Somerset, UK – 4^th November, 2011 – The Dairy Crest / NFU West County Dairy Award has been won by Tom Burns, from Honiton. Tom was one of four finalists – including Toby Wonnacott, winner of the ‘Wyke Farms Award’  – selected for specialized knowledge, practical experience and commitment to the dairy industry.  The finalists were chosen from 33 applicants from four counties and will receive cash awards to continue their studies and careers in the dairy industry.

This is the eighth year in a row that Wyke Farms has contributed to the Dairy Crest / NFU Scholorship Fund responsible for The West Country Dairy Awards.  The 2011 ‘Wyke Farms’ Award is a £1000 cash prize, awarded to Toby Wonnacott, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, Dorset who is studying agriculture at Kingston Maurward, Dorset.

Sixteen-year-old Wonnacott demonstrated his knowledge of cow breeding, welfare and milk production at the final interview for the West County Dairy Awards with an impressive maturity, resulting in the presentation of the Wyke Farms award.

“I am delighted that Toby has won this award. It’s imperative that our industry encourages young people such as Toby.  It is people like him that will ensure British Dairying with be competing on a world level over the coming years, particularly with new markets opening up such as China and India for our milk products,” said Rich Clothier, third generation family member and managing director, Wyke Farms.

Toby is a member of the Holstein Society, lending a helping hand at various dairy shows across the UK. He has taken an interest in diet consultation, breeding and genetics of cows to continue the improvement of breeding.

The scholarship fund was set up in 1925 by United Dairies, the forerunner of Unigate – now Dairy Crest.  Wyke Farms and ABN Agri also add to the fund to encourage youngsters in the dairy industry so that the UK can have the efficient and competitive dairy sector that it deserves.

An executive committee manages the Trust, with three Trustees and an advisory committee. It is run jointly with the NFU and awards grants to children of farmers and farm employees who are over 16 years old, living in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset, and studying a dairy related topic.  Applicants are assessed by interview and finalists are selected to be considered for the top awards.

 Somerset, UK 19^th October, 2011: Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, have launched its Christmas advertising campaign to reach over three million consumers in the UK. The Somerset based company will use print advertising to continue to tell the story of its extensive150year heritage.

The coming months will see the brand further invest into mass media promotional activity with adverts in the following consumer titles: BBC Good Food, Readers Digest, Woman and Home, Waitrose Kitchen, Red, OK!, Hello and Good Housekeeping. The print advert shares the story of Wyke Farms cheddar in Somerset and the importance of family in the creation of the UK’s favourite Farmhouse Cheddar.

Richard Clothier, third generation family member & Managing Director, Wyke Farms said: “This year has marked a major milestone for my family and Wyke Farms – 150 years producing Cheddar from my Grandmother’s original recipe. We have always taken pride on being the UK’s favourite farmhouse cheddar and we are making significant investments into connecting with our consumers and continuing the excellence they deserve. We feel this press campaign resonates our provenance and family farming in the Somerset countryside roots.”

Wyke Farms have 150 years of family farming experience. Its cheese and butter is made with the milk from their cows grazing the lush pastures of the Mendip Hills in the centre of the Cheddar making region in Somerset.  This is reflected in the design of the adverts and the new packaging.

Wyke Farms cheese and butter is made with the milk from their cows grazing the lush pastures of the Mendip Hills in the centre of the Cheddar making region in Somerset. Wyke Farms cheese and butter products are available nationwide and can be found in Asda, Co-op, Makro, Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose.

Somerset, UK – 03^rd October 2011 – Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, is celebrating its 150^th year in style, and by no means resting on its laurels. Bound by its passion for producing fine Farmhouse Cheddar and its pride in maintaining the traditional farming heritage, 150 plus national cheese shows awards in one year means Wyke Farms is no “cottage industry”- It is the No. 1 Farmhouse Cheddar in the UK.

“To say we are proud is an understatement,” said Richard Clothier, third-generation family member and managing director. “150 years is something special. Today, as a family business we still base all our recipes on our Grandmother Ivy’s original. We see this year as a chance to remember where we started, and with 150 awards (and counting) for our cheddar marks our achievement today. Here’s to the next 150!”

2011 is a record-breaking year for Wyke Farms and further recognition that it is the Best-Selling Farmhouse Cheddar Brand in the UK, as reported by the Kantar World Panel in 2010.[1] This year’s awards include 11 Winner accolades, two Star awards, 26 First places, 20 Gold awards, 21 Second places, 22 Silver awards, 18 Third places, two Forth places, two “Highly Commended” awards, 24 Bronzes awards, and three Finalist awards, with more to come!

Wyke Farms are committed to continually improving its offering to the retail industry and consumers. Richard Clothier comments, “During October our management team will be conducting a key retail buyers tour where we will update the industry on our 2012 strategy but more importantly get feedback on how we can improve and add further value to the Cheddar category.”

Known for its unique provenance and the superior quality of its products, Wyke Farms has maintained the art of traditional cheese-making on its Somerset farm, where the Clothier family have been making traditional farmhouse cheddar to its original secret recipe since 1861.

Wyke Farms cheese and butter is made with the milk from their cows grazing the lush pastures of the Mendip Hills in the centre of the Cheddar making region in Somerset. Wyke Farms cheese and butter products are available nationwide and can be found in Asda, Co-op, Makro, Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose.

Somerset, UK – 24^th August 2011 – Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, was the recipient of 39 awards and five cups at the Mid Somerset Show. The 44 prizes include 17 1^st place awards, 14 2^nd place awards and eight 3^rd place awards, as well as five trophies for:

-       Most points in show

-       Champion Cheese

-       Reserve Champion Cheese

-       Overall winner of Cheddar Cheesemakers

-       Best Butter in Show

The Mid Somerset Show is one of the largest free agricultural events in the UK, attracting over 15,000 visitors. Wyke Farms is in the process of claiming the number of prizes as a world record with Guinness World Records.

“It is an immense honour for the team at Wyke to have our quality recognised at the Mid Somerset Show,” said Richard Clothier, third-generation family member and managing director. “Only 5 miles from cheddar and to win nearly all of the prizes is a testament to the quality of our local milk and the attention to detail of our team. My grandmother would have been very proud.’

2011 is set to be another award-winning year for Wyke Farms and the recent show serves as further recognition that its the Best-Selling Farmhouse Cheddar Brand in the UK, as reported by the Kantar World Panel in 2010.[1] Known for their unique provenance and the superior quality of their products, Wyke Farms has maintained the art of traditional cheese-making on their Somerset farm, where the Clothier family have been making traditional farmhouse cheddar to their original secret recipe since 1902.

Wyke Farms have 150 years of family farming experience and have long since been matched by over 100 trophies, awards and prizes won by the company at national cheese shows.

Wyke Farms cheese and butter is made with the milk from their cows grazing the lush pastures of the Mendip Hills in the centre of the Cheddar making region in Somerset. Wyke Farms cheese and butter products are available nationwide and can be found in Asda, Co-op, Makro, Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose.

Somerset – May 10, 2010 – Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, today revealed the latest brand performance figures from Kantar World Panel KPI Reporting[1], the world’s leading provider of continuous, consumer panels and market research solutions. The data confirms Wyke Farms as the best selling Farmhouse Cheddar brand within the category in the UK.

Wyke Farms has shown double-digit growth in brand sales over the past 12 months (Wyke Farms is now a £72 million brand), and with a 20 percent year on year growth[2], the brand is projected to continue to perform well during 2010. In addition, the family-owned brand has continued to add incremental value at retail, which is up 3.5 percent[3] over the brand average. This significant achievement stands as further proof that Wyke Farms is continuing to cement its position as an added value brand within the category.

“In times like these, consumers are looking to spend their hard-earned money on brands that mean something to them,” said Richard Clothier, third generation family member & Managing Director, Wyke Farms. “As the only national Cheddar brand with provenance and a true point of difference, our core values really stand out in the crowd and resonate with British consumers.”

The Wyke Farms brand continues to be supported by national TV and press advertising this year, as well as a busy sampling programme that will reach over 2 million consumers over the summer months. In addition, Wyke Farms’ forward thinking approach to PR and the use of social media, has seen a growth in the popularity of the brands Facebook fan page, which hosts regular consumer competitions and giveaways.

Wyke Farms is a family run company based in Somerset and are the only independent dairy company within the top 10 cheddar brands in the UK.  The company has been making cheddar to the same family recipe since 1902 and have achieved substantial growth year on year by staying true to the traditional values behind the brand.

Wyke Farms cheese and butter products are available nationwide and can be found in Asda, Co-op, Makro, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose.

Monday 20th September 2009: Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, will air the first broadcast advert in their Autumn Advertising campaign on Sunday 27th September.  The advertising slot, a three-and- a-half minute menu-themed ad break during Come Dine With Me will feature Wyke alongside six other quality hand picked brands- Gordon’s Gin, New Covent Garden Soup, Sainsburys, Nescafe, Baileys and Haagen-Dazs, and is a first for Channel 4.

Wyke Farms plan to reach over 750,000 ABC1 Housewives with the 30 second television advert.  As well as the Come Dine with Me slot, the ad will also be seen on GMTV throughout October.  Following the successful broadcast campaign last year, Wyke Farms have invested a further £800k figure sum again this Autumn.

The Come Dine with Me slot will be the first viewing of the new ad creative.  The ad titled ‘Stan remembers’ features the true story of Stan Graves, 84, who wrote into Wyke in July 2009, with his memories of the Clothier family & working on the farm in the 1940’s when he was sent to Wyke at the age of 15 during the Second World War to work on the farm as a land boy. The advert, which was all shot on the farm in Somerset demonstrates the brands true traditional farmhouse Cheese maker roots that have stood the test of time.

Richard Clothier, third generation family member & Managing Director, Wyke Farms said: ‘The Come Dine With Me slot is an ideal opportunity for us to tell our story. Our ad will be running alongside six other complimentary food brands and includes a voice over inviting the viewers to create their own dinner party. We have been giving away free recipes and encouraging people to embrace their ‘inner foodie’ for over ten years so the fit for us was an obvious one.”

Wyke Farms has been producing its award-winning cheddar for over a century and has grown to become the largest family-owned cheese maker and fastest growing cheddar brand in Britain, selling over 14,000 tonnes annually.

Wyke Farms cheese and butter products are available nationwide and can be found in Asda, Co-op, Makro, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose.

Downloads:
Press Release (Word Document)
Young Stan in Meadow (JPEG)

For further information, screen shot image of the advert and interview opportunities:

Jodie Welton at Connected PR
Tel: 07887 780464
Email: jodie@connectedpr.eu

-ENDS-

www.wykefarms.com

Notes to Editor

Wyke Farms Ltd is a family run company based in the heart of the Somerset cheddar-making region.  The art of traditional cheese making will never be lost on the Somerset farm where the Clothier family have been making cheddar to Ivy Clothier’s same original secret recipe since 1902.

Today, Wyke Farms is the largest independent cheese maker and milk processor in the UK producing over 14,000 tonnes of cheddar per year to the same award winning 100-year-old recipe.

Recent brand data confirms Wyke Farms as the fastest growing brand within the Cheddar category, with growth at 95% over the past 12 months[1] <#_ftn1> and shows a significant 105% growth in brand sales.  The Wyke Farms brand is the 4th largest in the category and the only independent company in the top 10 cheese brands[2] <#_ftn2> .

Wyke remains a truly traditional family business.  Ivy’s grandsons Richard and Tom now run the cheese making operations with their father John, whilst her other two Grandsons David and Roger run the family dairy farming operations.  The four grandchildren share Ivy’s passion for cheese making where flavour, texture and taste are paramount.  They believe that this attention to detail is the reason that their cheese has won more awards at national cheese shows than any other.

[1] <#_ftnref> TNS World Panel 52 w/e Jan 31st 2009
[2] <#_ftnref> w/e 14 June 2009 (TNS World Panel KPI Reporting)

Somerset, England – September 7, 2009 – Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, are enlisting the help of Lloyds of London to insure their Master Cheese Grader’s nose for £5 million. The Somerset-based cheese expert, Nigel Pooley, has worked in the cheese-producing industry since 1963 and has graded cheese for the century-old, family-run Wyke Farms for the past 12 years, where he specializes in selecting good commercial cheese that the mass market will enjoy.

Richard Clothier, third generation family member & Managing Director at Wyke Farms, is insistent that the quality of their Cheddar is of a consistently high standard and comments: “As an industry veteran with a naturally honed palate, Nigel plays an integral role in ensuring the quality of every batch of Wyke Farms’ award-winning cheddar that leaves the farm. It may seem a bit unusual to go to such great lengths – something that’s typically reserved for celebrities, but then again, we’ve never been afraid to stray from the norm in order produce the best farmhouse cheddar possible. In fact, you could say that Nigel is a bit of a celebrity around our farm.”

Owned and operated by the Clothier Family since 1902, Wyke Farms has become known for their long-standing traditional values and practices, as well as the distinctive taste of their award-winning cheddar. As the one who grades and selects cheese for packing, or more importantly for further maturation to produce their renowned Vintage cheeses , Nigel Pooley is a valuable asset and the guardian of the Wyke brand to ensure its consistency and that each product delivers what it promises on the packaging.

Jonathan Thomas, Group Accident and Health Underwriter of Watkins Syndicate at Lloyd’s, and an acknowledged expert in the insurance of body parts said, “The functional parts of key people in certain industries are often just as valuable to the production process as key pieces of machinery in manufacturing. Mr Pooley breaks new ground as our first cheese nose, but perfume and wine noses we have insured in the past justify similar quality control value .”

He continues, “Like all our policies, we will carefully examine both Mr Pooley, and also Wyke Farms financial justification for the sum insured as part of our assessment of the risk. We can’t reduce our underwriting rigour just because the Pythons declared cheese makers to be blessed! Or was it makers of dairy produce generally?”

Wyke Farms has been producing its award-winning cheddar for over a century and has grown to become the largest family-owned cheese maker and fastest growing cheddar brand in Britain, selling over 14,000 tonnes annually. In order to protect the brand and quality of the company’s range of farmhouse cheddars, Wyke Farms selected Lloyd’s a highly reputable insurance provider known for their high-profile celebrity clients.

Wyke Farms cheese and butter products are available nationwide and can be found in Asda, Co-op, Makro, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose.

Both Wyke Farms and Swallow are locally based and worked together to promote the SWALLOW’s Bath Half Marathon, where the team (picture attached) raised more than £5,000 to help fund their work. The local charity supports people with learning disabilities.

Somerset-based Wyke Farms is the UK’s largest independent farmhouse dairy producer has supported SWALLOW for the second year running.

Jennifer Gray, Marketing Manager, Wyke Farms said: “We are very glad that our help meant more money was raised for such a wonderful cause. SWALLOW provides invaluable support to those with learning disabilities in the community and we are very pleased to be able to help them make a difference to local lives.”

It was the fourth year that SWALLOW had entered a team in the race and this year 11 runners, including some members, family and friends, took part wearing their Wyke Farm T shirts.

“The SWALLOW team had a great day and raised money for our Work Skills Programme which helps people with learning disabilities gain skills and experience necessary for successful work placements.” Bev Craney, General Manager.

The Work Skills Enterprise scheme aims to give members the skills and experience they need for successful employment. Members attend the scheme twice a week and gain experience in a range of business settings and functions. SWALLOW is developing the activities available to members on the work skills, adding horticulture and the sale of hanging baskets to their existing craft-based programme.

About SWALLOW
SWALLOW is a local registered charity based helping people with learning difficulties. Based in Midsomer Norton, it provides supported housing, education and training as well as a range of social activities. The charity is a user-led organisation and was launched 15 years ago in response to the needs and wishes of local people with learning difficulties.
www.swallowcharity.org

Swallow contact: For more information please contact:
Nicky Tew, Fundraising and Finance Manager on 01749 670109 or by email on nickyt@swallowcharity.org

About Wyke Farms
Wyke Farms Ltd is a family run company based in the heart of the Somerset cheddar-making region. The art of traditional cheese making will never be lost on the Somerset farm where the Clothier family have been making cheddar to Ivy Clothier’s same original secret recipe since 1902.

Today, Wyke Farms is the largest independent cheese maker and milk processor in the UK producing over 12,000 tonnes of cheddar per year to the same award winning 100-year-old recipe.

Recent brand data confirms Wyke Farms as the fastest growing brand within the Cheddar category, with growth at 95% over the past 12 months and shows a significant 118% growth in brand sales. The Wyke Farms brand is the 4th largest in the category and the only independent company in the top 10 cheese brands .

Wyke remains a truly traditional family business. Ivy’s grandsons Richard and Tom now run the cheese making operations with their father John, whilst her other two Grandsons David and Roger run the family dairy farming operations. The four grandchildren share Ivy’s passion for cheese making where flavour, texture and taste are paramount. They believe that this attention to detail is the reason that their cheese has won more awards at national cheese shows than any other.

Desperate times call for desperate measures – that’s what we’re told anyway. With the current state of our challenging economy and dwindling milk supplies, the question over who controls the supply chain is becoming more and more prominent.

For retailers, ‘exercising caution’ in the current economic downturn inherently means they must resist the temptation to be aggressive with suppliers. Although this may feel like a natural course of action under growing pressure, retailers must keep in mind that the farmer supply-base is extremely fragile.

As we all know, the supply of dairy commodities sourced from within the UK remains very low in comparison to previous years (the UK output of milk is said to be the lowest since 1971), and putting additional pressure on cheese, butter and liquid-milk prices could push yet even more dairy farmers out of the industry. In effect, this means that if the market were to experience another increase in world demand for milk products, we would not have a milk supply base to support our UK demand.

In the end, retailers cater to consumers’ needs, which we naturally assume means the cheaper the better. However, the consumer feedback we’ve received at Wyke Farms clearly shows that whilst people may have less money to spend, they wish to spend it more carefully and their key drivers for purchase remain the same.

Even though shopping budgets are becoming tighter, consumers have not discarded their affection for provenance, health, green issues, and local products. To this end, retailers must resist using primary producers to finance outdated ‘pile it high – sell it cheap’ forms of vending, ensuring that quality products still command their share of the fixture. In return, even greater responsibility lies with Brand Managers, Manufacturers and Farmers to sell these values harder than ever to shoppers. Cutting marketing budgets in periods of tough trading is like raising the white flag to the oncoming charge of cheap supermarket own-label products.

Ultimately, it’s up to us as an industry to work together to get through this time. Maybe it’s time we change the old saying to ‘Desperate times call for better collaboration’. It’s more apparent than ever that the only way for our industry to get through this economic crisis unscathed is by doing a better job of working together, rather than passing the pain down the line, which will inevitably end up at the door of the primary producer – the poor old farmer.

Notes to Editor
Wyke Farms Ltd is a family run company based in the heart of the Somerset cheddar making region. The art of traditional cheese making will never be lost on the Somerset farm where the Clothier family have been making cheddar to Ivy Clothier’s same original secret recipe since 1902.

Today, Wyke Farms is the largest independent cheesemaker and milk processor in the UK producing over 12,000 tonnes of cheddar per year to the same award winning 100-year-old recipe.

Recent brand data confirms Wyke Farms as the fastest growing brand within the Cheddar category, with growth at 95% over the past 12 months and shows a significant 118% growth in brand sales. The Wyke Farms brand is the 4th largest in the category and the only independent company in the top 10 cheese brands .

Wyke remains a truly traditional family business. Ivy’s grandsons Richard and Tom now run the cheese making operations with their father John, whilst her other two Grandsons David and Roger run the family dairy farming operations. The four grandchildren share Ivy’s passion for cheese making where flavour, texture and taste are paramount. They believe that this attention to detail is the reason that their cheese has won more awards at national cheese shows than any other.

Somerset, UK – May 20th, 2009 – Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, today unveiled Wyke Farms Lunchtimers , a new line of their award-winning cheddar in snack-size portions . Available in nets with 5 x 20g portions, the new mini cheese chuckles are perfect as lunch box additions.

With Summer just around the corner, Wyke Farms’ new Lunchtimers make a great addition to any picnic basket or barbeque. Individually wrapped in snack-size bites, the new line will include Wyke Farms’ popular So Mellow Mild, Rich & Creamy Mature and Just Delicious Extra Mature Cheddars. Although presented in a new format, the mini cheese chuckles will still be produced from the same original recipe, developed by Ivy Clothier in 1902, that has made Wyke Farms a household name throughout the UK.

“The Wyke Farms Lunchtimers line is another step for us toward making consumers’ cheddar experience as convenient as possible, without sacrificing any of the full, traditional flavour we’ve been developing for over 100 years,” said Richard Clothier, Managing Director and third-generation family member, Wyke Farms. “Our new mini cheese chuckles are a great new treat for the whole family – whether as a healthy addition to kids’ school lunch boxes or the perfect snack for busy mums on the go.”

The 100 years of tradition at Wyke Farms have rewarded with more than 100 trophies, awards and prizes won by the company at national cheese shows. From an original 3,000 plus, Wyke Farms is now one of less that 20 farmhouse cheese makers remaining in the West Country, and today its mild, mature, extra mature and vintage cheddars are sold throughout Europe in over 25,000 retailers.

Wyke Farms cheese and butter products are available nationwide and can be found in Asda, Co-op, Makro, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose. The new Wyke Farms Lunchtimers line are available at Asda stores throughout the UK.