Contamination of cheese by Listeria monocytogenes presents a major food safety concern, which is actively addressed through regular monitoring and strict regulatory controls. Recent research reveals that the survival and behavior of Listeria monocytogenes are strongly impacted by its interactions with the surrounding microbiota on cheese surfaces. Understanding these microbial relationships is pivotal to developing targeted interventions that can outcompete or disrupt Listeria colonization. The aims of the project are to explore and leverage these interactions and to establish a robust, defined surface consortium with proven anti-Listeria activity, which can be produced and commercialized. To achieve this, the project investigates both natural microbiota collected from cheese factories and defined microbial consortia assembled from characterized strains available in the Agroscope Culture Collection. Spanning from 2026 to 2029, the project is designed to yield a next-generation microbial consortium for use as a cheese surface smear, combining rapid colonization and reliable antagonism against Listeria monocytogenes.