Here’s how to get hold of a special artisan British cheese box
Multi award-winning cheese maker Martin Gott, owner of New Market Dairy at Altrincham Market, has created a unique seasonal cheese box of British cheeses sourced directly from family-run farms.
We need people to support British artisan cheese makers and to buy farm-made cheeses to help these passionate food producers survive
The cheese industry has suffered a real blow in the face of the coronavirus pandemic after losing much of its wholesale trade due to the closure of restaurants and bars. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that cheese lovers do their best to support the industry and buy cheese or risk losing a number of these incredible regional cheeses.
Gott, creator of iconic Lake District cheese St. James, opened New Market Dairy in October 2019, which sells a range of handmade cheeses from across the British Isles; carefully chosen from his personal favourites.
"The plight of artisan cheese makers up and down the UK is dire at the moment, with many of us left scratching our heads as to what to do to survive,” he says. “Six months ago, when we opened New Market Dairy, Altrincham, we didn’t anticipate that it would come to play a role in the battle to help small UK cheese makers continue to find a market for their products. In the current crisis farmhouse and artisan cheese makers are being forced to pour thousands of litres of milk down the drain, especially after many lost most of their business overnight when the hospitality sector shut down.
“The result is that small producers have been left with maturing rooms full of cheeses, which by their nature have limited shelf lives. But not only that, cows, sheep and goats are now out to pasture, and continue to produce milk every day that must be used or be thrown away. The overall situation certainly hasn't been helped by shoppers buying mass-manufactured cheeses at supermarkets either. We need people to support British artisan cheese makers and to buy farm-made cheeses to help these passionate food producers survive. Hopefully by expanding our contactless home delivery service across Manchester and by introducing our own online presence we will be able to contribute in some small way in helping these businesses survive.’’
During the current crisis, his small team has been operating within government guidelines at Altrincham Market, supplying local residents with over 30 farm made cheeses Tuesday to Sunday, between 10am to 2pm each day.
Now New Market Dairy has created a unique seasonal cheese box to highlight three British cheeses, showcasing what’s tasting great as the season progresses. Each box comes complete with three cheeses and artisan-made crackers and chutney - or you can swap the chutney for a bottle of small batch cider. If you fancy, you can push the boat out and enjoy three cheeses, artisan biscuits, chutney and a bottle of small batch cider.
New Market Dairy artisan seasonal cheese boxes start from £30 per box.
During the COVID-19 crisis the New Market Dairy team have also been operating a free local phone order delivery service in and around Altrincham. A new website has also been created and launched to facilitate seamless online ordering and enable the team to expand their contactless delivery service and supply a selection of farm-made artisan cheeses and associated products to more households in and around Manchester.
Currently ten cheeses are available to order online; including St Jude, made by Julie Cheyney and Blake Bowden on Fen Farm in Bungay, Suffolk; Westcombe Cheddar, made by Tom Calver, at Lower Westcombe Farm, Evercreech, Somerset; Appleby’s Cheshire, made by Sarah Appleby, at Hawkstone Abbey Farm, Shropshire and Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Farmhouse, made by Graham Kirkham, at Bessleys Farm, Goosnargh, Lancashire.
Cheeses are available to order in a variety of sizes including 250g, 500g or 1kg blocks or individual rounds depending on the nature of the cheese. Orders are delivered every Friday and must be placed no later than 24 hours before delivery.
New Market Dairy’s cheese delivery service is FREE to the following postcodes: WA13, WA14, WA15, WA16, M33.
Delivery can also be made to the following postcodes: SK1 - SK9 and M12 - M23, M31, M32, M41, M90 for a charge of £3 per order.
Delivery can also be made further afield to central Manchester postcodes, a charge of £5 per order applies.
To place your order simply visit newmarketdairy.com
