THE CARMARTHENSHIRE Cheese Company marked its tenth year as an artisan cheese maker this month by joining other local food producers and schools to celebrate St David’s Day at Carmarthen Tesco Extra.
Tesco customers had the chance to taste locally crafted cheese and meet the people behind the brand, just as the company moves into a new state of the art facility in Nant-y-Ci, Carmarthen.
Also kicking of the Welsh celebrations, were Nantgaredig Primary School and Queen Elizabeth High School, who came along to bag pack and sing in-store.
Founded in early 2006 by husband and wife team Steve and Sian Elin Peace, who had already clocked up 50 years of dairy industry experience between them, Carmarthenshire Cheese Company’s Pont Gar range of soft Welsh cheese immediately made an impact.
Pont Gar Blue won the best new dairy product award at the 2006 Nantwich International Cheese Show, bringing them to the attention of leading British retailer Tesco, and leading to a contract which will also soon celebrate its tenth year.
Through hard work, dedication, and a close working relationship with local farmers who supply milk for their hand-made batches of speciality cheese, the company has gone from strength to strength.
Carmarthenshire Cheese Company products are now stocked in 64 Tesco stores across Wales, and the business has started seeing success oversees through its export business.
Steve Peace, co-owner of Carmarthenshire Cheese Company said: “It has taken five years in the planning for us to be in our new site West of Carmarthen, it is modern, efficient and has great access to the M4 for distribution.
The site incorporates a visitor viewing and factory shop together with video room and digital interactive touch screen information system. It should provide an interesting visit for all cheese lovers and help us to continue to build awareness of our Pure Welsh Cheese brands, Llangloffan, Pont Gar and Boksburg Blue with Tesco customers who have been great supporters over our first ten years.”
Chris Minter, local buyer for Tesco in Wales, said: “We’ve enjoyed working with Steve and Sian Elin as their business has grown with us over the years, and our customers love being able to buy Carmarthenshire Cheese Company products from Tesco stores across the country.”
Tesco held two St David’s Day celebrations at Carmarthen Extra on 25 and 26 February. Carmarthernshire schools Nantgaredig Primary School and Queen Elizabeth High School took part in bag packing and singing in store to support the St David’s day celebrations, and both schools were gifted with Tesco vouchers for their superb efforts.
Customers were also able to sample delicious products from elsewhere in store, as the producers of Daioni flavoured milk, Princes Gate flavoured water, Franks and Mario’s ice cream, and Parsons laverbread handed out samples and talked through each taster with customers, offering advice and suggestions for creating the perfect St David’s Day menu.
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