16/05/2006

Aberdeenshire cheese company is a winner in the Scottish food industry's top awards

The recently formed Craigmyle Cheese Company of Torphins, Royal Deeside has scooped a first place in the Scottish Food and Drink Excellence Awards 2006 for its Wummle cheese, as well as making the shortlist for the overall supreme prize in the first year the business has entered the event.

Success in the `Retail - dairy, confectionary and snacking' category comes hot on the heels of the young business's two gold medals at the Grampian Food Forum Innovation Awards in March. The Scottish Food and Drink Awards were presented by the editor of the Grocer, Julian Hunt and entertainer, Fiona Kennedy in the presence of Scottish Rural Development Minister, Ross Finnie at a glittering black tie event at The Hub on Edinburgh's Royal Mile.

Owner of The Craigmyle Cheese Company, Neil Marchant commented: "We are absolutely delighted to have received this tremendous accolade in such a short space of time since we started producing at the end of last year, and following our success at the Grampian Awards. We were up against some stiff competition, all of which is testament to the quality of food produced in Scotland. We see this award as recognition of the hard work that Liz and I, and our small cheesemaking team, have put in to produce a unique, tasty and quintessentially Scottish handmade cheese that we are very proud of."

From a small, purpose built creamery in Torphins, The Craigmyle Cheese Company, run by husband and wife team, Neil and Liz Marchant, produces three cheeses - Wummle (Wee and Muckle), a soft, mould ripened variety, Clachnaben, a traditional British `crumbly' and Morven, a mild, creamy, waxed cheese.

Wummle fought off stiff competition from Shetland's Blue Coo Ice Cream Company, Mitchell's Dairy for its Cranachan ice-cream and Mackies for its Raspberry Ripple to achieve first place in the Dairy category. The awards recognise excellence, innovation, quality and enterprise within the Scottish food and drink industry. The initiative is organised and co sponsored by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and Scottish Enterprise.

The Craigmyle Cheese Company is also a finalist in the Grampian Awards for Business Enterprise which will be decided next month.

© The Craigmyle Cheese Company 2005. The Creamery, Craigmyle, Torphins, Kincardineshire, Scotland AB31 4HP. T 013398 89340 CONTACT US