Calling UK artisan cheesemakers – Tesco wants to hear from you

Calling artisan cheesemakers across the UK – Tesco is eager to hear from you as it plans to increase its range of great quality, locally made cheeses with an opportunity to win a share of its growing regional cheese market, which is already worth £12 million and growing annually.

From Cornwall to Scotland, from Wales to East Anglia, the supermarket is keen to uncover local hero craft cheeses that are worthy of celebration and wider recognition.

The new cheeses will, initially, be sold in Tesco stores in their region – a market that could extend to several surrounding counties - but if they prove to be really popular with customers, they could then be given a UK-wide listing.

That’s what happened with North Yorkshire blue cheese specialists, Shepherds Purse, and their Harrogate Blue cheese, which was originally listed in around 40 stores in 2020, with sales of around 10 tons a year.

The cheese was extremely popular with customers and was extended to Tesco stores across the UK in 2023 with sales now reaching 43 tons a year in Tesco alone. 

Furthermore, and as a result of that success, Tesco took the decision to range another four cheeses from Shepherds Purse in the Yorkshire region.

Tesco Head of Local Sourcing, James Lamont said:

“We are looking to highlight the outstanding cheeses made locally across the UK and want to hear from artisan companies who are ready to take the next step in growing their businesses and sharing their fantastic products with a wider audience.

“We know that taking the next step can sometimes seem daunting but the Tesco local sourcing team are experts in supporting small businesses as the grow and can offer a wide range of help and advice on everything from distribution to marketing and sustainability.

“This is an exciting project and we’re particularly interested in hearing from cheesemakers with regional specialities who have award-winning cheeses in their portfolio and have a great story to tell.”

Shepherds Purse, who have worked with the supermarket for 30 years, reflected on when Tesco launched its ‘Grab and Go’ deli areas in 2020, stocking three of their cheeses - Yorkshire Blue, Harrogate Blue and Northern Blue.

The company’s Co-Managing Director Katie Matten said:

“It was a great move for us because within a year Harrogate Blue had become so popular that it was given a national listing and it has enjoyed continual growth ever since.

“As a small business, relationships matter and the teams at Tesco have always led with a desire to understand us and our products, which is so important in speciality cheese.”

Suppliers can reach out to Tesco through the link below on the RangeMe platform. RangeMe is the leading online product discovery platform that connects retail buyers with new suppliers.

The sourcing process is streamlined making it easier for retailers to discover, evaluate, and purchase products from brands both locally and globally. The link to put forward products for consideration is https://www.rangeme.com/tescoregionalcheese.

ENDS