UK | Artisan cheese producer Highland Fine Cheeses announced it has secured its first retail listings for three new cheeses, Minger, Fat Cow and Blue Murder, which will be exclusively available in 54 Asda stores across Scotland just in time for Christmas.
Minger is a pungent cheese and runny when ripe, with Fat Cow made for dishes that would typically call for Swiss cheese, and Blue Murder - mould-ripened and meaty in flavour.
With these new listings, Asda customers can now buy six Highland Fine Cheeses, including its signature Highland Brie, Black Crowdie and Strathdon Blue.
The award-winning Highland Fine Cheeses is a family-run business that started in the 1950s, with a batch of Crowdie first made in a bathtub! The Stone family has been hand-making traditional cheeses ever since, and today, under the vision of Rory Stone, the business focuses on mould-ripened and washed rind styles to develop world-class creamy cheeses.
Rory Stone, Owner of Highland Fine Cheeses, said it was a real achievement and a very proud moment to say that Highland Fine Cheeses' new artisan cheeses are available in Asda, the first major retailer to stock these products.
The business has come a long way from making cheese in the bathtub to seeing it on the supermarket shelves.
"Our cheeses are still made by hand but are now produced in our dairy in Tain," said Stone.
"Our dedicated expert team works hard to create a unique range of European style cheeses, handmade using quality locally sourced cow's milk, which comes from traditional breeds where the cows are free roaming and grass-fed."
Washed rind cheeses are seldom seen on supermarket shelves, so this is an exciting time for cheese lovers - especially for all those festive cheeseboards.
Ashley Connolly, Local Buying Manager at Asda, said the retailer continually sought opportunities to work with the best local suppliers to find quality and innovative products and was happy about its new partnership with Highland Fine Cheeses.
"Highland Fine Cheeses has developed improved packaging for a stronger shelf stand out. This is a testament to the company's passion for its cheeses, evident from the range we can now offer customers in-store in the run-up to Christmas – I'm sure these lines will feature heavily on the festive cheeseboards," said Connolly.
