There I was, putting two of my favorite activities together, traveling and eating cheese, when the owner of the cheese shop we were having a tasting at said something that really struck me (and made me look up from the pretty cheeses in front of me). The purveyor of local cheeses as well as accoutrements like crackers, cured meats, other nibbles, and cheese-centric things, said she only supplies the cheeses of businesses with a great story. Well, the Real Food Traveler Podcast is all about great stories, so I felt an immediate connection to Ashley. And I knew I had to introduce Real Food Traveler readers and podcast listeners to her. You can listen to this podcast with the player below. The Real Food Traveler Podcast is also available on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify and many other platforms.

Save this podcast article to Pinterest so you can listen to our conversation with Ashley Grant, owner of Bountiful Boards, anytime. Top photo by Courtney Drake-McDonough. Bottom photos by Shel Zelkovich.

Listen to this Real Food Traveler Podcast with Ashley Grant, the owner of Bountiful Boards in Green Bay, Wisconsin: 

Being in Wisconsin, where dairy farms and cheesemakers and manufacturers abound, it would be hard to stand out and capture the attention and a portion of the market. Owning a small business herself, Ashley understands the plight of small cheesemakers. And being a huge fan of cheese herself, she’s very motivated to introduce locals and out-of-towners to the quality and flavor of the offerings. When she is deciding which cheesemakers to partner with, she says they have to have a great story behind the business and the product. Ashley talks about that in this podcast episode. Not every cheese purveyor is the right fit for her business.

Ashley Grant, the owner of Bountiful Boards, a fromagerie and charcuterie in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Photo by Shel Zelkovich.

Hungry for more? Read about all the Things to Do in Green Bay.

Within her fromagerie and charcuterie shop space, which she shares with another woman-owned business that makes soups and sandwiches, Ashley also carries items to help you put together something as simple as a quick picnic to a more elaborate and planned cheese platter. She’s very good at making platters herself and often provides very artistic ones to individuals and businesses for special occasions. She also teaches people how to create their own boards and holds tastings like the one she did for us. Our group of food and travel writers were so impressed by the combinations Ashley came up with for cheeses and their accompaniments which brought out the best in each.

On our visit, Ashley prepared each of us our own cheese tasting board and then told us about each cheesemaker, the qualities of the cheeses and why she paired them with the items that she did. Photo by Courtney Drake-McDonough.

In this episode of the Real Food Traveler Podcast, Ashley explains how her business came about (hint: the pandemic was the start of it). She also tells us more about the space she’s in and how she is creating community for people of all ages in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

We hope hearing this podcast will inspire you to put Bountiful Boards on your “must see” list when you visit Green Bay (there are so many reasons to visit the city). Take the opportunity to put together some items to enjoy at a park, by the river, in your hotel room and even to take back home with you (Ashley has tips for packing it for the plane). Grab some soup, a sandwich or salad from Souper Day Green Bay there in the Revolution Public Market and you’ll be well-fed with local goods.

Ashley Grant
Bountiful Boards
2160 Holmgren Way, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Get the latest on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok at @BountifulBoardsGB 

-Courtney Drake-McDonough, RealFoodTraveler.com Publisher and Managing Editor and Host of the Real Food Traveler Podcast

Hungry for more? Here’s a recipe for Peach and Tomato Panzanella using Burratta Cheese.