Ep. 2430 Jessica Summer of Mouse & Grape | Voices with Cynthia Chaplin

This episode profiles Jessica Summer, founder of Mouse and Grape, and explores how passion, formal qualifications and practical hustle turned a COVID pivot into a luxury cheese and wine brand. Jessica recounts going from a short-term lettings job to launching an Instagram presence in 2020, growing into an e-commerce business of thoughtfully paired luxury cheese and wine hampers, and then opening a deli-bar shop in Pinner in November 2024. Listeners will learn tactical, replicable lessons for how to start a cheese and wine e-commerce business, including the role of professional photography, PR investment, and search engine optimization to increase visibility. Jessica explains how she used social media as a testing ground for product-market fit and how curated cheese and wine pairings became a clear unique selling proposition. She also emphasizes the importance of WSET wine qualifications and Academy of Cheese credentials to establish credibility quickly when building a premium food and beverage brand. The episode also dives into support mechanisms for young entrepreneurs: Jessica participated in the King’s Trust (formerly Prince’s Trust) enterprise program, gained a mentor, and received a small grant that helped test a market stall concept. This part of the conversation is useful for anyone researching “King’s Trust enterprise program support for food startups” or “how mentorship accelerates small food business growth.” Beyond online sales, Jessica describes why she opened a physical shop and bar—combining retail with wine-by-the-glass, cheese boards, and tasting events—to create multiple income streams and improve community connection. She shares concrete examples of scaling revenue: corporate tasting events in central London, media exposure like Saturday Kitchen, and plans for subscriptions and additional shop locations. Sustainable practices are woven throughout the business model: eco-friendly packaging, B Corp ambitions, vegan cheeses, non-alcoholic wines and sourcing from artisan producers. This conversation is rich with long-tail, actionable insights for people researching “how to open a wine and cheese shop,” “luxury cheese and wine hamper business plan,” or “credentials that help wine businesses win customers.” The episode balances inspirational personal storytelling with concrete steps on building credibility, diversifying income streams, and using nonprofit enterprise programs. Whether you are a sommelier, cheesemonger, aspiring food entrepreneur, or marketer, this episode offers practical guidance and real-world examples for building a resilient, sustainable, and community-focused food-and-drink brand.