6 Best Cheese Departments at Major Grocery Chains in 2023

By Ghuman

Introduction

Welcome to the world of cheese! In 2023, major grocery chains have some of the best cheese departments around. From specialty cheeses to everyday favorites, these stores have something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a unique cheese to impress your guests or just a simple snack, these stores have you covered. Here are the six best cheese departments at major grocery chains in 2023.

6 Best Cheese Departments at Major Grocery Chains in 2023

Cheese is a beloved food item that can be found in many grocery stores. In 2023, there are some major grocery chains that have particularly impressive cheese departments. Here are the six best cheese departments at major grocery chains in 2023.

1. Whole Foods

Whole Foods is known for its wide selection of organic and natural foods, and its cheese department is no exception. The store offers a variety of cheeses from around the world, including artisanal and specialty cheeses. The store also has a knowledgeable staff that can help customers find the perfect cheese for their needs.

2. Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s is a great place to find a wide selection of cheeses at an affordable price. The store offers a variety of domestic and imported cheeses, as well as a selection of vegan and lactose-free options. The store also has a knowledgeable staff that can help customers find the perfect cheese for their needs.

3. Kroger

Kroger is a great place to find a wide selection of cheeses at an affordable price. The store offers a variety of domestic and imported cheeses, as well as a selection of vegan and lactose-free options. The store also has a knowledgeable staff that can help customers find the perfect cheese for their needs.

4. Safeway

Safeway is a great place to find a wide selection of cheeses at an affordable price. The store offers a variety of domestic and imported cheeses, as well as a selection of vegan and lactose-free options. The store also has a knowledgeable staff that can help customers find the perfect cheese for their needs.

5. Publix

Publix is a great place to find a wide selection of cheeses at an affordable price. The store offers a variety of domestic and imported cheeses, as well as a selection of vegan and lactose-free options. The store also has a knowledgeable staff that can help customers find the perfect cheese for their needs.

6. Walmart

Walmart is a great place to find a wide selection of cheeses at an affordable price. The store offers a variety of domestic and imported cheeses, as well as a selection of vegan and lactose-free options. The store also has a knowledgeable staff that can help customers find the perfect cheese for their needs.

America’s cheese business is booming. According to Statista, 6.35 million metric tons of cheese were produced in the United States in 2022, making it the highest recorded number since 2013. Unsurprisingly, Wisconsin—nicknamed America’s Dairyland—leads the states in total cheese production with California close behind.

Many of the nation’s top grocery chains are putting increased emphasis on their cheese offerings, too, with companies like Whole Foods hiring a global cheese expert and Kroger purchasing the famous New York City cheese shop Murray’s Cheese.

That’s why we rounded up six grocery chains with top-tier cheese departmentsso that your weekly charcuterie board is always on point.

RELATED: 6 Grocery Chains With the Best Bakery Departments

wegmans exterior
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Wegmans sources artisanal cheeses from around the world and even has its own 12,300-square-foot cheese aging-facility with seven “ripening rooms” to properly nurture the selections before they hit store shelves, according to the grocer’s website. The effort is getting results: Wegmans’ unique washed-rind cheese, Sake 2 Me, made with Japanese rice wine, won a bronze medal at the World Cheese Competition in 2019. “Best cheese I ever had,” one Redditor raved of the grocer’s selection, describing it as “reasonably priced” and “a great assortment.”

whole foods market exterior
Philip Arno Photography / Shutterstock.

Whole Foods has 300 certified cheese professionals in stores, not even counting the hired cheesemongers. According to the grocery store’s website, customers are allowed to sample the cheese, cut any size needed, and can custom order a cheese platter. The site Cheese Professor ranked the Cypress Grove Midnight Moon and Roth Buttermilk Blue are some of the chain’s best offerings.

ALDI
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Aldi cheeses have somewhat of a cult following. The discount grocer developed its own store-brand Happy Farms, which provides cultured dairy products without added hormones, according to National Milk Producers Federation’s Real Seal site. Reddit users are big fans of the chain’s grated gouda, vintage Irish cheddar, and cranberry white cheddar. Aldi offers dozens of selections, and you can grab many of the specialty items on Instacart.

trader joe's storefront
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If you’re a regular Trader Joe’s shopper, then you probably know all about the specialty grocer’s tasty cheese section. One noted cheese expert commended the grocery chain for its vast sheep’s milk cheese selection, according to Business Insider. Trader Joe’s has carried innovative products from pizza bread cheese to a triple cream brie cheese with green peppercorns in addition to the classics, including burrata, blue cheese, cheddar, and more. America’s Test Kitchen also rated the store’s best cheeses, with a customer favorite being the Unexpected Cheddar.

Stew Leonard's
Miro Vrlik Photography / Shutterstock

Anyone who lives in New England knows about Stew Leonard’s. The regional supermarket chain creates its own line of dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and the most important of them all—specialty cheeses. Stew Leonard’s makes fresh, house-made mozzarella daily at its location in Norwalk, Conn., which carries the title of “world’s largest dairy store,” awarded by Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

kroger storefront
Joni Hanebutt/Shutterstock

Kroger partnered with New York City’s renowned Murray’s Cheese shop for years before fully acquiring the company in 2017. The grocery chain now operates over 1,000 in-store cheese shops under the Murray’s banner, each offering over 150 styles of cheese. “Went to a new grocery store and found heaven I think,” one Redditor gushed after stumbling upon one of the Kroger-Murray’s cheese counter and posting a photo, adding: “this isn’t even a 1/3 of the entire selection.”

Olivia Bria

Olivia has a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science from the University of Connecticut. She is a foodie, traveler, journalist, and celebrity interviewer. Read more about Olivia