Fivemiletown successful at British Cheese Awards
Fivemiletown Creamery, Northern Ireland's original speciality cheese producer, has been successful at the British Cheese Awards for its unique Boilíe, goat's cheese barrel.
The creamery gained a silver medal for the product in the Goat's Cheese category in the prestigious awards, the most important event of its kind for the industry in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, for the handcrafted cheese.
The awards was established in 1994 by cheese expert Juliet Harbutt to raise the profile of British cheese and to create a recognised symbol of excellence for all British cheese. The awards are now part of British Cheese Week, a nationwide campaign and are organised by Cardiff City Council.
Fivemiletown's Boilíe was among the medal winners chosen by a panel of expert judges from over 900 cheeses entered by artisan and other producers from across the British Isles. It is the most recent award won by Fivemiletown for its goat's cheese.
Peter Dunlop, Fivemiletown's Marketing Manager, commenting on the latest award, says: "This is the sixth award for our goat's cheese this year and follows recognition at the Speciality Food Show in New York, the International Cheese Festival at Nantwich and in the Great Taste competition organised by the influential UK Guild of Fine Food.
"Furthermore, our goat's cheese has been short listed as a finalist in the Blas na hÉireann, National Irish Food Awards, the winners of which will be announced at the Dingle Food Festival.
"Sales of our goat's cheese have been growing strongly because people are increasingly recognising the benefits of milk from goats. The cheese is easier to digest particularly for those with lactose intolerance. The milk has also been shown to offer benefits for sufferers of Crohn's disease. And its incredible taste helps a lot.
"The awards are a tremendous boost for our sales in key markets such as the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, other parts of Europe and the US. Most of the cheese is already sold outside Northern Ireland and it has become a 'hero' product for us."
Boilíe was created back in the mid-1920s and continues today to be produced using the original recipe.
Boilíe is produced by Fivemiletown's expert cheesemakers in County Tyrone from high protein milk from longstanding suppliers to the creamery. The cheese is rooted in Irish tradition - the name means 'milking place' in Irish.
Founded in 1898 by farmers in the Fivemiletown, Clogher Valley area, Fivemiletown Creamery remains a farmers' co-operative of around 80 dairy farmers. The creamery, which gained its first award for excellence in 1900, has achieved Red Tractor quality accreditation and currently employs 50 people.