Scotland’s Strathearn Cheese has shut down production and has been put up for sale after being hit by rising costs and difficulties in finding new larger premises.
The Perth and Kinross company, which made the whisky-washed Strathearn and the soft cheese Wee Comrie, had reached capacity at its production site in a Nissen hut at Cultybraggan – a former Second World War prisoner of war camp.
Owner Pierre Leger told FFD the businesses needed to expand to meet rising milk and labour costs, but suitable premises could not be found.
Production was shut down at the end of January with the loss of five jobs. The company is up for sale with discussions taking place with an interested party.
“Milk prices went from 73p to 80p/litre and the upcoming rise in the National Minimum Wage led to some interesting chats with my accountant,” he said. “We needed to grow the business, but I just couldn’t find the right space for what we needed.”
Leger, who is from the Loire Valley in France, previously worked for fine food wholesaler Clarks. He set up Strathearn in 2016 with business partner Drew Watson, who retired last year.
“I was already working 10 hours a day, six days a week, and to expand further would have meant an even bigger commitment,” he said. “ I’ve done what I wanted to do and have absolutely no regrets.”
Wee Comrie was the company’s best-selling product. The small soft cows’ milk cheese was named Champion Cheese at the 2022 Royal Highland Show and won a 3-star at Great Taste last year.
This article first appeared in the March edition of Fine Food Digest
