Rishi Sunak visits celebrated Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes

Rishi Sunak has been trying his hand at packaging cheese at the celebrated Wensleydale Creamery in the Yorkshire Dales.

The Wensleydale Creamery has enjoyed a particularly successful summer with a 15 per cent increased turnover compared to last year.

The Prime Minister visited the business in his Richmond constituency to celebrate their ongoing success.

He saw the newly rebranded packaging for its Yorkshire Wensleydale and Yorkshire Wensleydale & Cranberries cheese packs, which are currently launching in retailers across the UK.

Mr Sunak was given a tour around the 'Taste of Yorkshire' tasting room where he tried the Wensleydale Blue and new flavours.

Chris Thomson, managing director of the Wensleydale Creamery, said: "It was fantastic to host our local MP and Prime Minister and welcome him back to the creamery.

"Since his last visit we’ve experienced so many positive business developments and success; it’s a really exciting time for us.

"Not only have we seen our visitors to the creamery return to pre-pandemic numbers, but innovation continues across the whole business."

Mr Sunak said: "The Wensleydale Creamery plays such an important role in the local community, driving footfall to the area and putting Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese on the map not just nationally, but also internationally.

"Seeing the success it’s had this year, and also the level of investment the team are committing to its growth, makes me incredibly proud to have it as part of my local constituency."

At the end of his trip the Prime Minister met the team in the cheese shop where he tried his hand at cutting and packing cheese, before enjoying lunch in Calvert’s restaurant.

Recent investment in the business has seen the creamery increase its natural cheese smoking capacity from 400 to 1,000 tonnes per year.

It will also allow the business to fulfil a range of natural smoked cheese flavours for its range alongside contract smoking for other markets.