Speciality Food Magazine - April 2026

35 CHEESES THAT I LOVE GUBBEEN, GUBBEEN CHEESE In our survey this cheese was chosen by virtually everyone. This gently ‘farmy’ rich and nutty washed rind, is a top comfort cheese. Again, it surprises people who ‘don’t like smelly cheese’, one taste and it’s sold. This cheese, totally unique to Co. Cork, is the perfect complement to a cheeseboard and has been a staple in our cheese boxes ever since we opened. BRIGHTWELL ASH, NORTON & YARROW CHEESE This delicate, rich, soft goats’ cheese made by Rachel Yarrow & Fraser Norton, now recently moved to a new farm in Llangadog, Carmarthenshire, has always been a huge favourite with us and customers. It is cheese that can convince the most hardened disliker of goats’ cheese CHRIS HALLAM CHRIS HALLAM, MANAGER AT CHORLTON CHEESEMONGERS SHARES THE THREE CHEESES HE CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT to give it a go. In fact, I once converted a family in a blind tasting who ended up buying five to take back to Brazil! Brightwell Ash, along with its equally excellent sister cheese, Sinodun Hill, are my go-to cheeses when I need a perk up. After a small pause as Rachel and Fraser moved their herd and dairy to Wales, the cheese is back, as magnificent as ever. PEVENSEY BLUE, PEVENSEY CHEESE Made by Martin and Hazel Tkalez in East Sussex. It’s been a real pleasure being involved with this cheese right from the start. In the early days it was a Gorgonzola- like cheese - sweet, soft, unctuous. Now it’s a firmer, sharper blue but still with those beautiful sweet notes, sometimes funky, sometimes smooth and warm but always a pleasure to eat. Pevensey Blue gained a big fan base early on with staff and customers alike.. DalterFoodGrouphas acquired ForFood France, a historic distributorof Italian cheeses on the Frenchmarket. Themovemeans the group will strengthen its presence in France as a partner for large-scale distribution, the food industry, and specialised channels.With more than 144,000 tons of Italian cheeses imported to France in 2024, it represents the largest destinationmarket (after the domesticmarket) for fine cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano. DalterFood Group, based in Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, already exports high-quality Italian cheeses to France, but its acquisition of For Food Francewill make themost of the business’s in-depth knowledge of the local market and its geographical proximity,whichwill ensure greater flexibility and improved customer service for DalterFood Group. “I amvery proud to announce the entry of For Food France into our Group,” says Andrea Guidi, general manager of DalterFood Group. “2025was an extraordinary year for us,with a record turnover of 200million euros,which confirms the strength of our business model and the value of the work done by our entire team. “The creation of a commercial subsidiary in France, made possible by the acquisition of For Food France, is a key strategic step for DalterFood Group, further confirming our desire to consolidate and strengthen our presence inmajor European markets, replicating in France the success model already implemented in the UK and Germany,”Andrea says. Mauro Zuliani,who founded For Food France in 2020 and has over 30 years of experience in the dairy sector,will lead the newFrench subsidiary. “His vast experience and deep knowledge of themarket are a guarantee of continuity for customers and a key factor in fully capturing the opportunities currently offered by the French market,”Andrea says. Mauro quickly established For Food France as a benchmark for the distribution of Italian cheeses in the country, and he says joining with DalterFood Group “represents a significant evolution for our company,which I amparticularly proud of”. DalterFood Group acquires French cheese distributor Cheesemakers open their gates to improve consumer education Hundreds of farms around the UKwill welcomemembers of the public to their land onOpen Farm Sunday, this year taking place 6th June – an initiative organised by Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF). With 92%of Open FarmSunday visitors in 2025 stating that their trust in British farming grewafter visiting a farm, such occasions offervaluable glimpses into rural life and food production formany consumers and can benefit both the public and the businesses themselves. Katherine Salisbury,who runs Suffolk FarmhouseCheeseswith herhusband Jason, has found that allowing the public access to the farmhas reaped rewards. “It’s a questionof diversification, really. Footfall to the farm is keybecause there ismore profit indirect sales” – there is a small self-service farm shopon the farm,which sellsmilk, eggs andotherproduceviavending machines – “and the consumer education element, giving customers the farmto fork experience so they can get to knowwhere their food comes from, is invaluable.” BeyondOpen FarmSunday, the team is passionate about keeping things on a small,manageable scale. “We’re not a petting zoo or an open farm,we’re not an attraction per se, but children enjoywatching the cows being milked and feeding the goats,” she says. “The focus is on inviting people to experience life on a working farmand to see happy, calmcows beingmilked and be able to buy product from the farm while they’re there. “ Education is present across the farmbusiness. “We host school visits and farm tours for groups of children, andwelcome anyonewho wants to connectwith the origins of theirmilk and cheese.” By building connections between the public and the grass roots of the food they consume, businesses can play avital role in the future health of both shoppers and the food industry.