Wegmans Food Markets will begin full operations at its new cheese caves that mimic the environments of famed cheese caves in Europe, where many of the world’s most prized cheeses are ripened to reach their richest flavor.
Wegmans’ high-tech cheese caves are believed to be the first such facility among supermarket chains in America, and in time could become a “game-changer” in how artisanal cheeses in America are finished and distributed for sale, Wegmans said in a statement.
The 12,300-square-foot building houses a Brie room and seven “caves” where soft cheeses such as Camembert and washed-rind cheeses such as Bourbon-Washed Pie d’Angloys will be coaxed into splendid flavor. Eight different types of cheese can be ripened simultaneously in the facility. Each “cave” is between 185 to 200 square feet and houses only one type of cheese at a time, so the flora from one type never mixes with that of another. Temperatures and relative humidity are controlled separately for each cave, and a generator assures continuous power in case of a power failure.
For customers, the chief benefit will be a consistent level of product quality that was previously unattainable, according to Cathy Gaffney, director of specialty cheeses, deli and kosher deli for Wegmans, operator of 83 supermarkets in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts. “Our customers will get a cheese that’s absolutely perfect, with the taste and texture they prefer, every time,” she said. “Building the cheese caves lets us take our commitment to customers who enjoy premium, artisanal cheese to the next level. In the last 10 years, the interest customers have shown in the world’s best cheeses has grown phenomenally. Many have traveled abroad, tasted the best, and want that kind of enjoyment available at home.”
Each cave’s climate is also controlled separately, allowing the affinage (the French term for this ripening process) to occur within specific ranges of temperatures and relative humidity required for different cheeses. “Affinage, however, involves much more than precise climate control. Patient, labor-intensive rituals that can include turning, brushing, washing and spritzing each cheese wheel with solutions of brine, alcohol or other ingredients may also be called for,” Gaffney said. Affinage, she added, is like a recipe of steps to follow toward creating perfection in each wheel of cheese.
Wegmans’ Cheese Caves will house only soft cheeses such as Prestige de Bourgogne and washed-rind cheeses such as Epoisses or Bourbon-Washed Pie d’Angloys. Hard cheeses – such as Italy’s Parmigiano-Reggiano, for example – are fully aged before shipping and survive the trip in excellent condition, so they don’t need an affineur’s care when they arrive in the U.S., Gaffney explained.
Soft-ripened and washed-rind cheeses don’t travel well, however, so they are partially ripened for a few weeks or months in the country of origin, and then chilled to retard further development during shipping. When the under-ripe cheeses arrive in the U.S., they need additional care for a few days or weeks under ideal conditions for their full flavor to develop. Few specialty cheese retailers in the U.S. have aging facilities, or an experienced affineur, to bring out the best in each wheel of cheese being ripened – two things that Wegmans said will set its Cheese Caves apart.
Eric Meredith is the affineur who will oversee ripening at the new facility. She is a trained chef and registered dietitian who learned the art of affinage from one of the world’s most celebrated affineurs, Hervé Mons.
“The bigger picture is that we’re moving in a direction more like the way Europe’s best affineurs, like Hervé Mons, conduct business,” Gaffney explained. “Mons buys young cheeses from dairy farmers, finishes them and then sells to retail outlets. We’re actively building partnerships with artisanal cheesemakers that will help them focus on the early stages of making cheese – producing outstanding young cheeses. They can let us deal with the later stages – finishing cheese, marketing it to consumers and getting it to where it’s sold.”
Separately, Wegmans and Cornell University have created a pilot program that will help more artisanal cheesemakers in the state of New York develop the expertise they need to create world-class products. Earlier this year, Wegmans made a $360,000 gift to Cornell in support of that pilot program.
