ivy’s reserve now carbon neutral

EMBARGO: 19th January 2022

Wyke Farms launches world’s first carbon-neutral branded Cheddar; ‘Ivy’s Reserve’

This very special cheese from Wyke Farms has a new identity, pioneering sustainability credentials and carbon neutral status.

Bruton, Somerset; 19th January 2022: Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and producer of renewable energy, today announces that their prize-winning ‘Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar’ is now available as a ‘world-first’; carbon neutral branded Cheddar. In addition, the Cheddar comes with the very special ‘reserve’ status, as the company launches the Ivy’s Reserve range of premium Cheddar.

Ivy’s Reserve is named after Grandmother Ivy who, 100 years ago, was the first person to write down her recipe, which is now kept locked in a safe on the farm. The cheese remained a family secret for many years and was only available as a special gift for family and close friends at Christmas time, but demand for this very special Cheddar has grown and grown.

Ivy’s Reserve is the best of the best, matured for 18 months under wood to bring out an unmatched ‘rounded’ flavour profile, slightly sweet, nutty, and complex, this award-winning Cheddar cheese is everything that a Cheddar from Somerset, the home of Cheddar should be.

Grandmother Ivy used to say, ‘if you look after nature then nature will look after you.’ She had the deepest respect for nature and a love for the countryside. Ivy’s Reserve is produced respectfully adhering to her century old principles. Today, Ivy would be proud that her Ivy’s Reserve is the first Cheddar cheese in the world to be certified as carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust.

The carbon neutral status builds on Wyke Farms’ work in improving environmental performance across these core areas:

Farming: Reduced emissions at both Wyke Farms and their supplier farms with a committed sustainability plan and incentive programme; covering animal feed, land management and energy use as well as regenerative farming and protection of the soil. This is better for biodiversity, soil quality and helps to reduce emissions, bringing the CO2 output per litre of milk to 20% under the national average.

Production: When making Ivy’s Reserve, Wyke Farms minimise waste and packaging, recover heat, filter, and reuse wastewater, and reduce carbon emissions. The overall aim for the company is to achieve Net Zero production.

Green Energy: Made using 100 per cent green energy, with electricity and gas sourced from Wyke Farm’s own self-generated solar power and from biogas generated from farm and dairy waste. The anaerobic digester saves 20 million kilos of CO2 every year, as well as providing a rich natural fertiliser that is used on local farms to displace artificial nitrogen usage.

Conservation: Alongside this work, Wyke Farms work hard to protect and nurture the countryside around the River Brue which runs through the valley. They leave uncultivated areas to wildflowers and other species as well as planting trees and putting up bird boxes and insect hotels.

There is a Visitor Centre where you can find out all about this side of the work on the farm. It is at the heart of Wyke Farms’ business and a way of life, and a vital part of the legacy handed down by Ivy, her husband Tom, and previous generations of the family.

Wyke Farms have partnered with the Carbon Trust to undertake a cradle-to-grave footprint analysis and have certified the footprint as carbon neutral in accordance with PAS 2060. PAS 2060 is an internationally recognised specification for carbon neutrality and builds on the existing PAS 2050 environmental standard. It sets out requirements for quantification, reduction, and offsetting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for organisations, products, and events. The detail of the process can be found in the project Qualifying Explanatory Statement (QES): Accelerate the mission to Net Zero (d6t5bahzqziic.cloudfront.net)

Offsetting: With market-leading carbon offset partner Climate Care Climate Action Starts Here | ClimateCare, Wyke Farms have supported two high-quality emission reduction projects: peat rainforest protection in Indonesia and solar-energy production in India. Wyke Farms recognise that offsetting is only a temporary solution, and actively seek out all other routes to Net Positivity.

Rich Clothier, Managing Director, third generation family member at Wyke Farms and Ivy Clothier’s Grandson, says:

‘This has been a 12-year journey for us. We started our 100% Green strategy in 2010 when we made a commitment to energy independence and generating all of our gas and electric from renewables. Since then, we have invested in our knowledge base across this business and on farm driving environmental improvement year on year. Ivy’s Reserve is a world first and an industry shake-up. This will continue to be our focus in the years ahead as we push for more net positive improvements.”

The Ivy’s Reserve brand identity has been undertaken by leading brand, design and marketing consultants, Big Fish: Ivy's Reserve - big fish® and offers a refined look, incorporating a hand sketched silhouette of Ivy on the front of pack that now reflects the second-to-none vintage reserve Cheddar hand selected for the brand.

Ivy’s Reserve is now available online in the UK: Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar – Ivy’s Reserve (www.ivys-reserve.com) RRP – 3 x 250g = £15.00. Also available in branches of Costco in the US. Further carbon neutral products are to be added to the portfolio over the next 12 months.

Wyke Farms’ cheese is produced in the heart of the Cheddar making region in Somerset using milk from their own herds that graze the lush pastures of the Mendip Hills and contracted, Red Tractor assured family farms, the majority of which are within a 50mile radius of the dairy at Bruton. Wyke Farms branded products are available in selected UK Lidl stores and Southwest ASDA and Tesco stores and online at: www.wykefarms.com/shop

For more information, interviews, samples and images, contact: paloma@connectedpr.com

Notes to Editor:

Wyke Farms Ltd is a family run company based in the heart of the Somerset Cheddar-making region. The art of traditional cheese making will never be lost on the Somerset farm where the Clothier family have been making Cheddar since 1861. Today, Wyke Farms is one of the largest independent cheese makers and milk processors in the UK producing over 16,000 tonnes of Cheddar per year to the same award winning 160-year-old recipe.

Wyke Farms Cheddar is sold throughout the UK and to 160 countries around the world, with retail sales of over £110 million. Wyke Farms is a progressive cheesemaking business that remains true to its roots. The enterprise was established by Ivy and Tom Clothier using the family cheese making recipe and today, their grandsons Richard and Tom now run the cheese making operations with their father John, whilst her other two Grandsons David and Roger run the family dairy farming operations. The four grandchildren share Ivy’s passion for cheese making where flavour, texture and taste are paramount. They believe that this attention to detail is the reason that their cheese has won more awards at national cheese shows than any other.

Wyke Farms are committed to sustainable farming and are proud to be the UK’s first national Cheddar brand to become 100% self-sufficient in green energy. Wyke Farms sources all its electricity and gas from both solar and biogas, generated from the farm and dairy waste. The biogas energy is generated from its own anaerobic digester (AD) plant, which saves Wyke Farms over 20 million kilos of carbon dioxide per annum. The company are now Europe’s most sustainable business[1].

They have received national and international recognition for their on-going commitment to sustainability, and have won numerous awards including:

• European Business Awards – Environment & Corporate Sustainability Category – European Champions 2015/2016
• The Renewable Energy Association Winner - Sustainability Category
• Insider “Made in the UK” Awards
• Winner of the Grocer Gold Awards – Green Initiative of the Year 2016
• The Guardian Sustainable Business Awards 2016
• Winner of the Sustainable Futures category at the IGD Awards 2015Waitrose Way Awards 2015 – Treading Lightly Reducing CO2 – Winner
• Winner of the Food & Drink Federation ‘Environmental Leadership’ Award 2015
• National Champion representing the UK in the 2015/16 European Business Awards – Environmental & Corporate Sustainability
• UK AD & Biogas Industry Awards – Best on Farm AD Project –Winner
• The Guardian Sustainable Business Awards 2015 (Winner in Carbon & Energy Management)
• The Footprint Awards 2015 – Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (Winner)
• The Footprint Awards 2015 – Energy Efficiency Award (Finalist)

Managing Director Rich Clothier has been recognised for his passion and commitment to sustainability. He won the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards 2013 ‘Personality of the Year’, The UK & Biogas Industry Awards ‘AD Hero of the Year’ and Farmers’ Weekly ‘Sustainable Farmer of the Year’ 2014 Award.
www.wykefarms.com
Ivy’s Reserve (ivys-reserve.com) http://www.facebook.com/wykefarms
Wyke Farms (@wyke_farms) • Instagram photos and videos

Carbon Trust:

The Carbon Trust is a trusted, expert guide to Net Zero, bringing purpose led, vital expertise from the climate change frontline. It has been pioneering decarbonisation for more than 20 years for businesses, governments and organisations around the world. The Carbon Trust draws on the experience of over 300 experts internationally, accelerating progress and providing solutions to this existential crisis. It has supported over 3,000 organisations in 50 countries with their climate action planning, collaborating with 150+ partners in setting science-based targets, and supporting cities across 5 continents on the journey to Net Zero.

ClimateCare:

ClimateCare is dedicated to tackling climate change and improving lives. It aims to make our world a climate neutral one – where everyone takes full responsibility for their carbon footprint. ClimateCare helps organisations take responsibility for their climate impact by financing, developing and managing carbon reduction projects across the world. Based in Oxford and Nairobi, ClimateCare helped create the voluntary carbon market and pioneered carbon finance for community development projects. Some of the largest carbon offsetting programmes in the world are delivered by ClimateCare.

Leading organisations and governments trust ClimateCare to solve complex climate and sustainability issues. With ClimateCare by their side, they can be confident on their journey to Net Zero.

As an award-winning profit with purpose Certified B Corporation, ClimateCare is recognised as setting the highest standards. Values and integrity are at the heart of all it does – just as they have been since it was founded in 1997. These values are underpinned by strong environmental credentials, a commercial focus on risk management and a proud record of delivering outstanding results for clients.

Find out more at www.climatecare.org and follow @ClimateCare on Twitter.

big fish:

big fish® is a 27-year-old brand, design and marketing consultancy that helps brave decision-makers start, transform and grow businesses as forces for good. They seek to work with kindred spirits, visionaries and entrepreneurs who share their values and seek to have a net positive impact on the planet.

[1] As granted by the European Business Awards.