We just love visitors, and so we were especially happy to host Chris Brown, ASDA’s head of ethical and sustainable sourcing, for a tour of our farm.

Check out Chris’s visit and see Wyke Farms just as he did – including a look at our girls kicking up their heels in the pasture as well as a guided tour of our production facility with our own Tom Clothier – via his video on ASDA’s Aisle Spy blog: http://bit.ly/abYybX

Following a long hard winter, the 950 cows and heifers in our herd of Holstein Friesians here at Wyke Farms were turned out to grass after being in their winter housing since November. The girls were really excited, running & kicking their heels with joy as they were finally turned out onto the fresh pasture – a lovely sight!! This will mean that the cows will start to produce more quality milk that is rich in naturally occurring proteins and minerals, which is key for making prizewinning cheese.

Some of the ladies from our Firwood herd have been dried off for calving between May and August…a little bit like cow maternity leave. Over the next few weeks there will be around 60 calves born, and as they mature they will be added into the herd where they will produce quality milk alongside their mothers and grandmothers – a real family affair.

Out on the farm, Roger Clothier and the team have also been busy ploughing and drilling the winter crops – which the cows will eat throughout the colder months – as well as harrowing the grassland to encourage it to grow. With over 1000 acres to do, it’s a really busy time!

– Louise Trim, Dairy Farms Administrator at Wyke Farms

Louise Trim, Dairy Farms Administrator at Wyke Farms

 

 

Wyke Farms have released new data from TNS confirming retail sales from December ‘08 – December ‘09 reached 70 million, the highest figure the company has ever achieved. Indicative of the company’s fast growth strategy and position as strongest challenger brand within the category, this figure represents a benchmark for Wyke Farms who intend to go even further in 2010.

Despite the tough trading environment during 2009 Wyke Farms achieved a significant increase in sales during the year and attribute much of their success to smarter above the line promotional activity and a strong sampling program.  Substantial investment into brand awareness took place during 2009 when Wyke Farms increased high impact print and broadcast advertising campaigns. The company also reached over 3 million members of the public on their sampling tours.

Richard Clothier, third generation family member & Managing Director, is planning further activity this year,  “2009 presented us all with some unprecedented challenges, it’s exactly that type of environment where entrepreneurial thinking and a genuine passion for what you do shines through.  We are planning extra investment into brand awareness during 2010 with targeted print and broadcast advertising campaigns, using TV and national food titles, to inspire confidence with our suppliers, customers and consumers.”

Wyke Farms, known for their unique provenance and the superior quality of their products, have maintained the art of traditional cheese making on their Somerset farm where the Clothier family have been making cheddar to Ivy Clothier’s same original secret recipe since 1902.  Staying loyal to the families’ heritage and approach to farming has given Wyke Farms a unique ability to produce a wide variety of traditional, real farmhouse cheddars.

The 100 years of tradition at Wyke Farms are now matched by over 100 trophies, awards and prizes won by the company at national cheese shows.  From an original 3000 plus, Wyke Farms is now one of less that 20 farmhouse cheese makers remaining in the West Country and today its mild, mature, extra mature and vintage cheddars are sold throughout Europe in over 25,000 retailers.

Wyke Farms cheese and butter products are available nationwide and can be found in Asda, Co-op, Makro, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose.