Cricketers and cheese

It rained in Nantwich. I think it always rains in Nantwich, except for the time a few years ago when it was blazingly hot and the cheese towers melted. I think it was a problem with air conditioning that time as well. Not this year. All was shipshape and even the mud held off.

The cheese show, now known as the International Cheese Awards Nantwich, continues to go from strength to strength. This year the organisers reported even more cheeses entered: a grand total of 3,230 cheese and dairy products across 300 categories. A lot of companies have used the show to present new products or new looks, ala Isle of Man Creamery.

It is getting a bit glamorous. For example, Sean Wilson, formerly of Coronation Street, is making his own cheese under the Saddleworth Cheese Company. He was to be found there, checking his phone compulsively, behind his cheeses. Well, you know actors – always have to be in touch and ready for the next part. Time to kill while the cheese is ripening.

Meanwhile, over at the Collier’s Powerful Welsh Cheddar stand, the company unveiled a new look, took home an award for best Welsh cheddar, and also had Darren Gough, cricketer and star of Strictly Come Dancing on-stand. It was a good day for the brand.

Goughy apparently also did a bit of prancing around with some flamenco dancers, but I missed that bit. I did get a signed mini-cricket bat for the offspring, however. Thanks, Darren.

There was still drama, as with most good live shows – show chairman Richard Paul being unable to find a microphone to announce the Supreme Champion was one. He eventually did use a setup out in the actual show, versus the one where all the cakes and tea were waiting. That’s showbiz, I guess.

Plus, his cheese won the top prize. Well, a cheese that Bradbury distributes. Paul did mutter something about it not being a fix. Ferrari Dairy of Lodi, Italy Organic Parmesan took home the top gong.

It is not every year that a non-British cheese wins these awards, but I think it’s good when an international cheese does. This show continues to exhibit the depth and breadth of the nation’s cheese aisles and counters.

What’s also important is the branding introduced last year at the awards, with gold, silver or bronze International Cheese Awards labels on pack for the winners. In France, this is a fairly successful programme with Concours Agricole.

Hopefully here it is only a matter of time until the consumer similarly learns to look out for those shiny spots on packages.

I went home on the train, lugging my bags and my stomach full of cheese. I don’t think I ate another piece for the next 24 hours.