A LEADING food producer has proved it is the cream of the crop after scooping two awards.

The Wensleydale Creamery came out on top at The British Dairying Cream Awards, taking home the Food Chain Marketing Award and the top award – the Champion Cream Award Trophy; the John Beckett Memorial Cup.

The awards ceremony, which took place in Warwickshire, recognises some of the brightest and best businesses and people across the dairy industry.

Based in Hawes, the creamery was awarded the Food Chain Marketing Award for the huge success of its branding, championing provenance and heritage, while protecting the locality of its cheese and the direct links with the farms within the locality.

According to the judges, it is widely recognised for their high-quality, and consistently delicious products set them apart too. The calibre of this award entry set them up to win the top champion Cream Award for their ‘inspirational contribution to dairy and promotion of its fantastic values’.

David Hartley, managing director at the creamery, said: “To win the prestigious John Beckett Memorial Cup at the 2019 Cream Awards is an outstanding achievement for our business. This award is recognised throughout the whole of the Dairy Industry from grass root milk supply, through the dairy supply chain, milk processors and national and international retailers.

“It reflects and rewards our collective efforts in supplying great products and services to our wide customer base and the contribution we make to promoting all that is great about the British Dairy Industry.”

Darlington and Stockton Times:

Wensleydale Creamery cheese shop

The Cream Awards drive positive forward thinking and recognise the innovation and success promoting best practice and excellence, from technical production and husbandry to marketing and export skills, with the aim of showcasing some of Britain’s best businesses.

Bas van Santen, farm management support manager for UK & Ireland at Lely, the sponsor of the award, added: “The judges felt that this year’s winner dedicated a great deal of time, effort and resource in to promoting their product to the fullest. Adding value, battling for PGI status over the years and demonstrating a continuous innovation of products that made the company stand out from the crowd. With a range of products that have been developed to suit different markets this winner is very deserving to be crowned champion of the Cream Awards this year.”

For more information about the company visit www.wensleydale.co.uk or call 01969-667664.