somerset red new from ivy’s

Introducing Ivy's Reserve ‘Somerset Red’

Award winning Wyke Farms deliver the UK’s first innovation in hard cheese in 20 years.

Bruton, Somerset; 25th September 2023: Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and producer of renewable energy, launch ‘Ivy’s Reserve Somerset Red’. Sitting under the Ivy’s Reserve range of premium cheddar and butter, the premium cheese is the first innovation in hard cheese from the UK in the past 20 years.

The Somerset cheese comes with the very special ‘reserve’ status, as it has a special flavour profile that, on the cheese board, compliments the Ivy’s Reserve Vintage cheddar. Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar has a firm body and full rounded flavour with a shortness of texture and hint of crunch on the end, whilst Somerset Red boasts more buttery smoothness, combined with the richness and savouriness as the vintage reserve, but with added creaminess, tanginess, and nuttiness on the end. This new cheese has a ‘moreish’ taste and melts with ease.

Rich Clothier 3rd Generation cheesemaker said: “For this special cheese we selected a unique strain from our natural starter set. The starter we use is a Cremoris based strain that we adapt in the recipe to enhance its creaminess and complexity. My grandmother would be pleased to sit this cheese alongside her famous Vintage. We affectionately call it ‘Grandfather Tom’ as it’s nice to see them together again complimenting each other so nicely.”

Wyke Farms have produced Ivy’s Reserve Somerset Red to meet emerging market trends across the world and fulfil a global appetite for new, creative offerings within the category. Somerset Red surpasses traditional vintage recipes, and the complex flavour profile is perfectly suited to global taste preferences.

The natural starters used to produce the rich and creamy texture, have been kept on the farm by the Clothier family for over one hundred years. The cheese is then matured for a full year, under wood and under the watchful eye of the master cheese grader at Wyke Farms, all trained from knowledge passed through four generations of family cheese makers.

Somerset Red encapsulates the essence of quality and creaminess, and the deep, natural hue of the cheese evokes the mesmerizing Somerset sunset, adding a stunning visual to any cheeseboard.

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 and Ivy’s Somerset Red is produced respectfully adhering to her century old principles. In line with the Ivy’s Reserve range of products, Somerset Red is verified as carbon-neutral to the PAS 2060 standard. The carbon neutral verification 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.

Offsetting: With market-leading carbon offset partner Climate Pledge The Climate Pledge | Be the planet's turning point, 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: ‘We remain focussed on developing the Ivy’s range and continue to work towards more net positive improvements. This is the future of dairy, and we are leading the way with fresh innovation and creative, sustainable offerings that have global appeal.”

Ivy’s Somerset Red will be available to stock in the UK and launches into US retailers in April 2024.

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 50-mile 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, interview and images, please contact: jodie@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 the largest independent cheese maker and milk processor in the UK producing over 18,000 tonnes of cheddar per year to the same award winning 160-year-old recipe.

Wyke Farms Cheddar is sold throughout the UK and to 167 countries around the world, with retail sales of over £120 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:

• Family Business Top 100 2022
• Sustainability Initiative of the Year – Grocer Gold 2022 finalist
• Footprint Awards 2022 – finalist
• European Business Awards – Environment & Corporate Sustainability Category – European Champions
• 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
• 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 – Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (Winner)
• IFE World Food Innovation Awards Winner Best Corporate Social Responsibility Category
• National CSR Awards - Environmental Leadership Award (Winner)
• The Guardian Sustainable Business Awards (Winner in Waste Innovation Category)
• Insider Made in the UK – Green/Sustainable Manufacturer Award (Winner)
• The UK & Biogas Industry Awards for Best AD Plant in the Food & Drink Industry (Winner)

Managing Director Rich Clothier has been recognised for his passion and commitment to sustainability. He has won the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards ‘Personality of the Year’, The UK & Biogas Industry Awards ‘AD Hero of the Year’ and Farmers’ Weekly ‘Sustainable Farmer of the Year’ Award.
www.wykefarms.com
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www.ivys-reserve.com/
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[1] As granted by the European Business Awards.