Beyond Cheddar and Brie: Say Cheese
Unlocking the potential of the UK Cheese market
The UK cheese industry is thriving, producing some of the finest cheeses in the world—from large-scale, high-quality cheddar producers to innovative, small-scale artisans pushing boundaries in flavour and craftsmanship. Retailers are taking notice, sourcing an incredible range of cheeses, from supermarket staples to exciting new discoveries. Yet, despite this abundance, many consumers still default to familiar choices, missing out on the diversity and quality available to them.
The challenge we face as an industry is not a lack of great cheese, but how we collectively educate and inspire consumers to explore beyond the familiar. European neighbours integrate cheese into their food culture from an early age, treating it as more than just a sandwich filler. In the UK, we have an opportunity to drive choice and variety by making cheese education accessible, engaging, and part of everyday shopping habits.
The Opportunity: A Unified Approach to Consumer Education
The UK is home to an extraordinary breadth of cheesemakers, from volume producers crafting world-class cheddar to small-scale artisans producing innovative and regionally distinctive cheeses. Retailers, too, are playing their part - Morrisons has demonstrated consistent support for the ICDA Awards, M&S continues to champion local and artisan varieties, and Lidl and Aldi have introduced high-quality, affordable options to the masses. However, as an industry, we need to do more to connect these exceptional products with consumers in a meaningful way.
British supermarkets have the reach and influence to turn the UK into a cheese-literate nation, but this requires a concerted effort from producers, retailers, and industry bodies. It is not enough to stock a diverse selection - education must be central to the strategy.
How the Industry Can Drive Change
If we want Britain to embrace the true diversity of its cheese industry, it is time for a coordinated, industry-wide push towards education and engagement. Here’s how:
A Collaborative Approach to Retail Education
Supermarkets and retailers are vital partners in this effort.
- Morrisons’ support of the ICDA Awards is a great example of how a retailer can celebrate and highlight quality. By continuing to showcase award-winning cheeses prominently, they can help consumers navigate the variety available.
- M&S’s commitment to local artisans is commendable, offering customers a chance to engage with regionally unique products. By enhancing storytelling in-store and online, they can help consumers better understand why these cheeses matter.
- Lidl & Aldi’s approach to affordable quality has proven there is demand for variety at all price points. They can further encourage exploration by promoting lesser-known cheeses in seasonal promotions or themed discovery packs.
Experiential Education: Engaging Consumers Beyond the Shelf
Merely offering variety is not enough - retailers, brands, and industry bodies must make learning about cheese engaging and accessible.
- Make Cheese an Experience In-store, supported by knowledgeable staff, can break down barriers to trial. Bring back cheese counters staffed with knowledgeable cheesemongers, not just deli assistants. Hold cheese and beer pairings, not just cheese and wine. Make cheese personal, not just another chiller item.
- QR codes on packaging linking to tasting notes, producer stories, and recipe inspiration.
- Taking the Meal bundling into cheese - pairing cheeses with complementary foods like artisan bread, charcuterie, and wines - encourages experimentation.
- Challenge Consumers to Engage - Could retailers introduce “mystery cheese” boxes where customers buy a random selection at a discount. Offer money-back guarantees on new cheeses to encourage trial without risk. Develop more limited edition seasonal cheeses that force urgency.
- Shift the Language - How cheese is marketed matters. Instead of describing cheese in generic terms like “creamy” or “strong,” use evocative, appetite-whetting language. The craft beer industry nailed this - why can’t cheese? Imagine reading: “A brine-washed beauty with a punchy, farmyard funk” instead of “a semi-hard cheese with a smooth texture”. One sounds irresistible; the other sounds like a biology textbook.
“A brine-washed beauty with a punchy, farmyard funk”
Elevating the Role of the ICDA Awards & EXPO
Part of my remit as the Strategy Director of the ICDA Awards & EXPO is to help drive this education through increased awareness of award-winning cheeses and dairy products. Winning an ICDA Award should mean more than just a title - it should signal to consumers that a cheese is worth discovering.
- Help retailers integrate award-winners into their merchandising plans, ensuring consumers can find and experience the best the industry has to offer.
- Support brands to leverage their wins more effectively through marketing and social media campaigns that tell the story behind their success.
- Engage and collaborate more closely with media to ensure coverage goes beyond niche food publications and reaches mainstream consumers.
The Future: A More Engaged Cheese Culture
If we work together as an industry to elevate cheese education and awareness, the UK cheese sector will continue to grow, driven by informed consumers eager to explore new varieties. The opportunity is clear: we have the quality, the variety, and the infrastructure to support greater engagement. What’s needed is a collective commitment to education and inspiration.
By supporting retailers, celebrating award-winning cheeses, and making cheese discovery part of everyday shopping, we can ensure the UK becomes a true cheese-loving nation - one that values its heritage while embracing new and exciting flavours.
Are we ready to take this next step in our cheese journey? The answer lies in collaboration and commitment.
Are we ready to stop being boring?
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