The Cheese Company is launching a range of Mature and Extra Mature Scottish Cheddar with Lockerbie Creamery branding in response to
consumer demand for premium Scottish cheese. The new cheese will appear on Tesco and Sainsbury's supermarket shelves across Scotland.
The Cheese Company, wholly-owned by dairy farmer co-operative Milk Link, conducted extensive consumer research which revealed that Scottish consumers want authentic, high quality, local cheese with a superb flavour. Lockerbie Cheese is carefully crafted and matured for 40 weeks, with Scotland's Saltire flag prominently displayed on-pack.
Launching at a time when consumers are increasingly focused on the origins and quality of their food, this local cheese produced with first-rate milk from nearby family farms should capitalise on then importance of provenance. Similarly with the topical issue of Food Miles, Lockerbie Cheddar will appeal to Scottish shoppers looking for high quality local produce.
A first-class cheese, Lockerbie Scottish Cheddar won the prize for Best Scottish Cheese at last September's British Cheese Awards. The cheese has a unique rugged sweetness combined with a tangy sharpness and delivers long lasting flavour on the palate.
Neil Kennedy, Managing Director of The Cheese Company, said of the launch, "Our research has shown that flavour is key for Scottish consumers and there is a gap in the market for a cheese with Scottish branding. The Cheddar's award-winning taste makes it is one of the finest cheeses on the market and its contemporary-look packaging with tempting flavour descriptors is engaging on shelf."
The first stocks of Scottish Cheddar arrived on the shelves in Tesco on 26 March 2007 and will soon be available in Sainsbury's.
The range includes 250g and 400g blocks retailing at £1.95 and £3.09 respectively, with 200g packs of sliced and 200g packs of grated both retailing at £1.85.
Helena Iannetta, Senior Product Manager at The Cheese Company, added: "This is top quality cheese, produced under the Lockerbie Creamery brand and we are sure that its distinctive Scottish taste – bold and mature - will be popular with consumers."
