23 Apr 2008


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Swaledale Cheese returns after flood


Swaledale Cheese Company

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Swaledale Cheese Company hit by flood 30 Jan 2008

Source : The Swaledale Cheese Company
Cheese enthusiasts will be relieved to hear that all 14 of the award-winning Swaledale varieties have now returned to the shelves following a national shortage of the product.

The Swaledale Cheese Company – based in Richmond, in the Yorkshire Dales – had to bring a temporary halt to its cheese making in December of last year when an expansion vessel in the water system burst and flooded their market town premises.

Hundreds of kilos of cheeses were damaged when the water – which brought about major structural damage – cut off the electricity supply causing temperature fluctuations in the main storage areas. Most of the cheese had to be thrown away leaving the company not only with a huge clean-up operation but also vastly depleted stocks.

Mandy Reed, who set up the family business 21 years ago with her late husband, David, explains why this led to a four-month shortage of the popular Swaledale Cheese.

“All of our cheeses are made by hand and each variety needs carefully controlled temperatures, humidity levels and maturation times of around two months. This process cannot be rushed so there is an unavoidable time delay between making the cheese and having it ready to eat.

“We have worked around the clock to get to the point where we are ready to release our first cheeses back on the market and we want to thank all of our customers and suppliers for their patience and good wishes during this difficult period,” she said.

The recent shortage of cheese has been exacerbated by the product's ever-increasing popularity, with demand regularly outstripping supply. Last year, the Swaledale Cheese Company made a £250K investment, enabling it to double its production facilities. However, the company still firmly resists any move towards mass production.

“We are a small, family run business and are keen to keep it that way. All of our cheeses are handmade using traditional methods and each part of the process – from sourcing the milk from local farms to hand waxing the individual cheeses – is done with the utmost care and attention. For us, cheese making is not just a business, it's also our passion.” said Mandy Reed.

The company, which has won many prestigious national and international awards for its range of cheeses, currently produces 14 varieties, including Blue Swaledale, Swaledale with Chives and Garlic, and Swaledale with Old Peculier. Most of the varieties are available either waxed or with a natural rind finish.

The company also achieved PDO status for both Swaledale Cheese and Swaledale Ewes Cheese and regularly supplies specialist cheese shops, delicatessens, independent retailers and cheese wholesalers throughout the UK, as well as selling through regional farmers' markets.

Call 01748 824932 or email sales@swaledalecheese.co.uk to find out more about the cheese and where it can be bought.

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