Cathy Strange: An Icon of the Industry

Strange has helped elevate specialty cheese retail while setting new industry standards.

Photos Courtesy Whole Foods Market

As Whole Foods Market’s Ambassador of Food Culture, Cathy Strange brings decades of experience to the role. Formerly the company’s vice president of specialty foods and adult beverage, her expertise includes serving as the retail chain’s global cheese buyer.

In her current role, Strange remains deeply connected to the cheese industry. A member of the American Cheese Society (ACS), she previously served as the organization’s president and on its board of directors. She also serves as chair and ambassador of the prestigious French association of cheesemongers and cheese specialists, Guilde Internationale des Fromagers, representing the U.S., Australia, Canada and Mexico.

In recognition of her contributions to the industry, Strange has been awarded the French Order of Agricultural Merit and is the only American and non-Italian to receive the Coltellino d’Oro from the Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Strange is also a board member of the Oldways Cheese Coalition, the Cheese Importers Association, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Slow Food USA, and served as past president of Les Dames d’Escoffier’s Austin Chapter.

With her extensive cheese expertise, Strange has traveled the world judging for the World Championship Cheese Contest, the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, the World Cheese Awards, the American Cheese Society competition, the British Cheese Awards, and is one of six international judges for the Casello d’Oro of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Cheese Connoisseur had the honor of speaking with Strange about her background, impressive career and all things cheese.

CC: Tell me about how you became one of the cheese industry’s most well-known figures.

CS: I was born in New York, lived in Germany for a bit, but grew up in Fayetteville, NC. I majored in education at the University of North Carolina in the late ‘70s, and played college athletics: basketball for four years, volleyball for three years, and softball and tennis for one year. I took a job at Florida State University as a physical trainer, then worked at the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Around that time, I decided to move back to North Carolina to be closer to my mother while she was ill. A college athlete friend happened to be managing an Italian restaurant in Durham, and she asked me to oversee the wine program.

This created an opportunity for me to work for an amazing restaurant while also being there for my mother, and that’s when I fell in love with food. At that time, there was not much happening in the food world. There was no Food Network, and it wasn’t until ‘94 that I picked up my first copy of The Art of Eating.

During my work in Durham, I met Mary Booth, and we became quick friends. She introduced me to people who shared our passion for food and broadened my horizons in the industry. After the restaurant was sold, I wanted to maintain my knowledge of wine vintages.

Booth recommended I pursue a job at Wellspring Grocery, a specialty store in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park area where I grew up. Wellspring’s cheese selection rivaled stores like Dean & DeLuca’s and Balducci’s, making it a destination for specialty foods. I joined Wellspring part time in 1991, the same year Whole Foods Market was acquiring companies ahead of its IPO.

So, I started my cheese career working for this very specialized grocer, which was founded by Lex Alexander, who had a passion for the highest quality products, like Ari Weinzweig from Zingerman’s. We had Neal’s Yard Dairy cheese 32 years ago. We had the best produce from the area. We just had the best of everything.

With Whole Foods Market acquiring us, we brought this unique capability of bringing in the highest quality products that weren’t out of a cooperative-style environment. It was a really great blend and collaborative vision to grow the business.

Working at Wellspring Grocery when Whole Foods Market purchased it and went public was a fortunate circumstance.
I desired more knowledge, and I knew the stores were always about the highest quality and getting better every day. I wanted to increase the standard and create a new environment for cheese, and I was able to do that through Whole Foods Market.

Becoming fast friends with people who have lived and traveled abroad is the basis of my journey.

CC: Discuss the highlights of your career and how the industry has evolved.

CS: Working at Wellspring and meeting Lex Alexander was a highlight, as well as meeting Randolph Hodgson, founder of Neal’s Yard Dairy.

I went from working part time to full time and moved to Washington, D.C., to open a new generation of Whole Foods Market stores under the Bread & Circus name. When I worked at Chapel Hill, it was Whole Foods Market’s 11th location. Today, the company has expanded to more than 550 stores.

Then I became a coordinator for Whole Foods on the East Coast, covering the Mid-Atlantic region from New Jersey to Florida. At the time, the East Coast was a hotbed for emerging food trends. In 2001, I stepped into a global role as the Global Cheese Buyer, which gave me the opportunity to work on an international scale.

“If you taste a cheese and remember it, that puts it ahead of the pack because it creates a lasting impression. You don’t need another bite. That’s what separates a good cheese from a great one.”

— Cathy Strange

Another high point was being on the board of ACS and being elected president in the early 2000s. We hosted the ACS conference in D.C. during that time, and it was a highlight to show what Whole Foods Market did. This included things like standards around animal welfare and showing cheeses that don’t have chemicals sprayed on them, as well as using no artificial hormones in our cow’s milk cheeses.

There was a time when the use of synthetic hormones was widely acceptable. When we took the step to eliminate them and advocate for animal welfare, I was booed off the stage.

As part of our focus on cheese quality and auditing, we collaborated with industry organizations, including the California Milk Advisory Board, the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, and Cornell University, which helped support those initiatives.

We brought in important products not available in the U.S. at that time, like Le Gruyère. The Parmigiano Reggiano program was built around hand selection, and I’m proud of it.

Whole Foods Market’s team members are respected for their knowledge; we sent 100 team members to the first ACS Certified Cheese Professional Exam.

CC: When evaluating an artisan cheesemaker, what specific elements stand out to you first?

CS: We are beyond the days of certified product being enough to make it a part of the assortment. Products also must taste great. From there, I ask questions to understand how the cheese is made and whether its quality is consistent.

We also evaluate how well it travels and whether it reliably meets the cheesemaker’s own standards. About 60% of the time, the answer is no.

Building a partnership is about trust, but it’s also about confirming that the cheese consistently delivers on quality and flavor. If it doesn’t, there may be issues with the making process or animal care, and we’ll often work with the producer to help address those.

CC: Talk about the importance of promoting local cheesemakers.

CS: I think Whole Foods Market changed the American artisan industry by embracing local. When I first worked in North Carolina, there were only four cheesemakers, and there are now 35.

The local level of growth has been dynamic for the artisan cheese industry, and customers helped when they embraced U.S. artisan cheeses, so our timing and commitment were perfect.

We were the first to focus on local with our Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP), which is geared for small producers looking to grow. Whole Foods Market helps producers make more informed decisions, gain exposure, and build collaborative, long-term partnerships. We’re proud of the work we’ve done to champion local producers and sustainability — serving not just as a retailer, but as an advocate for the industry.

CC: What emerging cheese trends are you seeing?

CS: It hasn’t hit the U.S. yet, but countries like Japan have great cheesemakers. The varieties are hard to make over here.

Also, cheeses from Thailand and Taiwan are emerging. Donkey milk cheese from Spain did well when judged at the World Cheese Championships. And mixed-milk cheeses will have their day again. Now we segregate, but these will be back.

CC: How do strict European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) criteria compare to the evolving protections for American artisanal names?

CS: PDO is different from the U.S. Code of Regulations. A PDO designation relates to how a product is made and where it originates, whereas U.S. regulations are based on standards of identity and product categories.

Unfortunately, European PDO protections were not established as trademarks in the U.S., so terms are often used to describe a style rather than a protected designation, unlike wine appellations.

Given the size and scale of the U.S. — California alone is larger than many European countries — it would be limiting to apply the same framework. They’re really two different systems and aren’t directly comparable.

CC: What do you like best about the industry?

CS: The people are inspiring. They can be a millionaire or an intern just starting in the cheese business.

Andy and Mateo [Kehler, founders of Jasper Hill Farm] just wanted to bring dairy back to where they grew up. There are so many stories of perseverance since it’s not easy to make cheese.

It’s so different from many things. You’re dealing with animals and processing products. People want every cheese to be better because it reflects on all of us. And it’s a healthier product than people think.

CC: What are your favorite types of cheese?

CS: Whatever is in my refrigerator. Parmigiano Reggiano is so versatile. I love fresh goat cheeses where the milk is fresh.

I like sticky, gooey cheeses like Jasper Hill Farm’s Harbison or Blakesville Creamery. I tend to go from hard to fresh, but you will always find one of those in my fridge.

CC: What are your plans for the future?

CS: I love having the opportunity to work with women in the industry. I want to work more with a new generation of female farmers who have a high regard for animal welfare and are not afraid to take chances.

I also want to create a cheese museum that travels around the country. I mentioned this at the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Conference.

We are losing a generation of cheesemakers who are talented. In the future, I want to honor them and capture their voices to tell the story, not just in the U.S., but internationally.