In brief
Artisanal British cheese producers are in shock as Neal’s Yard Dairy has reported that 22 metric tons of rare Cheddar, worth an estimated $390,000, have been mysteriously stolen. This event marks a significant scandal in the industry.
Neal’s Yard Dairy has come forward to reveal details of this extraordinary con, which has been humorously dubbed “the grate cheese robbery.” The cheese retailer based in London was misled by what appeared to be a legitimate order from a wholesale distributor for a prominent French retailer. Patrick Holden, a cheesemaker from Wales responsible for some of the missing Cheddar, expressed disbelief over the incident, noting that theft in their tight-knit community is virtually unheard of.The scam unfolded in July when the order was placed. Neal’s Yard Dairy worked with other UK producers, including Westcombe Dairy and Trethowan Brothers, to fulfill the substantial request totaling 22 metric tons, a quantity too large for any single producer. Initially, Holden felt honored by the order—after all, a French supermarket wanted to purchase British cheese, especially Cheddar, a staple British product."We'd been going around, proudly, saying: ‘Guess what, a French supermarket is buying our cheese,’” recalled Holden, reflecting on their initial excitement about this surprising demand for British products. But the joy quickly turned to concern as the reality of the situation began to set in for the artisanal cheese makers affected by this significant loss.As investigations unfold, producers in the British cheese community hope for a prompt resolution, while also highlighting how susceptible their industry can be to deceitful practices.
