France 2030
Challenge Lycées Agricoles
#MétierDuLait – Fatima Rezgui, Supermarket cheese counter manager
What is involved in managing the cheese counter for a large supermarket retailer? Fatima Rezgui has 23 years of experience in the role. Passionate about her job, she shares her daily life on social networks with the hashtag #Mesfoliesfromageres. For France Terre de Lait, she looks back on her career to date, her responsibilities and enthusiasm for the job.
Hello Fatima, could you briefly introduce yourself to the readers?
Absolutely! I’m Fatima Rezgui, I’m 44 years old and have been a cheesemonger at Auchan for 23 years. I am now manager of the cheese counter in a store in Paris.
How did you become a cheesemonger and what is your background to date?
Fatima Rezgui: I came to cheese almost by accident as I can honestly say there was no ‘cheese culture’ in my family! When I was studying for my exams, I specialised in commerce and decided to focus on the supermarket sector, and completed my first placement in fresh produce, in the cheese and cream section. It was quite an eye-opener. I really fell in love with dairy produce, and a career which for me is a way of discovering and sharing new things on a daily basis.
Practically speaking, what does the work of cheese counter manager in a large supermarket retailer entail?
Fatima Rezgui : It’s a job involving a wide variety of roles working with a broad range of people! Depending on the day, I work shifts, either from 6am – 1pm or 2.30pm – 9.30pm, with a 30-minute break. As section manager, I am more likely to work the morning shift, so I can handle deliveries and replenishing stock, but I might also close up at the end of the day, like the rest of the team. In all, there are 12 of us working on the cheese-charcuterie-rotisserie-snack counter, headed up by a manager and an assistant manager, though I am the only one specialising exclusively on cheese. I liaise daily with suppliers and the central buying department to provide my customers with the best references and stand-out products – such as a Comté aged for 36 months or a Morbier refined for 130 days. Food safety and traceability are also part of my job. And of course, there is the customer relations! Getting to know the customers, responding to their tastes and preferences, but introducing them to new products too, all the while sharing my passion for cheese and knowledge. It’s really satisfying; it’s so rewarding when a customer comes to thank me when they really enjoyed a particular cheese!
What do you like most about your job and this particular sector?
Fatima Rezgui: So many things! I love working on the displays and the creativity involved in pulling the cheese boards together, to attract customers’ attention and make the retail experience special. It’s also a job where we are learning all the time, especially in the multiple retail sector where there are many training opportunities. In 2017, as a direct result of my experience with Auchan, I successfully passed my BTS diploma in management of commercial units, and 12 months ago was able to take a professional qualification as ‘cheese seller’, from the l’institut de formation de cremiers-fromagers (an educational establishment specialising in dairy). Over the course of six months, I was able to visit French PDO cheeses in locations including Epoisses, Roquefort and Maroilles. It was a hands-on, fully immersive experience that I would recommend to anyone working in the cheese sector. It was also a real boost from a practical perspective, providing the information and knowledge to communicate to my customers the know-how and work that goes into each cheese.
How do you see the next stage of your career?
Fatima Rezgui : I have been in this profession for 23 years now and I’m not about to leave any time soon! I want to continue to develop and pass on my passion and knowledge to the younger generations, maybe moving into training. This would also give me the opportunity to change the perceptions of multiple retail and show that we are just as important within the cheese sector as a small shop.
What advice would you give to someone considering the same profession?
Fatima Rezgui : I would really encourage on the job training alongside those who have a passion for the profession. Everyone working in the cheese sector is very friendly, approachable and keen to share their knowledge and enthusiasm. It’s a job where there is a lot to learn, and where you can meet many different people. Be curious, challenge yourself and you’ll soon become hooked, because, cheese is, above all, about enjoyment!
«Getting to know the customers, responding to their tastes and preferences, but introducing them to new products too, all the while sharing my passion for cheese and knowledge. It’s really satisfying; it’s so rewarding when a customer comes to thank me when they really enjoyed a particular cheese! »
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