Say Cheese with Fivemiletown Creamery and Sainsbury's

Double celebrations for Fivemiletown Creamery during British Cheese Week with increased sales and a new Sainsbury's contract

British Cheese Week (25 September - 3rdOctober), has already brought some good news for Northern Ireland supplier Fivemiletown Creamery. Sales of Sainsbury's Oak Smoked Brie supplied by the company have increased by 75% since the start of 2010 while the local speciality cheese producer has also won a contract to supply its new Oakwood Smoked Grated Cheddar into 250 Sainsbury's UK stores.

Beginning in February 2009, Fivemiletown Creamery, which is an award winning farmer owned Co-Op, won a contract to supply Smoked Brie for Sainsbury's Premium Taste the Difference range.

"This was a big opportunity for us," says Sales Manager Kevin McManus. "We at Fivemiletown Creamery are incredibly passionate about our products, and sincerely believe that we produce some of the best cheese available anywhere in the world. Winning awards is a great way to show this, but the real testimony comes when a retailer such as Sainsbury's includes your product within its premium product range," he adds.

"Earlier this year Sainsbury's commenced a major re-brand on its speciality cheese range, whereby all products were assessed in terms of quality, price, visual display and packaging. Fivemiletown Creamery was presented with the challenge of revamping the Taste the Difference product to aid growth within the category. This has been a worthwhile exercise and a real success for us," Mr McManus says. "Sales have increased 75% and with additional production comes new employment opportunities to ensure demand is satisfied."

The second success comes with the creamery winning a contract to supply its new Oakwood Smoked Grated Cheddar into 250 Sainsbury's UK stores. "Our Oakwood Smoked Grated Cheddar is totally unique. Consumers' tastes have matured considerably in the last three years and shoppers are constantly seeking products which not alone offers a stronger taste profile, but which can be used as part of convenient cooking," Mr McManus says. "Oakwood Grated offers consumers a new twist on conventional grated products. It has been extremely popular in Northern Ireland Sainsbury's stores and we hope this success will continue in the new GB stores where it is now being listed.

Fivemiletown Creamery was the first company in Europe to develop a smoked brie and the first in Ireland to produce a blue-veined brie.

British Cheese Week celebrates the best of British Cheese, and encourages consumers to explore something new from the Cheese aisle.