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Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent producer of cheese, and renewable energy, today announces details of ‘London 1856′, a premium, aged British cheddar range, created specifically for the export market.
The ‘London 1856′ brand has been developed to target the emerging and rapidly growing Asian market, where Wyke Farms has carried out research to understand the needs of the shoppers and identify what it is they expect from UK food brands. It is the first cheddar from Wyke Farms to be launched on a global scale and represents further investment in the companies already successful export business portfolio.
The company has been working on the creation of an export brand suitable for global distribution since Brexit discussions began and is launching the cheese globally as we move closer to 2021 and trade opportunities arise.
“In many of the emerging regions we are seeing the first generation within families who are able to travel; the first trip is often London to experience the tastes and culture of the UK,” says Rich Clothier, 3rd generation cheesemaker and managing director at Wyke Farms. He continues: “Because of this and the success of the London Olympics, ‘Cool Britannia’ is a growing sentiment and one we have been market researching for a number of years. We are now ready with the right cheese, in the right place and at the right time.”
Wyke Farms has successfully been exporting cheddar to over 160 countries for the past 20 years. However, the move to launch a globally recognisable brand to formalise their offering has been part of the company’s ‘Brexit proofing’ strategy. “This is the first brand we have ever launched that is targeted purely at export markets,” adds Rich Clothier.
Over the past four years, Wyke Farms has invested budget into understanding the preferences of the emerging global middle classes, as well as stabilising its energy supplies, rather than relying on volatile world energy markets, thus allowing predictable costs and efficiency levels. The results of this work positions Wyke Farms favourably as a stable world cheese supplier, able to deliver a quality cheddar, with unique provenance.
The hero product in the range is an Extra Mature Cheddar, aged for 300 days for a full and rounded flavour, with a gentle crunch of calcium lactate. The range of products includes a Mild, Mature, Vintage, and Red Leicester in 200g, 500g and also in catering formats.
Wyke Farms’ cheese and butter is made with the milk from its cows grazing the lush pastures of the Mendip Hills in the centre of the cheddar making region in Somerset. Their products are available in selected Lidl stores and in South West UK ASDA, CO-OP and Tesco stores. All products are available online at: www.wykefarms.com/shop.
