Cheese Specialist (Cheesemonger)

About the role

Fresh Thyme Market, part of Meijer, is looking for a Cheese Specialist (Cheesemonger) to act as the in-store expert for its Cheese Shoppe. The role supports the pillars of quality and experience by helping and educating customers about cheese, delivering excellent product knowledge, efficient service and a friendly attitude.

Key responsibilities

• Know natural cheeses well, handle them properly when cutting and wrapping, label them, rotate stock and stock cases according to established schematics, and watch for outdated, close-dated or spoiled items.
• Tell customers about product attributes, uses and serving suggestions, and influence cross-departmental purchases.
• Complete supplier orders, receive and inspect shipments for accuracy, watch for short-life or damaged goods and check shipment temperatures.
• Operate equipment such as scales, knives, cheese wires, wrappers, pallet jacks and hand trucks.
• Keep work areas, storage areas and display cases clean, walk the cases often to keep them organized and attractive, and make sure scale tags and case signage are correct.
• Follow Health Department standards and guidelines for food handling.
• Manage the department schedule, training, hiring, coaching and complete competitive shop tasks.

Required profile

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 2+ years of retail experience, preferably working with cheese.
• Knowledge and passion for cheese specialization (brands, varieties, pairings, textures, origins, tastes) preferred; culinary or cheese education is a plus.
• Ability to stand for long periods and to lift, carry, push, pull, bend and twist while handling product.

Required skills

• Advanced merchandising and product recommendation skills.
• Ability to build rapport with customers quickly and create repeat business.
• High level of customer service.

What we offer

• Pay range of $16.05 - $25.15, depending on experience and qualifications.
• Weekly pay, scheduling flexibility and career growth opportunities.
• Paid parental leave and a team member discount.
• Benefits for full-time members including medical, dental and life insurance, plus a 401(k) with employer match and an employee assistance program.