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Get your free copy03 June 2013, 13:33 PM
- An increase in production costs and a super-competitive market have forced one of the country's most well-known West Country Farmhouse Cheddar producers to stop making cheese
Denhay Farms, in Dorset, has been making the PDO-protected Cheddar since 1959, supplying both major retailers and smaller independent stores.
But the business struggled to find a commercially viable price across all the sectors of the market, which has become very competitive, with many other Cheddar producers reducing costs and margins as the price of producing cheese increases.
The company also produces bacon and sausages, which it will now solely focus on.
Jim Loescher, managing director of Denhay, said, “It is with a huge amount of sadness that we took the decision to close the cheese production facility. We recognise the role that Denhay plays in the local area and the significant contribution of our employees.
“Whilst we are disappointed to be leaving the cheese sector, this is the right decision for the business and it will free up capital and management time to invest in our farming activities and our rapidly expanding sausage and bacon business.”
