Speciality Food Magazine JulyAugust 2024

specialityfoodmagazine.com 27 SPECIAL REPORT to market by brands such as Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses and Clawson. Both producers have tapped into the burgeoning ‘at home occasion dining’ trend, popular amongst Millennials and Gen-Z – demographics feeling the pinch of the cost-of-living crisis, and instead choosing to host dinner parties, backyard cookouts, and cheese nights with family and friends. Clawson reports sales of its premium Stilton slices have increased by 33% this year to date and appear to be on a continual upward trajectory. This is, the cheesemaker says, a profitable space, and an easy, relatable point of entry for newcomers dipping their toes into the world of speciality and artisan cheeses. Talking about this ‘new’ consumer, Clawson’s Nikki Matthews says they’re searching for “something special, or to recreate a meal within their own kitchen”. Gourmet burgers are one of the treats they’re making, and premium burger melts fit in with their aspirations to bring the ‘steakhouse’ experience home. “If you’re at the cheese counter, why would you buy a block of cheese to put on top of a burger? It can be a bit intimidating,” says Nikki, “which is why we think we’re seeing success with our product. It’s the ideal solution. And if consumers discover our melts at the counter and they enjoy them, it could well encourage them to come back and try a bigger piece, or experience another cheese.” Retailers shouldn’t be afraid, Nikki adds, to introduce premium slices alongside their cutting cheeses. “They have to cater to a lot of different consumers and tastes... to anyone who might visit their counter. There will be those who are not that interested, and purely want a cut from the whole cheese but, also, we’re seeing there is a large number of people looking for convenience, who want us to make life easy for The answer is, they’re often lost. Too many heritage cheeses have fallen to the wayside through lack of succession planning, and it’s one of the greatest tragedies of the British food and drink scene, says cheesemonger Andy Swinscoe of The Courtyard Dairy. Andy is incredibly active and vocal in the world of cheese, helping makers revive and restore traditional practices, and products that would otherwise be long forgotten. This year he set up the Northern Dairy Cheese School as a way to formalise his thoughts, while bringing together others like himself, who are frustrated by the lack of technical support in the UK. A kind of ‘neighbourhood phone tree’ for the cheese industry. The raison d’etre for the school is to share ideas, discuss techniques, try out different methods, and generally upskill the current and incoming generation of cheesemakers. “That spread of knowledge is key,” Andy explains. “There is no technical support here really, but many of the problems cheesemakers have are easy to solve. Like the way your wash system works. A lot of people are open to helping others, and you can learn so much from those who’ve got experience.” In years gone by, he says, there SHARING OUR KNOWLEDGE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT The skill and expertise of cheesemakers, particularly those who have been in the industry for a long time, is something that has long been taken for granted. What happens when those people retire or die? Where do their hand-written or well-remembered notes and treasured recipes go? would have been old fashioned dairy schools in the regions, or neighbours making similar cheeses across a hedgerow. “If you had a problem, you could chat to the people next door to see how they might solve it. We just don’t work like that anymore.” It’s Andy’s hope that by bringing together makers, across a series of events, those vital details and nuggets of advice that make the difference between a good cheese and an exceptional one, might be shared. “We’re such a small industry,” he adds. “It’s important that we help each other. We’re all trying to raise the profile of artisan cheese, and how to make it safely.” Issues to discuss could be anything from how to wipe a cow’s udder, to the paint you use in the parlour, or even the feed your give your animals. “The thing about most small cheesemakers is they are doing everything, frommilking to fixing the hole in the wall, and that ability to have another small business on the end of the phone is everything really. When we talk to each other it means we’re not having to reinvent the wheel. There isn’t a book telling you how to make farmhouse cheeses. It’s so important to learn from each other.” COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY AND ANIMAL WELFARE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE A BIG FACTOR IN PURCHASING DECISIONS, ILLUSTRATED BY 77.5% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS GOLDEN HOOVES