Say Cheese and it's Fivemiletown for Tesco

Fivemiletown Creamery, the award winning Northern Irish cheese processor, has won the first-ever 'Outstanding Local Supplier of the Year' by Tesco Northern Ireland.

The award has been launched by Tesco to celebrate and recognise publicly "the enormous effort our Northern Ireland suppliers put into our customers", according to Cliff Kells, Tesco NI's commercial manager. "For December 2012, our Outstanding Supplier was Fivemiletown Creamery. They have introduced a ground-breaking new cheese selection, which includes the Boilie Goats Cheese range, the new Causeway Cheese range and iconic new Irish Cottage cheese, all presented in 'ready-to-go' attractive packaging from Tesco cheese counters.

"The initial customer response speaks for itself, with unique products like the Fivemiletown Creamy Smoked Brie featuring highly on cheeseboards across Northern Ireland over the festive period."

"Tesco has long admired Fivemiletown's portfolio of award-winning cheeses but this new range extends our relationship with the Tyrone company into different directions and they have worked extremely hard to help us to get it right.

Fivemiletown's Ian Laithwaite says: "By highlighting the best of our local produce, we are bringing Tesco customers closer to the producer and the products, growing their loyal following. It seems obvious to say it, but these cheeses are made using the milk which is produced from cows and goats grazing on our lush green grass - so we're reaping the benefits of the Northern Ireland climate.

"Our quality raw materials, together with artisanal expertise in cheese-making have combined to produce a stunning, multi-award-winning range.

"The Irish cheese counter initiative was an exciting opportunity for us to source and present a strong range of local products alongside popular French and Swiss cheeses - and why not? We have superb local cheeses here, which customers are obviously enjoying seeing on the counter in their Tesco store. This has been a huge commercial success. With the introduction of the new cheese counter selection, we have effectively doubled our sales through Tesco, so we're thrilled with the response."

For every month in 2013, Tesco Northern Ireland will name and promote one local supplier it believes worthy of the Outstanding Supplier award.

The initiative is an extension of the Tesco Taste Northern Ireland campaign, aimed at educating customers and connecting them with the people and places behind their favourite Northern Ireland food and drink.

Over the past 12 months, the Tesco NI commercial team achieved a dramatic increase in the volume of local produce. The Outstanding Supplier award will give something back to local producers who work extremely hard to meet and exceed the strenuous demands of being a Tesco supplier.

Monthly award winners will receive a Bridgestone-style plaque, free publicity in local press, and point of sale promotion in all Tesco stores which stock their product.