British cheesemakers faced a crushing setback at the World Cheese Awards in Portugal when their entries were held up at customs, leaving them unable to compete. The event, hosted in Viseu, celebrated the best cheeses globally, but gaps on the judging tables told the story of the UK’s absent contenders.
British Cheeses Left at the Border
The World Cheese Awards welcomed 240 judges from 40 countries to evaluate nearly 5,000 cheeses. A Portuguese cheese, queijo de ovelha amanteigado, claimed the top prize. However, up to 252 cheeses from 67 UK producers never made it to the competition after failing to clear import controls.
John Farrand, director of the Guild of Fine Food, which organises the event, said, “We fought until the last moment for clarity on what went wrong but had no success.” While countries like Japan, South Africa, and several from South America successfully imported their entries, Britain’s cheeses were stuck in limbo.
Brexit Complicates Cheese Trade
Farrand noted that Brexit has made the process of importing and exporting cheese significantly more complex. “Before Brexit, this wouldn’t have been a thing. That’s a fact,” he said.
Cheesemaker Jane Quicke, of Quicke’s cheddar in Devon, echoed these frustrations. “Since leaving the EU, our cheese has been held up, rejected, and wrongly charged tariffs countless times. This isn’t just sad for British cheese—it’s damaging for our industry.”
Impact on British Cheesemakers
For James Grant, co-founder of the Real Cheese Project, the missed opportunity wasn’t just about losing medals. “The World Cheese Awards provide invaluable feedback for makers to improve their products,” he said. British cheeses often rank highly in the competition, with Cornish Kern winning in 2017.
“This is devastating for hundreds of hardworking cheesemakers,” Grant added. “This event can change lives overnight for the winners. The UK’s absence is a hammer blow to our cheese industry.”
Sam Wilkin, part of the team behind Yarlington and Rollright cheeses, admitted disappointment. “We fancied our chances. The Guild will have done everything to ensure compliance, but Brexit’s added bureaucracy means even one misinterpreted form can halt everything.”
A Wake-Up Call for the Industry
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges Brexit poses for British exports. “This raises a bigger question about the damage export controls with our nearest trading partner are doing to our industry,” Wilkin said.
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