Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Cheesemaker strikes gold again
ONE of the region’s leading cheddar makers has struck gold during another successful renewal of the British Cheese Awards.
Wyke Farms amassed multiple wins at the prestigious event at the Royal Bath & West Showground in Shepton Mallet.
The Somerset-based company, which exports to 160 countries around the world, was awarded gold status in block cheddar categories for mature, extra mature and vintage cheddars. In addition, Wyke Farms won gold in the coveted ‘Dupont Danisco Grand Prix’ which aims to identify a consistent producer of the finest quality mature cheddar cheese, and gold in the red Leicester category.
In the butter categories, both their unsalted and salted farmhouse varieties picked up the highest accolade.
Rich Clothier, managing director and third generation family member at Wyke Farms, established in 1861 by his grandmother Ivy Clothier, said: “Recognition like this reminds us to our keep standards high so we can keep doing what we love. Our cheddar has won more awards than any other, but the British Cheese Awards feels very special being held so locally to Wyke at the Bath & West Showground.”
The awards on October 5 came just days after John Clothier, chairman of Wyke Farms, was named winner of the Family Business Lifetime Achievement Award.
Building the foundations of the company seen today, he evolved his mother’s kitchen-run operation into an international offering, while staying loyal to the family’s methods of working with each other and with nature.
John worked closely with his sons and nephews to grow each area of the business and stepped into the role of chairman to allow his sons full control of the business a few years ago. Now, at 78 he still offers guidance from his senior director role. Producing more than 18,000 tonnes of cheddar per year to the same 160-year-old recipe, Wyke Farms is the UK’s first national cheddar brand to become 100% self-sufficient in green energy by sourcing all its electricity and gas from both solar and biogas, generated from the farm and dairy waste.
Paul Andrews, managing director of Family Business United, said: “It’s an absolute honour to present John with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Family businesses would not exist if it were not for the underlying involvement of families and individuals within these businesses and John has been a great leader and remains an incredible ambassador for Wyke Farms today. His pride and passion for the business, and more widely the industry as a whole shone through and it is great to recognise someone that has done so much.
“John is an exceptional individual whose way of life reflects his unwavering commitment to his family, the family business and the local community having a positive life changing impact on so many people.
“An independent thinker with original ideas and a passion to succeed in all that he does and a worthy winner.”