Belton Cheese sets sights on USA

A Shropshire food producer is flying the flag for the county in the USA where its sales of cheese have grown 12 per cent in the last year, it emerged today.

Belton Cheese, from Whitchurch, has been selling its organic cheeses in America for 18 months.

In 2010 sales of the firm's range grew by 12 per cent and to celebrate bosses have attended a major cheese show in San Francisco.

It is hoped the growth in sales will help sustain local jobs and grow the business.

A team from Belton Cheese went to the 2011 Winter Fancy Food Show, which is North America's largest speciality food and beverage event.

Working in partnership with their US distributor, Anco Fine Cheese and fellow UK cheese producers Wensleydale Dairy Products and Quenby Hall, the show provided the perfect opportunity for Belton Cheese to present their Belton Farm branded range of English cheeses.

And it seems to have worked with the brand now taking America by storm.

Justin Beckett, managing director at Belton Cheese said: "Attending the Winter Fancy Food Show has been a great experience for Belton Cheese.

"Not only has it allowed us to promote our fantastic range of English territorial cheeses to current and potential new customers, it has been pivotal in maintaining a strong relationship with our exclusive US distributor Anco Fine Cheese.

"It was also a pleasure to get so many positive comments about our cheeses in particular our Rinded Red Leicester, Double Gloucester and 18-month-old Farmhouse Cheddar and we look forward to growing the Belton Farm brand in the US."