Events & Corporate Events Custom private and corporate cheese tastings and events for groups of 5 to 500+, including guided tastings, food and farm tours, venue rentals, and keynote speaking by Kendall and John Antonelli. Available on-site at South Lamar (seats up to 32) and Cheese House (seats up to 28), or off-site. Pricing from $50+ per person with afternoon minimums of $550 and evening minimums of $1,000.
• Corporate & Bulk Gifting Bulk corporate gift ordering program with the 2025 Holiday Gifting Catalog featuring artisan cheeses and gourmet accompaniments, a dedicated Cheese Concierge, customizable options, and shipping via UPS Ground or FedEx at $17.99 flat rate, local Austin courier delivery from $15, or warehouse pickup.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guests taste about half a pound of cheese per tasting
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Capital OneflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Capital One small business spotlight partner from October 2021 through April 2023. Featured in Capital One commercial showcasing the neighborhood cheese shop. Also featured in Capital One Masters of Scale podcast.
• Pure Luck DairycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-time friend of the business. Amelia Sweethardt crafts award-winning fresh goat's milk cheeses at her Dripping Springs farmstead.
• CKC FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChrissy Grundy started cheesemaking at 18 after an inspirational trip to Europe and crafts some of the finest goat cheeses in Central Texas.
• River Whey CreamerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSusan Rigg's ACS American Originals are inspired by the classic cheeses of Europe with a unique Texas flair.
• Eagle Mountain FarmhousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe father and son team of Dave and Matt Eagle craft European-inspired raw cow's milk cheeses, highlighted by their signature Granbury Gold Gouda.
• GoatiliciouscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobert Ragels boasts a healthy herd of beautiful Nubian and Alpine goats, whose hard work goes into some of Texas's only raw aged goat's milk cheeses.
• Veldhuizen CheesecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChelsey Veldhuizen-Brown and family run this impressive farmstead operation, with one of Texas's only flocks of sheep for cheesemaking.
• Lira RossacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndrea and Jillian Cudin craft incredible Italian-style cheeses at the Four E Dairy in Moulton, inspired by Andrea's Friuli roots.
• Dos LunascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoaquin Avellan crafts beautiful raw cheeses inspired by his native Venezuela, using only grass-fed cows milk from Schulenberg.
• Mozzarella CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the famed 'Ladies of the 80's' Paula Lambert has been crafting fresh cheeses in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas for over 3 decades.
• Texas IbericocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheir flock flown straight from Spain, this ranch in Menard crafts only the real deal with happy, Animal Welfare Approved 100% Iberico Hogs.
• Visca CharcuteriecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean salumi master-trained Eugene Watson crafts some of Central Texas's finest European style salamis and Bresaola.
• The SalumeriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnthony and Gerardo hand-raise their happy hogs, and craft family charcuterie and salami recipes at their beautiful aging room in Dripping Springs.
• Round Rock Jelly & CocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheri uses only organic fruits for her unique and smooth jellies with a Texas twist.
• UPS GroundcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipping partner for Texas-based deliveries
• FedExcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipping partner for nationwide (outside Texas) deliveries via 2-day air

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Goldbelly: DTC marketplace aggregating iconic American artisan foods including cheese and charcuterie with nationwide shipping. Comparable as a national DTC channel for the same artisan producers Antonelli's curates; emerging threat on the shipping/subscription side.

Direct peers

• Zingerman's: Ann Arbor, MI specialty food and experiential hospitality business (deli, mail order, events, education, Zingerman's Experience). Closely mirrors Antonelli's experiential + education-led specialty food model and provides a benchmark for scaling nationally.
• Murray's Cheese: Iconic NYC cheese shop operating retail, classes, private events, and nationwide wholesale/e-commerce. Closest direct analog: combines a flagship retail store, a robust events/education program led by certified staff, and a wholesale arm — the same operational pillars Antonelli's has built in Austin.
• Di Bruno Bros. Philadelphia-based artisan cheese and specialty food retailer with retail shops, event/catering, gift boxes, and nationwide shipping. Directly comparable in offering mix (retail + charcuterie + corporate gifting + events) and in scale (mid-market specialty retailer).
• Cowgirl Creamery: Point Reyes, CA artisan cheese producer and retail shop operator with tasting room experiences and nationwide wholesale. Comparable in combining farm/partnership sourcing with curated retail and educational events.

Others

• Formaticum: Specialty cheese paper, tools, and storage products retailer serving cheese lovers and cheese shops. Adjacent/complementary to Antonelli's: serves the same customer segment with accessories and education without direct retail competition.
• Mozzarella Company: Long-running Dallas-based artisan cheesemaker and retailer (Paula Lambert). Already a producer-partner of Antonelli's; comparable as a Texas artisan cheese brand operating its own retail and direct shipping.

Broad incumbents

• Whole Foods Market: National premium grocery retailer carrying artisan cheese, hosting in-store events and tastings, and operating a corporate gifting program. Overlaps with Antonelli's across retail, gifting, and experiential categories but does not specialize in cheese.
• Dean & DeLuca: Premium specialty food retailer with cheese, charcuterie, gift boxes, and events at flagship scale. Comparable as an upscale multi-category specialty retailer with overlapping corporate-gifting customer base.

Regional players

• Scardello Cheese: Artisan cheese shop in Dallas, TX, focused on retail, classes, and gift boxes. Comparable in scope (specialty cheese retail with tasting classes and gifts) but competing only in the adjacent North Texas market rather than within Austin.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/antonellischz
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCno5kPKFeZb9s-ox8B39h5g
• Facebookfacebook.com/Antonellischeese
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/antonelli-s-cheese-llc-dba-antonelli-s-cheese-shop
• Instagraminstagram.com/antonellischeese
• TikToktiktok.com/@antonellischeese

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Antonelli's Cheese