22 tonnes of cheddar worth £300k have been stolen from artisanal cheese maker
29th October 2024
More than 950 wheels of cheddar, worth £300,000, have been stolen from a London-based artisanal cheese maker.
Patrick Holden of Neal’s Yard Dairy said that 22 tonnes of Hafod, Westcombe and Pitchfork Cheddar were stolen on 21st October.
The fraudsters who posed as an agent of a French supermarket have received the biggest order in the company’s history and did not pay for it.
“The robbers asked Neal’s Yard to dispatch it to another warehouse in or around London, from which it was then collected by these nefarious people, and then it disappeared, so they cleverly covered their tracks.
“They have already claimed £300,000, these criminals, and if they sell the cheese they’ll get more again”, Mr Holden told the BBC.
To be sold abroad
The artisanal cheese maker and farmer who runs a dairy farm in western Wales, added that he believes the produce may end up on the streets of Russia or the Middle East, “where people aren’t going to ask questions about where it came from”.
“I think if they tried to sell it closer to home they’d find it difficult because the international artisan community is very connected,” Mr Holden said.
“If they tried to sell it in North America, where we sell a lot of Hafod, or even Australia, believe it or not, the balloon would go up because people would ask questions,” Mr Holden added.
The business is currently working with law enforcement authorities to identify the perpetrators of this fraud.
“Despite the significant financial blow, we have honoured our commitment to our small-scale suppliers and paid all three artisan cheesemakers in full.
“In the meantime, we would like to put out a call to everyone within our esteemed community of cheesemongers around the world.
“If anyone is offered or receives cheeses they believe may have been associated with this theft, particularly clothbound Cheddars in a 10kg or 24kg format with the tags detached, please contact info@nealsyarddairy.co.uk so we can support the police in their investigation,” the owner of Holden Farm Dairy said.
Great cheese robbery
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has commented on the sad news, asking people to be wary of suspiciously large quantities of premium cheddar being sold “for cheap”.
He added: “There has been a great cheese robbery. Some of the best cheddar cheese in the world has been stolen.
“Remember, if the deal seems too gouda to be true, it probably is.”
Mr Holden said that Neal’s Yard Dairy has received “an overwhelming number of calls, messages, and visits”.
“We are truly touched that so many people in the artisan cheese community and beyond are standing with us. It’s a reminder of why we love the work we do.
“Many of you have asked how you can help. To that, we say: continue to support British and Irish cheese. Hafod, Pitchfork, and Westcombe are special examples of farmhouse Cheddar. Eat them. Celebrate them.
“We will be here, championing British and Irish cheese, for a long time to come,” he concluded.
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