Wyke Farms launches world’s first carbon-neutral Cheddar

Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and producer of renewable energy, has announced that its 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 a Somerset Cheddar, matured for 18 months under wood to bring out a ‘rounded’ flavour profile, slightly sweet, nutty, and complex, says its creators.
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 adhering to her century old principles.
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 its 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% 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.
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 details of the process can be found in the project Qualifying Explanatory Statement (QES).
Offsetting: With market-leading carbon offset partner Climate Care, Wyke Farms have supported two high-quality emission reduction projects: peat rainforest protection in Indonesia and solar-energy production in India.
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 the 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.”
Ivy’s Reserve is now available online in the UK and in branches of Costco in the US. Further carbon neutral products are to be added to the portfolio over the next 12 months.
For more information, visit: https://wykefarms.com/