Social media helping Stilton to reach a new audience

Stilton, long hailed as the ‘King of the Cheeseboard,’ is enjoying a renaissance among younger shoppers, driven by social media-savvy Gen Z and Millennials experimenting with bold new recipes.

Once a favourite of older generations, Stilton has surged in popularity thanks to viral TikTok trends and creative recipes. This shift has fuelled a 6% year-on-year rise in sales, with younger foodies embracing the artisanal quality and unique taste of this iconic blue cheese.

TV food and drink influencer Aidy Smith, known for his innovative savoury cocktails featuring Stilton, says, “Gen Z are adventurous and appreciate artisanal foods like Stilton for the craftsmanship and flavour. From updated classics like Stilton Martinis, to the viral Blue Maple cocktail, social media has turned these creations into a must-try trend. This Christmas, Stilton cocktails could easily replace traditional favourites like Eggnog and Mulled Wine at parties.”

Smith, whose Amazon Prime series, The Three Drinkers, is now in its third season, has created the Blue Maple this year - a festive cocktail combining Stilton, Bourbon, maple syrup, Angostura bitters, and chocolate bitters. The drink has quickly gained traction on social media as a seasonal favourite.

The resurgence of Stilton is also taking centre stage in this week’s episode of Inside the Christmas Factory (BBC One, 22nd December), where presenter Cherry Healey explores the artisanal process behind the award-winning 1912 Blue Stilton. At Clawson Farm Dairy, one of only five producers of Stilton in the UK, Healey works alongside master cheesemaker Steve Smith, learning the intricate methods of hand-grading and maturing Stilton—a process that takes up to 14 weeks.

Healey, a self-proclaimed cheese lover, called the experience “cheese heaven.” She even joined in adding the signature blue mould to the milk vat, joking, “Merry Christmas magic mould, transform this enormous tub of milk into Stilton!”