Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese Gains PGI Status
The Wensleydale Creamery, based at Hawes in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales in England, has been successful in achieving Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status from the European Commission for its Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese.
This ensures no other cheese-maker outside the Wensleydale area can produce a cheese and call it Yorkshire Wensleydale. In celebration, The Wensleydale Creamery will add the PGI symbol to its packaging, reaffirming its true Yorkshire Wensleydale credentials and helping shoppers differentiate it over other Wensleydale cheese, which are made in other counties.
Yorkshire Wensleydale’s unique creamy, crumbly taste, which is full of flavour is a result of the unique starter cultures that, combined with The Wensleydale Creamery’s cheese-making expertise, create a cheese with a unique texture and flavour that no other region can match.
The Wensleydale Creamery also sources milk from local family farms, to help ensure the quality and authenticity of its Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese, which also helps to contribute more than £10 million to the local Dales economy.
David Hartley, managing director of The Wensleydale Creamery, says: “All of the team at The Wensleydale Creamery are thrilled that our cheese has now been recognised by the European Commission. Our heritage and provenance makes Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese taste truly unique and we’re delighted this is now officially recognised.”
British Foreign Secretary, the Rt. Hon William Hague, comments: “Achieving PGI status means many things for Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese; it means more international recognition and more awareness of The Wensleydale Creamery, everybody can see this tremendous mark of quality and it commands national and international respect for this great product.” He adds: “It has been great to see the business succeed and grow, especially over the last twenty years. The Wensleydale Creamery has become a great place for visitors to Wensleydale, as a tourist attraction, as well as producing this great range of remarkable cheeses.”
CAPTION:
British Foreign Secretary, the Rt. Hon William Hague (left) with David Hartley, managing director of The Wensleydale Creamery.
