Artisan cheesemakers have been dealt a blow by fraudsters who stole more than £300,000 worth of award-winning clothbound cheddar in a sophisticated scam.
Neal’s Yard Dairy, a distributor and retailer of British artisan cheese, is working with UK and international law enforcement agencies to try to identify the scam’s perpetrators.
The company delivered 22 tonnes of cheddar after being approached by a person posing as wholesale distributor for a big French retailer.
Despite the significant financial losses resulting from the theft, Neal’s Yard Dairy said it had honoured its commitment to small-scale suppliers by paying three artisan cheesemakers in full.
“The company is now taking steps … to ensure both its financial stability and the continued development of the British artisan cheese sector,” it said in a statement.
The 950 stolen cheeses were Hafod Welsh organic cheddar, Westcombe cheddar, and Pitchfork cheddar, which have won a number of awards and are among “the most sought-after artisan cheeses in the UK”, Neal’s Yard Dairy said.
The three cheeses sell for between £7.15 and £12.90 for a small piece weighing 250-300g. Their high monetary value is thought to have made them “a particular target”, said the company.
The Metropolitan police said: “On Monday, 21 October, we received a report of the theft of a large quantity of cheese from a manufacturer based in Southwark. Enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances.”
Police said no arrests had been made in relation to the alleged theft.
Patrick Holden, who owns the farm that makes Hafod cheddar, said: “It might sound naive to fall victim to a scam, but the truth is that the artisan cheese world is a place where trust is deeply embedded in all transactions. The breach of trust by this fraudulent customer is a violation of the atmosphere of good faith and respect … It’s a world where one’s word is one’s bond.”
Tom Calver, a director of Westcombe Dairy, praised Neal’s Yard Dairy for “ensuring that we were paid for the cheese, even in the darkest of times”.
He added: “The process of making that cheese started almost three years ago when we planted seeds for the animals’ feed in the ground. The amount of work that’s gone into nurturing the cows, emphasising best farming practice, and transforming the milk one batch at a time to produce the best possible cheese is beyond estimation. And for that to be stolen … it’s absolutely terrible.”
Neal’s Yard Dairy, which is based in London, has sold British and Irish farm-made and artisan cheeses since the 1980s. It has four shops in London and also sells online and by subscription.
The company was a champion of locally made organic produce at a time when British food had a poor reputation.
It said: “We encourage customers to continue supporting us in the coming months by choosing our cheeses, knowing that every purchase helps sustain our commitment to the small-scale producers we champion.”
