Good Morning,

Please read the article in the link below on The Grocer website before reading my post.

Denhay Farms quits Cheddar over soaring costs and price pressures.

What a shame that in this day and age where the UK cheese market equates to £1.9 billion and 51% of that comes from Cheddar that we have to lose a cheese maker that has been producing since 1959!

Now I have some sentimentality when it comes to Denhay Farms because when I was at my Cheese Specialist Training weekend they came and did a lovely presentation. We got to try their beautiful cheeses & It was a presentation full of passion & memories that shall last for some time.

Now I may not be involved in their business at all but a part of me thinks why they couldn’t refocus on just one or two cheeses just to keep them in the market. There is still a market for quality cheeses and they could have built themselves back again from that point. They are locally produced, have their own herd and all the facilities so they are not starting from the beginning, then once they focus they could create something that nobody has ever seen on the cheese market?

Unfortunately it isn’t that simple so maybe the problem lies with the Buyer & Seller?

When you go shopping how many times do you pick up a different cheese that you have never tasted before? I would imagine very few because we all like the normal procedures, but the easy way to change is by continuing to buy a small piece of cheese that you use for cooking (For Me Tickler) and then a piece to use for eating (For Me Denhay). This means that you are not losing out on your favourite but also willing to try a new cheese every week.

When I sell cheese I try to inform people about their decisions but maybe this should become more in-depth like I actually work for that Cheesemaker at the time. The more informed I can make the consumer about their potential purchase can not only benefit them, myself & the Cheesemaker. I will hereby try to relay as much to the customer as I can to improve their overall experience.

Unfortunately this is all a little too late for Denhay Farms so I can only but pass on my sincerest apologies & wishes to all the people who contributed to the 54 years of Cheesemaking at Denhay. I wish you all the best and who knows the production may start again in the future.

Now before I finish the post I wish to leave you all with a thought for the day.

When you next go shopping in a supermarket, independent shop etc. and you look at all the different cheeses & products on the shelves & in counters don’t just see them as a packet or a piece of food in packaging imagine the story behind them. Each product has a history, a livelihood to provide, a business backing and a Family. Many years of tweaking recipes, time, effort, hard work, passion and devotion went into making that 200g piece of cheese that is in front of you, So if we can all see the story behind the wrapper then maybe just maybe we can support all the dedicated Cheesemakers out there for many years to come.

Thank you reading  and my wishes to all at Denhay Farms

Jon