Cheese News: The latest updates from Britain’s cheese and dairy scene

Cheesemaker celebrates milestone

High Weald Dairy in Sussex is preparing to make its 500th batch of Brighton Blue.
“It’s quite a big deal, this make,” said office manager Craig Payne. “Everyone’s looking forward to celebrating this achievement. The cheese has won so many awards, including two Super Golds at the World Cheese Awards, Gold at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards, and Gold at the British Cheese Awards. It’s become one of our signature varieties and to reach our 500th make is quite something!”

Brighton Blue is a creamy, semi-soft cow’s milk blue, with a mellow, more delicate flavour. It’s aged for six to eight weeks and Craig said it “tends to be liked by the young and the old because it’s not too overpowering on the palate”. The cheese is available in 150g fixed weight pieces, or as 800g and 1.6kg deli cuts.

Italian maker announces new cheese

Cheesemaker Mario Olianas, founder of Yorkshire Pecorino, will officially launch his newest cheese, Town Crier, in late spring/early summer.

At the moment, Mario said, trials are underway with trusted customers to gain feedback and insight before the cheese officially hits the market.

In a depart from his usual varieties (which tend to be made with sheep’s milk), Mario has chosen to craft Town Crier with cow’s milk. “As were coming up to Christmas we had a shortage of milk and lost a lot of money because we had to stop cheesemaking,” he explained, talking about the seasonality of sheep’s milk, which runs out frequently across the industry due to demand.

Town Crier allows the cheesemaker to ‘fill the gap’ in the year. It’s one of the first and only Taleggio-style British cheeses to come to market, designed in a round shape rather than the traditional square. “It’s soft and creamy and adapted to the English palate,” Mario said of the cheese, which is brine-washed up to six times, and matured for a minimum of two months, so when cut it reveals a gooey heart, with a slightly chalky centre.

“The flavour has rich mushrooms and some meatiness to it, with a bit of acidity and a nice kick of salt as well,” he adds.

As for the name. “Our town still has a town crier who is a competition winner. When I told him what I was going to call it, he came into the deli and did an announcement with the bell!” Keep your eye on social media for a full launch announcement.

New Irish cheese launches

County Clare-based St Tola Cheese has recently announced a new addition to its offering – St Tola Karst.

“After a quiet winter, the farm is now back in full swing with more goats kidding,” said owner Siobhán Ní Gháirbhith “This means a lot more milk, of course, and that our cheese house is back in full production. St Tola Karst is the newest cheese in the family, named after its resemblance to the karst limestone landscape in the Burren near us here.”

The raw milk cheese was developed with guidance from Neal’s Yard Dairy, and has a fluffy, creamy texture, and bright flavour, with hints of sweet cocoa taste.

“It is gently rolled by hand in vegetarian ash, then left to mature to develop its rich, delicious but not overpowering flavour with a mousse-like texture due to that handmade nature,” added Siobhán. “It is best paired simply with the freshest of seasonal fruit like figs, strawberries or blackberries, though chefs are using it to create some fantastic dishes also.”

Camphill unveils commemorative cheese

Camphill Village Trust at Botton Village near Whitby has spent seven decades perfecting craft cheeses in the onsite dairy, using award-winning, unpasteurised milk from the Trust’s herd of Short Horn dairy cattle into nine varieties, all the while providing support and opportunities to adults with learning disabilities, mental health challenges and complex needs.

To mark the Trust’s 70-year anniversary, a new cheese – Jubilee – has been created. Mild and slightly crumbly, with an appearance, taste and texture similar to Wensleydale, Jubilee is matured for between five weeks and several months, for what they say is an “uncomplicated and comforting” flavour.

“Choosing Botton Village Organic Cheese means more than indulging in a delectable treat,” said retail officer Suzanne Taylor. “It’s about supporting a unique and inspiring community that champions inclusively, empowerment and sustainable practices.”

Who will be the next ‘Affineur of the Year’?

The fourth annual Affineur of the Year competition has been announced by the Academy of Cheese.

Hotly contested by cheesemongers across the UK, 2025’s edition will be held on 3rd June at St Mary’s Marylebone, London.

The prestigious event celebrates the artistry of maturing and refining cheeses, bringing together cheesemakers and mongers for a rare opportunity to compete on the same stage.

“The competition has been transformative for the UK cheese scene,” said Academy of Cheese founding director, Tracey Colley. “By embracing the techniques of affinage, we are seeing cheesemakers and cheesemongers create entirely new products that have earned attention from cheese lovers and retailers alike.” 

This year entrants have been asked to mature a Quicke’s Cheddar, Cropwell Bishop Blue Shropshire, Fen Farm Dairy’s Baron Bigod, White Lake Cheese’s Solstice, and Trethowan Brothers’ Gorwydd Caerphilly.

Tickets for the competition are available now from the Academy of Cheese here.

People’s Cheese competition returns

The Real Cheese Project has just announced the return of People’s Cheese, revealing that this year’s competition will celebrate cheesemaking innovation in the UK.

Coined ‘Britain’s Best New Cheese’ the event, sponsored by Chiswick Cheese Market, is now calling for makers of new varieties from across the UK to submit their entries, free of charge, for the first round of public voting on 15th June.

As in previous editions of the competition, the People’s Cheese 2025 final will be broadcast live online in September, with cheese lovers able to join the public judging panel by purchasing a tasting box of the four finalists, and tuning in on the night. Presented by comedian and British cheese champion, Marcus Brigstocke, and The Real Cheese Project co-founder, James Grant, the final will feature expert guidance from a panel of esteemed curd nerds, but the final say will be 100% down to the public vote.

James said, “We’re super excited to now be championing Britain and Northern Ireland’s newest cheeses – with the support of Chiswick Cheese Market. It’s been a joy sharing so many incredible artisan cheeses with our public over the past two years, and we know they’re going to be blown away by the thriving innovation on the UK cheese scene. So if you’ve got a new cheese, make sure to get it entered!”

Find out more here.