Murray’s Cheese is an artisanal cheese and specialty foods retailer and wholesaler based in Greenwich Village in New York City. Founded in Greenwich Village in 1940 as an egg and dairy wholesaler, the company later expanded, and in 2012 opened a restaurant in Manhattan named Murray’s Cheese Bar. As of 2017 there are more than 350 locations, and in February 2017the franchise was acquired by the Kroger Company.
History
The store was founded by Murray Greenberg in Greenwich Village in 1940 as an egg and dairy wholesaler. Louis Tudda later took over as the store's owner until 1991, when the store was purchased by Robert Kaufelt, who published the 2006 book The Murray's Cheese Handbook. Murray's formed a partnership with the Kroger Company in 2007 to place branded shops selling cheese and other foods in select Kroger supermarkets in the United States. Murray's was voted the "Best Cheese Shop in New York" by Time Out New York in 2007. After second location was opened in New York’s Grand Central Market in Grand Central Terminal in 2002, in 2008 a charcuterie named Murray’s Real Salami opened, also in Grand Central Market. In 2010 the two Grand Central Market locations merged to become a second flagship store. After 2010, Murray's has since expanded to include a 48-seat cheese-centered wine bar and restaurant named Murray’s Cheese Bar, opened in 2012. There were over 140 stores as of 2014. As of 2017 there are more than 350 locations. On February 7, 2017, it was announced that Kroger Company had purchased Murray's Cheese.
Products and menu
Gallery
The store ages cheese in a state-of-the art-caves facility in their warehouse in Long Island City. The company has a line of Cave Master exclusive cheese, which is aged in its caves. In 2016, Murray's launched a new Cave Master variation titled Annelies, made in cooperation with Swiss cheese maker Walter Räss. In April 2017, Murray's Cheese introduced a new exclusive cheddar, Ezra, to its Cave Master line. It was the first "cheese created from initial concept into R&D by Murray’s, made by Murray’s, and then aged in Murray’s Cheese caves." The Ezra cheese was developed in collaboration with Cornell University and Old Chatham Creamery in New York. The store sells Danish cheeses such as Havarti and Tilsit cheese, and in April 2017, it added a collection of artisanalorganic Danish cheeses. The company imported a dozen types, including Danish White Cheese, Vita Mundo, Flora Mundo, Versterhavsost, and Trelleborg.
Classes
In July 2017, the company launches its Game of Tommes class, which has a cheeseboard inspired by Game of Thrones.
