Imports of Irish artisan cheese to the UK are set to grow thanks to a new supply chain being set up by dairy industry veteran Tim Rowcliffe.
Paperwork requirements following Brexit have made it more difficult for small producers in Ireland to export to the UK, but Rowcliffe is working with Cork-based groupage company AOR International Transport on a scheme that will enable mixed pallets of cheese from multiple producers to be shipped to England.
Kent-based distributor Rowcliffe, which was previously owned by Tim Rowcliffe, will receive initial shipments with the first expected in time for the British & Irish Cheese Awards in March. At the same time, Irish cheesemakers are working towards SALSA+ – a food safety accreditation required by many British retailers, which has only recently launched in Ireland. Cheeses including Coolea, Cooleeney, Cashel Blue, Milleens, Gubbeen and Knockanore are expected to be included in initial shipments with more cheeses added in time.
Rowcliffe, who has a house in Ireland and spends much of his time there, has been helped in the scheme by the Specialist Cheesemakers’ Association (SCA), Cais (the Association of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers) and Irish food board Bord Bia. As part of the project, the largest showcase of Irish cheeses in 40 years was held in London last October at an event supported by Bord Bia and attended by 17 cheesemakers.
“The enthusiasm from buyers and suppliers at that event was palpable,” said Rowcliffe. “We used to sell a hell of a lot of Irish cheese when I owned Rowcliffe, but there was so much paperwork after Brexit that it was hard to find companies willing to to bring small amounts of cheese from 10-15 producers.”
Rowcliffe lobbied for the British Cheese Awards to be renamed The British and Irish Cheese Awards last year in his role as vice chairman of the competition. He aims to “relaunch” Irish cheese at this year’s contest with the highest number of entries from Irish producers in the awards’ 30-year history. A reciprocal trip is also being planned for British cheesemakers to visit Ireland.
Trade between Ireland and the UK is also likely to benefit from plans by the British Government to ‘dynamically align’ with EU agricultural production rules on sanitary and phytosanitary standards and food safety regulations. “Anything that helps reduce paperwork is to be welcomed,” said Rowcliffe.
This article first appeared in the January-February 2026 issue of Fine Food Digest.
