Cheese Buyer - May 2025

38 CROOME CHEESE @specialityfood Croome Cheese have won numerous awards over the years, including Gold in their class at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards with four of their fantastic creations, including the innovative Runaway Relish in 2023. The Whittington Oak Smoked, a three times gold winner, which is smoked traditionally over oak logs in our smokehouse for 12 hours; Tintern, a delicious pickled onion flavoured Cheddar and Worcester Sauce & Shallot, a true nod to their hometown. Furthermore, they have won ‘Supreme Champion’ awards, ‘Peoples Choice’ and best ‘Territorial cheese’ for various products at the Royal Three Counties Show due their exceptional flavour combinations. AN AWARD- WINNING RANGE With a range of flavours that will keep your customers coming back for more, Croome Cheese is a smart stocking choice FLAVOUR FIRST played a starring role in the newly-minted cheeses, “ideally sourced from the Croome Estate” for optimumprovenance. This dedication to supporting fellow local producers where possible still rings true today. For example, “the honey that goes into our Fig & Honey cheese is made by bees that forage on the farm”, says Nick, “and while Lea & Perrins Worcester Sauce isn’t exactly a small-scale business, they’re located around a mile away fromus so we’re proud to use them as a supplier.” A generous offering The Croome Cheese range now consists of 15 varieties in three formats, offering Cheese Buyer readers a wide range of options to choose from to best suit their clientele. The cutting cheese format is perfect for providing a showstopping centrepiece for cheese counters, while the waxed truckles are ideal for gifting and cheeseboards for special occasions. The innovative pre-packed wedge is a prime option for sustainably- minded shoppers looking for a convenient option, as all elements of its packaging are recyclable. What’s more, it is resealable and its semi-rigid pack protects the cheese in the fridge. With such an array of cheeses up their sleeve, it’s no wonder that Nick and the rest of the Croome Cheese team like to keep pairings simple: “Personally, I love our cheese with the red, white and sparkling wine made using the grapes from the vineyard on the farm, but there’s not enough to go round!” Thankfully, the flavour bomb manicured estate of 15,000 acres designed by Capability Brown”. Nick was born on the estate, and this provenance inspired the name of the company that he would go on to build with his wife Anita 15 years ago. The pair’s daughter and son-in- law have now joined the business, aiding its evolution into a cheese business that not only satisfies the demands of 2025’s cheese lover but tells its story with pride. Locally-sourced ingredients T aste plays a vital part in the creation of any cheese, and with years of experience of creatingmoreish flavour combinations under their collective belt, the teamat Croome Cheese is perfectly placed to satisfy your customers’ cravings for delicious cheese –whatever their preferences. Croome Cheese’s story begins just over 100 years ago, when Nick Hodgetts’ family started farming on the Croome Estate – a “beautifully nature of these cheeses mean that – save for a cracker or hunk of bread – no additional accompaniments are required. “We’ve done what a chef would do in terms of providing the ultimate pairings,” says Nick. “We know that figs and honey pair beautifully with a vintage Cheddar, so we’re offering all three in one convenient – and delicious – package! Equally, mustard is a delicious addition to cauliflower cheese, so I always make mine with The Colonel Mustard.” As well as having a deliciously versatile range, Croome Cheese are very committed to supporting their retail customers wherever possible. For example, they have taster day ‘survival kits ’available, which includes everything one would need to run their own tasting event, to either launch the product or get shoppers’ tastebuds tickling. Where possible they also support their local stores with in-person tastings. The Croome Cheese range now consists of 15 varieties in three formats, offering Cheese Buyer readers a wide range of options to choose from to best suit their clientele IMAGES: LEEW.IMAGES@GMAIL.COM