Dairy/Cheese

localfoodadvisor.com lists over 500 suppliers including of all the top award winning cheesemakers, cheesemongers and dairy producers and suppliers.

Key things to remember when buying dairy products are:

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Look for traditional Regional cheeses

made with old recipes and methods often with unpastuerised milk. Also look for EU PDO and PGI protection. See our Regional Specialities for more details. Pull down here to find cheeses with PDO/PGI protection.

Find a top quality British producer or cheesemonger known for their selection of British cheeses

280 producer/suppliers recommended by Celebrity chefs such as Rick Stein (Food Heroes, Second Edition), Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall (River Cottage Cook Book), Gary Rhodes (Local Food Heroes Programme), BBC Great British Menu programme (14 top regional Chefs, 3 series), Mark Hix (British Regional Food)

Find an award winner

Dairy and Cheese producers receive awards from Industry organisations like The British Cheese Awards, The Guild of Good Food (Great Taste awards), Taste of Britain (Telegraph /Sainsbury) as well as Regional Organisations (Taste of the West, True Taste Wales, deliciouslyyorkshire, NW Fine Food and the Scotland Food and Drink awards)

Choose an Organic supplier

150 Certified Organic producers are listed including those certified by The Soil Association, Demeter (biodynamic), Organic Farmers and Growers, Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA)and the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers. Organic standards ensure that the animals are well treated, are not routinely treated with antibiotics or other drugs and have organic grazing/ feed (min. 95%)
Look for producers who make cheese from a

single herd and/ or breed

as this improves consistency and taste. Its also often said that cheeses made from Summer milk have stronger taste due to the richness of the pasture. The producers website may well give information on these.