If you have ever been to the dairy section of Cedar Market, you have likely been greeted by Victor Santiago, a beloved fixture at the store since its opening on Cedar Lane three years ago. Santiago, as he continually restocks the section, always asks solicitously if there is anything the customer needs. He has an encyclopedic understanding of kosher dairy products and availability.

Cedar Market’s dairy cases include both Chalav Yisroel and OU-dairy items as well as products from other widely accepted regional kosher hechshers. The section also boasts a growing section of trendy items such as “cold coffee concentrates,” including those from Califa Farms, Pour ’n’ Serve and Starbucks.

When a product becomes unavailable, Santiago is aware of it, and he is often able to tell customers, to the day, when to expect restocking of a certain item. This happens quite a bit as kosher producers ramp up and down production of certain items because of seasonal demand and the need to prepare products for Passover certification. “Where are the Stonyfield Farm YoKids strawberry-banana smoothies?” he was recently asked. “Sold out but more are coming on Tuesday at 10,” he said cheerfully.

Santiago came to the States from Mexico City 14 years ago and lives in Englewood with his wife and two children. He is certainly not new to working with his customers in the greater Teaneck community. He worked for the first 11 years of his career in New Jersey at Glatt Express on Queen Anne Road, the last eight of which he was also specializing in dairy products.

Last Friday morning, the first day of The Nine Days, when Jews traditionally eschew meat products except on Shabbat, found Santiago helping customers locate frozen French fries, and assisting people find their favorites among scores of varieties of yogurts, cheeses and smoked-fish products. The fast turnover in the section does have him restocking all the time, he said. “But that’s good because everything is always, always fresh,” he told The Jewish Link. “I like it, I like working with Jewish people; they are nice,” he confided. Thursdays and Fridays always have him wishing his customers a “beautiful Shabbos,” and he always gets the same greeting returned to him by his many fans.

“Victor is the best,” said Cedar Market’s Yehuda Leibowitz.

Cedar Market is located at 646 Cedar Lane in Teaneck. See its ad on our back cover.