Welcome to the blog of the Rehoboth Beach Cheese Company. Pull up a bar stool and experience our Counter Culture!

I'm Andy Meddick, Owner and President of the Rehoboth Beach Cheese Company. In 2005, I left my corporate I.T. job in Washington DC, to relocate with my spouse's business to the DE beaches. What to do now we live in a state where chicken houses can often outnumber human? Faced with a four hour round trip to the closest decent food market, I opened my first store, Good For You Market, a full service grocery store, focusing on organic, natural, and gourmet foods. In the worst economy since the 1930s, I won Best of Delaware awards three years running. After four years, I decided to simplify the business, re-aligning to focus on what we did best. The result is the Rehoboth Beach Cheese Company. We sell (retail and wholesale) artisan/farmstead cheeses, charcuterie, organic produce,and other specialty foods such as spices and seasonings. We also teach cheese classes, cater, sell online, and consult with other businesses to build their cheese programs.

I've learned much since starting out. For example, staffing was a steep learning curve, and I discovered that a savvy sales and marketing professional lay dormant in an I.T. geek! Systems analysis, business analysis, database design and development, data architecture, web design, specialty cheeses and foods, organic farming, catering, and cooking. What do all these threads have in common? Curiosity! It begets technique, which in turn begets better solutions to commond needs. Why complain about lack of choice, if you're not willing to offer an alternative? Our move, and my business development has taught me to participate in life, and to be ever curious! Enjoy!

Aug 9, 2011

Tuesday, August 09, 2011  Andy - The Big Cheese, Rehoboth Beach Cheese Company  No comments

I just got back from 4 days in beautiful Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I was the sole attendee from Delaware attending the American Cheese Society 2011 Awards and Conference. While it's good to be first, ultimately it's not good to be the only!

Another slightly embarrassing fact - there are only two (count us!) members of the American Cheese Society from Delaware. Delaware Economic Development Office, Delaware Department of Agriculture, and, Delaware Department of Tourism, pay attention!

Readers - did you know membership (and conference attendance) is open not just to cheese/specialty food professionals, but also to the general public? The membership fees are very reasonable, and if you're a fan of good cheese/authentic foods, please join ACS. More of that in another blog posting.

Anyways, since I've gotten back I'm busy catching up with orders, e-mails, 'phone calls to return, deadlines, a website upgrade and performance tuning project, and the August board meeting of Slow Food Delmarva. Also I have a project getting of the ground to raise seed monies and operating capital for our new retail storefront, financial markets are in a panicked free fall, our eldest dog is sick, and spouse is running for Mayor of our town - Rehoboth Beach. Elections are this Saturday, August 13 - please come out and vote to Change The Tone, Vote McGlone! It's a busy time, to say the least!

While I'm still absorbing this wonderful conference (check out my flair - to the right!), and how I can translate my experiences there to support a cheese industry on Delmarva, I wanted to post a quick, informal overview of the Top Ten Things I Learned at ACS Awards and Conference 2011. I'll post a more serious summary of my conference experience later in the week. With the turmoil in the financial worlds this week, we all need a touch of levity. So, step away from the 401K statement, grab a chunk of cheese, a beverage of choice, and read on!

Drum roll please! Clear throat, you're on!

Top Ten Things I Learned at ACS 2011, Montreal


10. Pepsin spoken with a French accent sounds confusingly like Pepsi.
9. Cheese makers are a really fun, cool bunch! Thanks for hanging with us cheese mongers, retailers, suppliers, distributors/wholesalers, educators, and caseophiles. We would not be here without you.
8. Montréal, je t'aime!
7. 17,000lbs of cheese were used at the conference.
6. It is possible to eat one’s body weight in cheese in 4 days! I implemented my own round of Quantitative Cheesing!
5. 1,676 North American Cheeses were submitted for judging, plus cultured milk products, taking two days to process Canadian customs and government inspection. My hands and jaw are still aching from all the clapping and broad grinning at the awards ceremony.
4. Flocculation can be discussed in front of one’s grandmother, for floc's sake!
3. Cleavage is finally of interest to me!
2. Quebec, Ontario, and Wisconsin. I’m sorry - I had no idea the variety of your artisanal cheeses. You have my respect forever. Quebec, Ontario, et Wisconsin.  je suis désolé - je n'ai eu aucune idée la variété de vos fromages artisanaux. Vous avez mon respect pour toujours.
1. ACS – what a great organization blessed with dedicated people working hard on our behalf. Your membership fee and conference fees are a really good deal! Please join ACS and get involved on a volunteer basis. You have no idea what it takes to get heritage and artisanal foods on our plates!


C'est ça! Au revoir! A bientôt! 

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