This interview is part of culture’s 2026 Hot List. Click here to learn more about our selection process and to see the latest Hot List class.
Jacqueline Mau Mullican
Co-Founder & Head of Operations, GREYS Fine Cheeses
Tennessee
Jacqueline Mau Mullican is helping redefine how the South experiences cheese. After years working in industrial food systems, she made a decisive shift to products rooted in care and connection. That change led to the founding of GREYS Fine Cheeses, a specialty retail concept built around education, storytelling, and access.
What began as an idea during a trip to Paris has grown into a series of community-driven cheese shops in Memphis and Nashville, where weekly classes, tastings, and hands-on experiences introduce customers to the world of artisan cheese. With a focus on “cheeses with soul and story,” Mullican blends global perspective with Southern hospitality, creating spaces where discovery feels approachable and cheese becomes part of everyday life.
You started out in corporate and transitioned into cheese—what sparked that change?
Meeting my husband, Kurt, started it all—he introduced me to the world of artisanal cheese. I spent years working in supply chain for food and beverage companies and saw firsthand the differences between industrial food systems and the products made by people who truly care about their herds and the environment.
At the same time, I was moving toward making more things myself—bread, yogurt, growing vegetables, raising chickens. I realized Memphis didn’t have a specialty cheese shop, and it felt important to bring that experience—good, thoughtfully sourced cheese—to my community. A trip to Paris with my mom and my daughters really solidified the idea.
What’s it like owning a cheese shop in the South?
It’s incredibly rewarding. Many people here are just starting to learn about artisanal cheese and that it’s a living product. Education is everything for us. We share the stories of the cheesemakers, and that’s why we say we offer “cheeses with soul and story.”
We host weekly classes on pairing cheese with wine, beer, whiskey, even sake and mezcal. What we love most is seeing people discover us and then become regulars, shifting from buying cheese at the grocery store to coming in, asking questions, and engaging with a cheesemonger. That’s a big win for us and for the producers we support.
What were some challenges and triumphs you experienced while opening your business?
I always say the best thing about GREYS is that we’re the only ones in our market doing this—and the hardest thing is that we’re the only ones in our market doing this. Sourcing unique artisanal cheese in the South can be difficult. We are lucky to have some incredible Southern producers, but shipping from small farms in the North is expensive and complicated.
One of our biggest confirmations came before we even opened, through collaborations with local restaurants. The success of those events showed us the community was ready—and excited—for what we were building.
What’s your favorite class to host?
Our introduction to cheese class. Watching people learn that cheese is a living product—and that it can be a full, satisfying meal on its own—is incredibly rewarding. When someone walks away thinking about cheese differently, that’s exactly why we opened GREYS.
How do you incorporate your heritage into your business?
I’m very proud of my background, and I try to incorporate it wherever I can. Our Cuban sandwiches are a big one—I fly in bread from a Cuban bakery in Miami because authenticity matters. I also incorporate Spanish into our newsletter and hope to one day create a fully Spanish version.
Beyond that, I’ve been exploring cheeses from Central and South America. We’ve traveled to Argentina, Uruguay, and Honduras to meet cheesemakers and learn more about regional traditions. Bringing those stories back to our customers is something I care deeply about.
Where did the name “GREYS” come from?
It’s a play on the word “graze.” When charcuterie boards started trending, everyone was using that word, and we wanted something a little more playful. At first, people thought it was our last name, but once they hear the story, they love it.
Who inspires you most in the cheese industry?
It’s hard to choose just one person—it’s really women in cheese. Cheesemakers who pour their lives into their work, like Padgett Arnold of Sequatchie Cove Creamery and Melanie Webb of Stony Pond Farm. I’m also inspired by Carolina Vilhena in Brazil. There aren’t many Latin women in this industry, and seeing her success opens doors for people like me. I’m excited to visit and learn from her work firsthand.
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