Fresh hope for future of historic Melton Mowbray dairy

The Arla Melton Mowbray Creamery in Thorpe End

Doubt was cast over the future of Arla Melton Mowbray Creamery UK, in Thorpe End, when parent company, Arla Foods announced in January it was seeking a buyer for the site, which is the only remaining producer of Stilton cheese in the town.

The company launched a review process and said it was liaising with the 60 employees, who were concerned about their jobs at the dairy, which is also known locally as Tuxford and Tebbutt and where cheese has been made since 1780.

It was due to be concluded this month but Arla said today it was extending its review period – it is understood there has been interest from potential buyers.

There is fresh hope for the future of the Arla Melton Mowbray Creamery

Fran Ball, VP of production at Arla, told the Melton Times this afternoon: “In January, we announced we would be reviewing Melton Mowbray Creamery UK and exploring the market for any buyers of this site, and we have decided to extend this period until June, to allow the business to continue to engage with interested parties.

“During this period, it is very much business as usual, and we will continue to fulfil all customer orders.”

Arla says there is no impact on production, customers, or employees during the strategic operational review process.

The company previously explained that it was reviewing the site because the speciality cheese market in the UK, including Stilton, had declined and as a farmer-owned cooperative it was ‘looking at what this means for our business so we can continue to return a fair price back to our 2,000 UK farmer owners’.

The production of geographically-protected Stilton is made in just five dairies with just Arla Melton Mowbray and Long Clawson Dairy making it in Leicestershire.

The Melton creamery is one of the town’s oldest businesses – it only began producing Stilton cheese after the war having previously produced Melton Mowbray pork pies.

The Arla dairy cooperative has a total of more than 18,000 employees and its products are sold under the well-known brands Arla, Lurpak and Castello in more than 100 countries.