Delamere Dairy scoops 22 accolades at International Cheese and Dairy Awards

Delamere Dairy won 10 gold, six silver and six bronze in the prestigious International Cheese and Dairy Awards for its range of speciality goat and cow milk products – after being judged against 4,500 competitors.

This flourishing company started with just three goats and now creams off £33 million turnover a year.

Husband and wife Roger and Liz Sutton founded the business in Delamere Forest in 1985.

The couple began by selling fresh goats' milk and soft cheese they made in their kitchen to local health food stores.

“We wanted our own farm business yet we had no farm, no money and no milk quota,” said Liz.

“Roger’s dream was to start a dairy goat herd.

“Three goats were the first thing that we bought.”

The family business grew and moved the goats and processing to Yew Tree Farm in Knutsford in 1992, where 30 staff still work at head office.

Following rapid expansion, processing was outsourced in 1992 and now uses state-of-the art production at farms across the country.

Painstaking attention to detail ensures top class quality is maintained.

New products are constantly being developed.

Ten gold awards were received for their shole and semi-skilled goats’ milk, strawberry goats’ yoghurt, spreadable goats’ butter, chocolate flavoured cows’ milk as well as its range of goats’ cheeses.

Silver was bestowed on its newly formulated spreadable goats’ cheese and best goats’ cheese.

Delamere Dairy's award winning yoghurt

Bronze awards were given for their goats’ cheeses, yogurts and strawberry flavoured cows’ milk.

Managing director Ed Salt, who led a management buy out in 2008, said: “We are thrilled to receive such wide recognition for our range of goats’ dairy and flavoured cows’ milk products.

Managing director Ed Salt with one of the goats

“The fact that our goats’ products came out on top against more mainstream dairy is testament to the quality and flavour that goats’ products can deliver.”

Products are sold all over the world including America and the Middle East.

Chef Marco Pierre White at the Delamere Dairy stand at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards

“Around 76 per cent of customers buy our products for health reasons.

“We have received wonderful comments from consumers about the health benefits in their day to day life.”

Delamere’s award-winning products are available in supermarkets and independent shops across the UK.

Delamere Dairy's award winning goats' cheese

Their latest spreadable goats’ cheese will be launched in Booths this week.

“We are continuously developing new products,” said Ed.

“We have developed milk for cats and dogs.

“We look for trends and try and develop products that sell well in the market. What we try to do is develop quality products at an affordable price.

Delamere Dairy's gold winning goats' milk

“We have lots of different flavoured milks and different cheeses.

“We have farms producing milk from Skipton all the way to Dorset and we supply most supermarkets.

“We sell two products ever second.”

But, he stressed, the business is not all about making profits.

“It isn’t all about money,” said Ed. “We set up a foundation last year and donated over half a million pounds to charities all over the UK and locally.

“We are the custodians of our business and had it over in the future to the next generation knowing we have created something good.

“We want to give something back.”