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Jan Kos & Julien Kos
Founder, Owner & President / Vice President, Cheeseland
Washington
Jan Kos has spent more than four decades helping shape how Americans experience European cheese—starting with hand-delivered wheels in New York and growing into a global import business rooted in relationships, instinct, and an unwavering belief in quality. What began with his family’s Dutch cheese legacy has evolved into Cheeseland, a company known for introducing iconic cheeses such as Ewephoria and helping expand the American palate for specialty cheese.
Now, alongside his son Julien Kos, that legacy continues into a new generation. While Jan Kos brings decades of experience and perspective, Julien Kos adds fresh energy and a deep appreciation for both tradition and innovation. Together, they represent the past, present, and future of cheese importing—proving that even as the scale changes, the core of the business remains the same: great cheese, shared with people who love it.
What is it like working together as father and son?
Julien Kos: It’s really fun. I love my dad, and getting to spend time together is a blessing—especially when we’re doing events together.
Jan Kos: Unique. Very pleasant. Seven days a week talking about cheese.
What’s one thing you disagree on when it comes to cheese?
Julien: We agree on almost everything—but how we eat cheese is completely different. Jan likes it straight, no bread, no crackers—just cheese. I love combinations—sandwiches, pairings, building something around it.
Your grandfather transported cheese by bicycle. Today you’re distributing globally—what does that evolution mean to you?
Jan: It’s what life is about—evolution and change. My grandfather took six or seven hours by bicycle; I took six or seven hours by plane. Same travel time, different tools.
Over the years, I’ve learned that you can sell quality cheese all over the world with a small group of dedicated people. The bicycle became an airplane—but the day still has 24 hours. That never changed.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in this industry?
Jan: It’s a small world, and every place is different. Even within one city, preferences can change from one neighborhood to the next.
You have to understand those differences—that’s how you succeed.
Did you always think you’d go into cheese?
Julien: Yes and no. I was never pressured, but I think I always knew.
I grew up around it—selling, eating, talking about cheese—and I loved the atmosphere. Carrying on the family legacy feels important to me.
What excites you most about the future of Cheeseland?
Julien: All the possibilities. I’ve seen the joy my dad has brought people through cheese, and I want to do the same.
I’d love to create something new that people connect with the way they have with Ewephoria.
Tell us about the new cheese you’re developing.
Julien: It’s called Pavoncella, the Italian name of the elusive meadow bird that nests in the fields on the farm where the cheese is made. Pavoncella is a farmstead cheese made from milk sourced from a single farm—better for the farmer, the animals, and the environment.
It’s shaped like a small parmesan wheel, with alpine-style flavors, notes of French onion soup, and a gouda-like texture with a bit of crunch from aging.
It represents where the industry is heading: smaller production, higher quality, and more sustainable practices.
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