Public urged to ‘support small cheesemakers’ as coronavirus crisis threatens future of cheese specialists

Britain’s specialist cheesemakers and retailers have joined forces to urge the public to ‘support small cheesemakers’ as the coronavirus crisis threatens to wipe out the previously thriving industry.

Revealing plans for the first ever British Cheese Weekender, the cheese community will urge the British public to buy direct from cheesemakers and indie retailers to safeguard their future. Taking place over the course of the Early May Bank Holiday Weekend (Friday 8 to Sunday 10 May), the first-of-its-kind collaborative project will showcase some of the country’s top cheeses with a series of free online events.

Led by the Specialist Cheesemakers Association (SCA), the Academy of Cheese and the Guild of Fine Food, and supported by cheese writer Patrick McGuigan, the initiative aims to raise awareness of the crisis and help shoppers connect with local cheesemakers and indie retailers by providing online directories of the companies that can deliver or are safely open for business.

Farmhouse and artisan cheesemakers are being forced to pour thousands of litres of milk down the drain and give away cheese for free after many lost up to 90% of their business overnight when the hospitality sector was closed down.

The result is that small producers have been left with maturing rooms full of cheeses, which by their nature have limited shelf lives. The problem is particularly pronounced for soft and blue cheeses. At the same time, cows, sheep and goats are now out at pasture, and continue to produce milk every day that must be used or be thrown away.

“The future of Britain’s farmhouse and specialist cheesemakers is in the balance – we could see many of the country’s best cheeses lost forever as family farms and small cheesemaking businesses are pushed to the wall,” warned cheesemaker Catherine Mead, chair of the SCA, which represents over 200 small cheesemakers and is one of three organisations involved in the initiative.

Commenting on the British Cheese Weekender, Tracey Colley, director of the Academy of Cheese, said: “We’re lining up a series of virtual masterclasses over the weekend, hosted by top cheese experts, so that people can tune in and learn more about cheese as they taste along at home. We’ll be covering topics from how to be a cheese judge to drinks pairings and storage tips.”

Find out more about the initiative and the British Cheese Weekender, as well as the local cheesemakers and shops selling farmhouse and specialist cheese, by visiting:

https://academyofcheese.org/british-cheese-weekender/

http://www.specialistcheesemakers.co.uk/article/make-life-better-order-cheese-online-31.aspx