The Cheeseboard

What The Cheeseboard does

The Cheeseboard is an artisan cheese retailer founded in 1985 by Wendy Downes and based at 26 Royal Hill, Greenwich, London. It sells British and European cheeses alongside a complementary range of beverages (beer, wine, cider, fortified), dairy (yoghurts, butter, Crème fraîche, cream cheese), bakery (artisan sourdoughs and bloomers), larder items (chutneys, oils, vinegars, honey, antipasti, biscuits, pasta, sauces), cheese celebration cakes for weddings and special occasions, and gift items (hampers, selection boxes, vouchers, accessories). The primary commercial surface is a single physical shop supplemented by a WooCommerce/WordPress e-commerce storefront with UK-wide delivery, free local Greenwich delivery, and click-and-collect.

The company's revenue derives from three streams: (1) one-time transactional retail sales via shop and online, priced at the unit level with items ranging from approximately £1.80 for yoghurts to £10.50 for premium sauces and pestos and bakery items at £3.30-£5.55; (2) a monthly Cheese Club subscription for recurring curated deliveries; and (3) corporate tasting events and cheese celebration cake sales serving gifting and B2B occasions. Customer acquisition is primarily organic, via word-of-mouth, local reputation, SEO/organic search on cheese-board.co.uk, and a monthly email newsletter promoting offers, pairing ideas, and event dates. The customer base is described as individual consumers seeking artisan British and European cheeses for daily purchase, occasions, and gifting.

Underlying technology is a standard small-business WooCommerce stack with no proprietary platform, no mobile app, no public API, and no documented AI capabilities. Named supply-side partners include Neal's Yard Dairy (Crème fraîche and dairy), Seggiano (organic pasta and Italian sauces), Ferme des Peupliers (Normandy yoghurts), and Odysea (Greek sheep's milk yoghurt). The Cheeseboard is privately held with no disclosed parent company, no institutional investors, and no public funding rounds visible in the source material; corporate ownership is presumed to be independent or closely held by the founder and family.

Name

The Cheeseboard

Legal name

The Cheeseboard

Website

https://cheese-board.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Cheeseboard is a London-based artisan cheese retailer founded in 1985, selling British and European cheeses, wine, beer, dairy, bakery, and larder products. It combines a Greenwich shop with a UK-delivery e-commerce site and a monthly Cheese Club subscription.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Cheese Retail

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese retail
• Specialty food shop
• Cheese subscription
• Fine food delivery
• Cheese gifts

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales: Direct retail sales of artisan cheeses, specialty foods, wine, beer, and related products through physical shop and e-commerce platform. One-time transactional purchases with delivery or local pickup options.
2. Cheese Club Subscription: Monthly subscription service for curated cheese selections delivered to customers.
3. Corporate Events: Corporate tasting events and cheese celebration cakes for events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Cheeseboard is an independent specialty food retailer selling artisan cheeses, beer and wine, larder items, dairy, bakery products, and related gifts via its Greenwich shop and a UK-wide online delivery service. It also runs a Cheese Club subscription and supplies cheese celebration cakes, gifts, and corporate events.

Product overview

The Cheeseboard is an artisan food retailer specializing in British and European cheeses, operating since 1985 from Greenwich, London. The business operates as a single unified retail brand with multiple product categories that work together as a complementary food offering. Core product lines include: Cheese (fresh artisan cheeses), Beer and Wine (beverage pairings), Larder (pantry staples including Seggiano organic pastas and sauces), Dairy (yoghurts, butter, cream), Bakery (artisan sourdoughs and breads), Cheese Celebration Cakes (wedding/special occasion cakes), and Gifts (hampers, vouchers, Cheese Club subscription). The portfolio is coordinated to support cheese pairing and gifting occasions, with products sourced in small batches from artisan producers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artisan Cheese Curated selection of artisan cheeses (including British cheeses) sourced from specialist suppliers such as Neal's Yard Dairy, sold individually for retail and gifting to individual consumers and businesses.
• Beer and Wine Curated beer and wine selection offered to pair with cheese, sold to retail customers through the shop and online.
• Cheese Club Subscription Recurring subscription service delivering curated cheese selections to individual subscribers on a scheduled basis, providing discovery and variety for cheese enthusiasts.
• Cheese Celebration Cakes Hand-made multi-tier cheese cakes prepared for celebrations, birthdays, weddings, and corporate events, sold as custom orders to consumers and businesses.
• Gifts and Hampers Pre-assembled and customizable cheese-themed gift hampers and gift vouchers for individual and corporate gifting occasions.
• Larder Items Selection of pantry accompaniments (biscuits, chutneys, preserves, and similar accompaniments) sold to complement cheese purchases.
• Dairy and Bakery Products Selection of dairy products and bakery items sold alongside cheese to retail customers in-store and online.
• Corporate Events and Tastings Cheese-focused corporate tastings, events, and catering services provided to businesses for client entertainment, staff events, and brand activations.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Neal's Yard DairycoreOthersSupplier relationship for dairy products. The Cheeseboard sources Crème fraîche and other dairy items from Neal's Yard Dairy.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Waitrose: UK premium supermarket with a large instore cheese counter, online grocery delivery, hampers, and corporate gifting. Operates broadly across grocery including a deep cheese assortment; competes with The Cheeseboard for premium cheese and gifting spend but does not specialize in artisan-only cheese.
• Selfridges Food Hall: Premium UK department store with a curated Food Hall featuring artisan cheeses, hampers, and gifting, plus online ordering. Comparable on premium/curated positioning and cheese/gifting assortment, but as part of a much wider luxury retail portfolio rather than a cheese specialist.
• Marks & Spencer Foodhall: Major UK retailer with a large dedicated cheese counter, online grocery, hampers, and celebration/wedding cheese cake services. Directly overlaps with The Cheeseboard on cheese, gifting, and cheese celebration cakes but as a much broader food retailer rather than a cheese specialist.

Direct peers

• Androuet: Specialist French fromagerie with London shops and a UK-wide online store selling artisan and AOC French cheeses, plus cheesemongering classes and cheese celebration cakes. Comparable to The Cheeseboard on cheese specialization, premium/curated positioning, classes/events, and celebration cake offering.
• Paxton & Whitfield: One of the UK's oldest cheesemongers (founded 1797) selling artisan British and European cheeses through high-street shops and a national online store, plus gift hampers and cheese wedding cakes. Closely comparable on assortment, target customer, gifting/celebration cake line, and omnichannel model.
• Neal's Yard Dairy: London-based specialist retailer and wholesaler of British artisan cheeses with physical shops and a national e-commerce delivery service. Directly comparable to The Cheeseboard on product (artisan British/European cheese), customer (individual consumers and trade), and channel mix (retail + online). Neal's Yard Dairy is also a documented supplier to The Cheeseboard.
• The Fine Cheese Co. Bath-based specialist cheesemonger with a flagship shop, café, and a strong national e-commerce and wholesale business selling artisan cheeses, hampers, biscuits, and accompaniments. Comparable on product focus, gifting/hampers, and multi-channel retail/wholesale model.
• La Fromagerie: London-based cheese shops (Marylebone and Highbury) and online retailer specializing in artisan British and European cheeses, plus café/deli service, hampers, and cheese celebration cakes. Highly comparable in assortment, premium positioning, Greenwich-adjacent London geography, and gifting/wedding cake revenue lines.

Emerging players

• Cheese Express: UK-based online cheesemonger offering next-day delivery of British and European artisan cheeses, hampers, and cheese subscriptions. Directly comparable to The Cheeseboard on e-commerce artisan cheese, Cheese Club–style subscriptions, and UK-wide delivery, but without a physical retail shop.
• Forman & Field: UK online specialist food retailer selling premium British artisan cheeses, smoked fish, and hampers direct-to-consumer. Comparable to The Cheeseboard on D2C artisan cheese and gifting/hampers, but pure-play online with no physical shop.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CheeseboardUK

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Cheeseboard