We meet Verity Cowling, who operates The Cheese Hut at Basin Road in Brighton.
Stocking over 120 different artisan cheeses from Sussex and across Great Britain, The Cheese Hut is a haven for cheese enthusiasts. Verity shares her journey of joining the business and provides insights into their most popular cheeses, including the creamy Sussex Brie and the robust Brighton Blue.
Her passion for local produce shines through, making The Cheese Hut a must-visit for anyone looking to explore the rich variety of Sussex cheeses.
What is the best thing about working at The Cheese Hut?
Meeting our lovely customers and getting the chance to try all the amazing cheeses.
How many cheese producers are there in Sussex that you work with?
We currently work with 9 Sussex Producers.
What are the 3 most important things at The Cheese Hut when it comes to the customer experience?
A warm welcome, a chance to try new and different cheeses each week and also offering a good variety of choice.
Tell us a little bit about your career journey?
I worked at a bank for most of my working life until I had children then worked in a school. When the opportunity arose for me to support my husband at The Cheese Man by opening The Cheese Hut, I jumped at the chance.
What are the positives and negatives in working in a family run business?
The positives are that we are working towards the same goal. As for negatives, apart from talking about work at home, there aren’t any really.
How did the idea for The Cheese Hut about, what inspired the business?
The wholesale side of the business, The Cheese Man, moved to larger premises that were big enough to open the shop as well.
What do you sell at The Cheese Hut ?
We have a large selection of Sussex cheeses as well as British and continental cheeses.
We also stock lots of other products such as charcuterie, chutneys, olives and wafers.
Which cheeses are the customers enjoying? Name your top 3.
Its hard to choose just three but I would say;
- Blue Clouds-a mild creamy blue made in Balcombe
- Pevensey Blue -a creamy sweet blue made in East Sussex
- Golden Cross -a silky textured goats cheese with a light charcoal finish made in Holmes Hill, Sussex.
Which venues in Sussex do you enjoy eating at?
We always have great experiences at Etch in Hove and Sylvan Oak in Findon.
Where would you like to go and eat next?
I’d really love to try The Burnt Orange.
What has been your biggest challenge?
We had to adapt the business to get through Covid but managed to stay open and trading throughout lockdown.