Wicklow Blue, an artisan Brie cheese made by the Hempenstall family, claimed a major prize at the International Cheese Awards in Nantwich last week. The prestigious competition in Cheshire attracted over 4,000 entrants from 26 countries.
Wicklow Blue, an artisan Brie cheese made by the Hempenstall family, claimed a major prize at the International Cheese Awards in Nantwich last week.
The prestigious competition in Cheshire attracted over 4,000 entrants from 26 countries.
Wicklow Blue took home the DuPont Danisco trophy for the best vegetarian cheese. A number of other Irish companies claimed awards at the event, including Wexford Creameries, who fought off Fonterra to claim the international cheddar category.
The Kerrygold trophy for the best Irish cheddar was claimed by Dairygold Food Ingredients (UK).
John and Bernie Hempenstall began making cheese on their farm at Curranstown, near Arklow, in 2005 and have grown to the point where the business employs eight people and uses all milk produced by their Holstein Friesian dairy herd. John said that the award has already generated some business in Britain, where he is targeting the foodservice market.
Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese produces a number of brands, including Wicklow Blue Brie, Wicklow Baun Brie and a number of flavoured variants of its cheddar, Wicklow Gold. It produces a brand called St Kevin’s Brie for the foodservice sector. Its main market is Ireland but there are some exports to Britain and the US.
Its cheese is sold by all the main Irish retailers. However, John has refused to produce own-label cheese for the supermarkets. “Our production is 100% branded. We have made the decision to utilise our capacity for our brands,” he explained.
In recent years, Wicklow joined forces with other Irish cheesemakers – Cashel Blue, Carrigbyrne and St Tola – to form Irish Cheese Direct for marketing and distribution. More cheese companies have since joined the fold and it is working well, reducing distribution and marketing costs by combining resources in a central warehouse.
Additional milk
John confirmed that purchasing additional milk from other farmers is likely to be part of the company’s future. “We are planning to invest in the dairy herd facilities, which will free up some further buildings for conversion into cheese production,” he explained.
Two members of the next generartion – Mary (27) and Liam (20) – are now involved in the business, as well as a nephew, Shane Mythen. That helps provide a long-term focus, John agreed.
“Having family involved makes all the hard work in setting up the business worthwhile,” he said.
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