MADISON, WIS. – Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) conducted a study of what Mike Edge, the group’s marketing director, called the shopper journey of heavy specialty cheese buyers.

The non-profit organization characterized a heavy specialty cheese buyer as a shopper who spends more on cheese in general and allocates more of that spend to specialty cheese.

The study found that six in 10 of such consumers think the specialty cheese case has “a major impact” on their overall perception of a store’s quality.

Additionally, DFW’s study discovered that once shoppers are in a store, 92% actively seek out information in the specialty cheese section, 75% notice signage and wayfinding, and almost 40% seek out cross-merchandising — resulting in 65% purchasing complementary items.

“To capitalize on this knowledge, we recommend increasing wayfinding and simplifying the cheese selection process,” Edge said. “Shoppers primarily search by specialty cheese type/variety, followed by recognizable packaging and brand.”

An easy shopping journey with sampling opportunities can exponentially impact specialty cheese sales, Edge added.

The specialty area can potentially drive traffic, as most customers (77%) are willing to go out of their way to find a specialty cheese they want.

Cross-merchandising is also a winner, with almost 40% noticing and seeking out cross-merchandising, and 65% buying other products to go with their cheese.