Caerphilly cheese is to return home – nearly three decades after EU legislation forced it out of Wales.
The world-famous cheese is the only type to originate from Wales, but production was halted in 1995 when European legislation made it illegal to take delivery of unpasteurised milk in metal churns.
Originally produced in the 1830s by a number of farms in the Caerphilly area, two farmers are now hoping to take advantage of Brexit by bringing the cheese back home.
Facebook / Caerphilly Cheese Company
Plans by Cwni Caws Caerffili (Caerphilly Cheese Company) were first shared in November, 2022, when farmers Huw Rowlands, 26, and Deian Thomas, 39, launched their start-up.
The pair have been working for the past three years to perfect the cheers, and their efforts were rewarded when they won a business support grant in December backing their efforts, saying the return of the cheese would help bring tourism into the area.
Speaking after their win, Rowlands said: “Bringing Caerphilly Cheese production back to the area is essential to the history of the product and also the tourism in the area.
“We see thousands of visitors a year coming to Caerphilly but there isn’t a business located within the county creating something that the locality is known for.
“It’s been a lot of work and late nights to get to this point, but we are proud to say Caerphilly cheese is coming home.”
They started 2023 building their work units, and posted onto Facebook their products were “coming soon to a fridge near you.”
Speaking to the BBC, Rowlands admitted it had been a challenge to make the cheese: "I honestly thought to start that making cheese was a bit of milk and a bit of rennet.
"We've really had to work hard to get to where we are now and become cheesemakers and have the skills to produce cheese of the highest standard."
Facebook / Caerphilly Cheese Company
He said the business venture was also one close to his heart, adding: "My grandmother and great grandmother used to make cheese on their farm and do a quick turnaround when they had spare milk.
"We also used to have a milk round.
"This for me now is tying all the knots together and really is all about bringing Caerphilly cheese back home."
