The British & Irish Cheese Awards has received a record breaking number of Irish entries into this year’s competition, with 48 Irish cheeses set to be judged in a field of over 600 entries. Highlighting a growing renaissance for Irish cheese in the UK, this significant landmark comes a decade after the Brexit referendum, which led to many Irish cheeses disappearing from British cheese counters.
As a central focus of the British & Irish Cheese Awards’ 30th anniversary celebrations, taking place as part of the Bath & West Food & Drink Festival on Friday 20 March, organisers, The Royal Bath & West Society, have worked alongside CÁIS – The Association of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers, Bord Bia – The Irish Food Board, and the Specialist Cheesemakers Association in the UK, to improve logistics around entry consolidation and transport.
As part of a wider drive to establish more reliable trade routes for Irish cheese, the initiative aims to reintroduce a plethora of Irish cheeses back into British retailers, while also working to reconnect two cheese cultures with shared traditions and history. Obstacles to free trade following Brexit, including increased bureaucracy and heightened biosecurity rules, led to a gradual distancing between the cheesemaking communities of Britain and Ireland, but with trade networks finally improving and ties gradually being re-established, this year’s Awards will provide a major showcase for Irish cheese in the UK.
Tim Rowcliffe, vice-chairman of the British & Irish Cheese Awards and ambassador to Ireland for the Specialist Cheesemakers Association, commented: “It’s shocking to think that a decade has passed since Irish cheese began losing its presence in the UK, but I’m really excited by the progress we’ve made in putting this right. It’s been a huge team effort to overcome the complex bureaucratic hurdles and rekindle our once strong ties with Irish cheese – I thank our partners at Bord Bia, CÁIS, the SCA and the British & Irish Cheese Awards for their ongoing commitment to the cause. The number of Irish entries into this year’s competition are not only a reflection of our progress, but also the renewed confidence and enthusiasm for the project among Irish cheesemakers.”
Estelle Alley, UK Market Specialist at Bord Bia, added: “As Ireland’s farmhouse cheese category continues to go from strength to strength and UK trade interest rises year after year, Bord Bia plays a central role in fostering long-term partnerships by connecting British buyers with the latest innovations and distinctive flavours from Ireland’s dynamic community of farmhouse cheesemakers.”
Sarah Furno, owner of Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers and CÁIS committee member, adds: “British and Irish specialty cheesemaking shares cultural DNA. Creating opportunities to bring together cheese cousins from across the Irish Sea is a powerful dynamic, CÁIS, The Association of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers is very excited by the new energy in this long-standing relationship.”
All entries will be judged at The Bath & West Showground near Shepton Mallet, Somerset, on Friday 20 March, by 60 experts from across the industry, including cheesemakers, cheesemongers, cheese experts, buyers and commentators. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be decided in Round 1, before all Gold winners are judged again to identify the category winners. Following a final round of judging with the category winners, the 2026 Supreme Champion will be selected and revealed during the British & Irish Cheese Awards Dinner on the evening of Friday 20 March.
Visitors to the Bath & West Food & Drink Festival will be able to view the British & Irish Cheese Awards judging hall, and even sample some of the trophy winners as part of the expanded Guided Cheese Tours running throughout the weekend. Away from the judging area, the Festival will also celebrate growers, producers and purveyors from the South West and beyond, featuring demonstrations, presentations and entertainment.
Tickets for the Bath & West Food & Drink Festival, open from 21-22 March, are available to purchase from www.bathandwest.com/food-and-drink-festival. Find out more about the awards at www.britishcheeseawards.com.
