Murray's Cheese and Kroger Team Members Earn the American Cheese Society's Certified Cheese Professional Credential

Members of The Kroger Co. and Murray's Cheese have been named Certified Cheese Professionals by the American Cheese Society (ACS). The 29 ACS CCPs from The Kroger Co. and Murray's Cheese are part of an elite group of 155 individuals who passed the 6th ACS Certified Cheese Professional Exam on July 27 in Des Moines, Iowa. ACS CCPs now total 740 individuals in the United States, Canada and Europe.

The ACS Certified Cheese Professional Exam is the first and only exam of its kind. It was launched by the ACS in 2012 to encourage high standards of comprehensive cheese knowledge and service for all areas of the industry. Testing encompasses a broad range of topics, including raw ingredients, the cheesemaking process, storing and handling cheese, marketing and communications, nutrition, regulations and sanitation.

"We congratulate these individuals on this tremendous professional accomplishment. We are incredibly proud of the cheese professionals who have earned the designation of Certified Cheese Professional," says Nora Weiser, executive director of the American Cheese Society. "The level of understanding and professionalism that ACS CCPs bring to the industry benefits everyone from the cheesemaker to the consumer, and elevates an already thriving artisan cheese industry to an entirely new level."

"I'm so proud of our new CCPs for their dedication and thankful to Kroger for their support of our team members across the country," says Rob Kaufelt, Murray's Cheese owner and president. "The ACS has taken tremendous steps to create opportunities for growth and enhancement among cheese professionals. It's truly rewarding and we're all grateful for this recognition."

This year's Certified Cheese Professionals from Kroger and Murray's Cheese are:

Audrey Aponte of Murray's Cheese in New York City; Nathan Larsen of Kroger in Columbus, Ohio; Jean Bollinger of Kroger in Cincinnati; Stephen Lindley of Murray's Cheese in New York; Janice Bonner of Kroger, Nashville, Tenn.; Becky Nawrocki of Murray's Cheese in New York; Lisa Calkins of Fry's in Phoenix; Wendy Reichenbach of Ralph's in Los Angeles; Christine Clark of Murray's Cheese in New York; Spencer Riggan of Fred Meyer in Battleground, Wash.; Liam Devlin of QFC in Kirkland, Wash.; Ezekial Rodriguez of King Soopers in Littleton, Colo.; Zach England of King Soopers in Littleton, Colo.; Patrick Rooney of Dillons in Wichita, Kan.; Chad Farmer Davis of Kroger in Cincinnati; Diane Rudolph of Kroger in Atlanta; Ashley Fisher of Fred Meyer in Portland, Ore.; Sabrina Simpson of Murray's Cheese in New York; Adam Goddu of Murray's Cheese in New York; Timothy Stauffer of QFC in Kirkland, Wash.; Denise Graziani of Kroger in Michigan; Meghan Stone of Kroger in Cincinnati; Daniel Helm of Kroger in Louisville, Ky.; Greg Trevino of Fred Meyer in Fairbanks, Alaska; Seth Johnson of King Soopers in Littleton, Colo.; Douglas Vaughn of Kroger in Cincinnati; Sara Knickerbocker of Dillons in Wichita, Kan.; and Marta Zubar of Kroger in Michigan.