Whole Foods Market adds 40 new Certified Cheese Professionals

Whole Foods Market last week announced that it was adding 40 new Certified Cheese Professionals (CCPs) to its roster, bringing the supermarket’s total to more than 370. 

CCP is a designation granted by the American Cheese Society. The exam is comprehensive of the cheese industry, including production techniques, ripening processes, distribution, and storage, and is the highest certification the society offers. There are over 1,000 CCPs worldwide; more than a quarter of those work for Whole Foods.

“The American Cheese Society’s CCP designation is the crème de la crème for cheese professionals,” said Cathy Strange, Whole Foods’ ambassador of food culture. “It’s an incredible asset not only for our team but also for our customers, who trust Whole Foods Market to offer the highest quality products and serve as a resource in specialty categories from cheese to wine and beyond.”

In addition to months of studying, preparation for the CCP exam includes training in Wisconsin, with the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research.

“This certification represents the commitment and dedication of our cheesemongers to delivering the best experience for our customers,” said Kim Dunn, senior category merchant of specialty cheese and CCP program lead for Whole Foods. “We are thrilled to see so many of our team members continue to deepen their expertise and grow within our company.”

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Whole Foods CCPs use their cheese knowledge to help customers choose both local and global cheeses. Beyond cheese, Whole Foods offers team member apprentice programs in butchering, bakery decorating, produce, and pizza making. 

Austin-based Whole Foods, owned by Amazon, has more than 530 stores in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.