Phil Jones, Sales Director of Wensleydale
Creamery

The Wensleydale Creamery at Hawes has landed multi-million pound trans-Atlantic contracts in the wake of attending an international food show in New York.

As a direct result of The Wensleydale Creamery pursuing its US export strategy, a leading US retailer is to sell two cheeses and a possible third which will generate in excess of £1 million turnover a year for the company while another deal to supply cheese to another leading retailer was also secured at the show.

The company was represented on the ‘Cheese from Britain’ stand. It was also showcased by one of its US distributors who had a dedicated fridge for a range of Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese.

Sales Director Phil Jones said: “It has been a tremendous show, one that’s allowed us to focus on this key export market. Inevitably, it’s allowed us to meet potential new customers but it’s also really helped us to build on existing customer relationships and helped us to close several lucrative deals that were in the pipeline.”

Wholesalers were given the chance to sample a wide range of The Creamery’s products including Real Yorkshire Wensleydale and its brands containing Ocean Spray cranberries and blueberries.

It has been a tremendous show, one that’s allowed us to focus on this key export market.

Phil Jones - The Wensleydale Creamery

Two products, Real Yorkshire Wensleydale with Cranberries and Abbot’s Gold Cheddar with Caramelised Onion are going from strength to strength in the US and are showing a noticeable increase is sales.

Phil Jones added: “This is the leading international show for The Wensleydale Creamery. It is an ideal opportunity to promote Wensleydale branded products in the USA, but the show also attracts major UK retailers and wholesalers.

“It is amazing to go into a deli in Manhattan and see Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese on the deli counter.

‘While our trip to the US centered on the show itself, our staff also attended cheese samplings and took time to visit a number of outlets and distributors throughout New York which has helped give us an even better insight into the US market’.

A large distributor from Canada is also interested in sourcing Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese following a meeting at the show.