The cheesemaker behind Plateau Berger in Ixelles and La Petite Vache in Saint-Josse has launched the very first e-shop specialising in raclette, offering a bicycle delivery service throughout the Brussels-Capital Region, La Capital reports.
As winter approaches, more Belgians are wanting warm, comforting and convivial meals to get them through the colder nights, and Julie Moulia, a local cheesemaker and owner of three cheese shops in Brussels, has found the solution: the Raclette Shop. Customers can order raclette and have it delivered to their home or office across the Region.
"Many people still don't come into cheese shops because it can be intimidating. We want to democratise cheese and put it on every table, for all ages and all social groups," Raclette Shop founder, Julie Moulia, told La Capital.
From the beginning of her career, Moulia wanted to offer quality raclette cheese and showcase the skills of local artisans. Raclette is a traditional Swiss dish, so she works with both local and Haute-Savoie producers. "This cheese traditionally comes from mountain pastures, where the animals live in good conditions and eat local hay, which is in line with our values."
Several Brussels neighbourhoods do not have cheese shops. "The idea is to deliver to them where they are, thanks to Urbike. So if you are planning to invite friends over one evening during the week or at the weekend, you will need to place your order before 11:00 and it will be delivered by 15:00 that same day.
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Launched just a fortnight ago, the Raclette Shop is already a huge success. "We are really pleased with the response, because it is the first time that we have offered this service. We are getting around five orders a day, which is already very good news," the founder said.
When it comes to choice, there's something for everyone. The Raclette Shop offers 12 different cheeses, and sometimes exclusive products. "It depends on the season, because there is an 8-week maturing period. We work with rarity, and we have to get our customers used to living with the seasons, for vegetables as well as for cheese".
The Raclette Shop's prices are very similar to those in the supermarkets, usually costing between €6.50 and €8 for one person. Delivery is free with the first order, and costs €4.95 thereafter. "We really want to bring cheese into your home," Moulia concludes.
