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Ridiculous or genius? Meet the British man selling cheese to the Swiss

For most people the idea of selling cheese to the Swiss is seen as the equivalent of selling ice to an Eskimo, but not for Michael Jones, the British entrepreneur who has been successfully running a business selling artisan British cheese in Switzerland since 2007.

Ridiculous or genius? Meet the British man selling cheese to the Swiss
Michael Jones at his cheese Shop in Zurich. Photo: Tony Buijk

When Brit Michael Jones moved from London to Zurich, he saw the switch as the perfect opportunity to pursue his dream of working in the food industry.

After careful analysis of the Swiss retail market, Jones, the former marketing and graphics professional, and his now ex-wife, Astrid, decided to open up an online cheese shop that exclusively sells British cheese.

“The Swiss love cheese and chocolate and I don’t really like sweet things, so I thought I could sell cheese. The first thing I noticed was that no one was selling British cheese in Switzerland and that was it, I found a gap in the market,” Jones told The Local.

In its first year, the small business saw Jones importing 700 kilograms of cheese, what he calls “a slow start”. But in September 2010 the company saw considerable growth after opening a shopfront called The British Cheese Centre at the Markthalle Im Viadukt in Zurich, and now imports approximately 18,000 kilograms of cheese a year.  

“Markthalle is the best location for us. As soon as the physical store opened we quadrupled our sales overnight. People look for unusual specialities when they come to Markthalle and I can grab people and ask them to try my cheese, it’s a ‘free market’ in a sense,” said Jones. 

‘Why didn’t I think of that?’

Although The British Cheese Centre has become a popular, successful business in Zurich, people are still surprised by its success. 

“When I give talks to MBA programs and business colleges about my inspirational business Idea, I tell them that I sell cheese to Swiss people and everyone thinks it’s a ridiculous idea because Switzerland has so much cheese,” Jones laughs.

“But Britain is the largest producer of cheese, in terms of variety, and British cheese is so different from Swiss cheese and a lot of Swiss people want to try something different sometimes.”

“If I can convince one percent of Swiss people in Zurich to buy a small piece of cheese from me once a month then I have a good business,” he adds. “So when I explain that to business students, they say ‘yes, of course, why didn’t I think of that?!’” 

FIND A JOB: Browse thousands of English-language jobs in Switzerland

Godminster cheeder cheese. Photo: Issued

According to Jones, his best-selling cheese is an organic cheddar, called Godminster.

“Around seventy percent of our clients are Swiss and they love Godminster, it’s a modern style cheddar. My Swiss customers go crazy about it, they have never tasted anything like it and that’s the whole point of my cheese, it’s totally different from anything that’s made in Switzerland.”

Although Jones’ biggest obstacle has been mastering German, he has had no problem connecting with the locals.

“Even after ten years I still struggle with German. I can talk about food. I learnt Spanish as a child really well, but German is difficult for me. I always say to my Swiss customers I speak ‘Käse Deutsch’ (Cheese German) and they laugh,” he jokes. 

Focusing on the local market

Jones says that his advice to other entrepreneurs that are new to the market is to focus on the Swiss market, rather than the expat one.

“If you are a foreigner or immigrant, do not make the mistake of targeting the expat community, target the Swiss community. The Swiss community will spend more money on quality and they will be your most loyal customers.  

When you get a Swiss customer, who likes you and likes your products, they will sing your praise to everyone. They will be your ambassadors,” advises Jones.

Despite being a successful business owner, Jones is just happy to be following his passion and believes satisfying customers is much more important than making a massive profit.

“When you’re selling food to people, you’re making people happy,” he said. “You’re giving people cheese they have never tasted before, and every single day you get people walking away from your shop with a big smile on their face as they’re thinking ‘I have never tried anything like that before’ and that’s worth more than a million Francs.”

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What are the best ways to search for your next job in Switzerland?

Looking for a new job in Switzerland? We've put together some tips on where to search for that new role.

What are the best ways to search for your next job in Switzerland?

The good news is that, as a country that serves as a world centre of finance, pharmaceuticals, and research, Switzerland offers an environment very friendly to English speakers. Unlike some European countries, hiring is a flexible and open process. 

That said, some hints will help you in your Swiss job search. 

Know where to look 

Before beginning your job search, knowing where most of your industry’s jobs are is essential. 

As The Local Switzerland has previously discussed, Zurich is Switzerland’s financial capital, whereas most pharmaceutical players are based in Basel. 

The life sciences are concentrated in ‘Health Valley’, stretching from Geneva to Montreaux. 

Geneva, Zurich, Lausanne, Bern, Basel, and St Gallen also have large universities that employ many researchers from abroad. 

Knowing where jobs are based will allow you to concentrate your search, and give you the time to more fully research and understand the needs of particular companies.

READ MORE: Where are the jobs in Switzerland for English speakers?

Develop your Xing as well as your LinkedIn profile

Most job seekers within professional working environments will have a LinkedIn profile to share with prospective employers. 

Xing is also a significant player in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, and it’s normal for German-speaking professionals to have an accompanying profile on that platform. 

Developing your presence on Xing can demonstrate that you are gaining a greater understanding of the Swiss working environment and establishing yourself as a long-term investment. 

READ MORE: Can you find a job in Zurich if you don’t speak German?

Use specialised job boards 

While many of the big job boards operate in Switzerland—Indeed and Monster, for example—several job boards focus on Swiss jobs specifically or service a key segment of the job market. 

Jobs.ch, jobup.ch, and Jobscout24 are popular sites within Switzerland and are often the first port of call for job seekers. Each has an English version and a user-friendly interface.

Several specialist job boards exist for specialised roles, such as those in the IT or medical research sectors.

Using a profession-based job board allows employers to draw from a more concentrated talent pool while offering job seekers a more significant opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills. 

SwissDevJobs.ch is a popular destination for IT professionals, whereas Praxisstellen.ch specialises in pharmaceutical and medical research jobs. SwissTopJobs.ch is an excellent place to look for C-suite jobs in the finance and banking sectors. 

Networking is essential 

While there is often a perception that job hunting in Switzerland is very process-oriented, you may be surprised to learn that many positions are filled via word of mouth. 

Suppose you have friends or former colleagues already found a position within a Swiss firm. In that case, asking what positions are opening and whether you could apply is not unreasonable or rude. 

Word of mouth and hiring through connections are common in the Swiss IT field, but they are also common within several other industries, particularly among startups. 

Read More: Where are Switzerland’s biggest international companies?

Use your initiative 

You may also be surprised to hear that simply applying to a firm with your resume isn’t looked down upon in Switzerland (or the German-speaking world). 

This is known as an Initiativbewerbung (or simply ‘application on the initiative’), and employers often regard it very favourably.

To make an Initiativbewerbung, you’ll need your Anschreiben or lettre de motivation (cover letter), Lebenslauf or resume (curriculum vitae or CV), testimonials from other employers, and copies of any relevant certificates or qualifications. 

When naming these files, remember to use the German terms—it will help when they are searched for later!

It’s worth taking the time to identify and address your application directly to the head or manager of the particular department you’re looking to work within. This will create a stronger impression, and there’s less chance of losing it in the daily flow of emails and information. 

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