Kent-based Blackwoods Cheese Company, which is well known for its marinated Feta-style cheese Graceburn, is up for sale.
The company, which was founded in 2013 and also operates a stall at Borough Market, went on the market last month. Owner and co-founder Dave Holton is also open to selling just the assets, equipment, intellectual property and customer lists associated with Graceburn.
The cheesemaker, who is originally from Australia, pioneered the concept of marinating Feta-style cheese in oil in the UK, after making similar cheeses in Australia. He told FFD that he was “moving on to new pastures” after “an intense few years” following a devastating flood in December 2022 which wiped out Christmas stock and damaged the dairy in Edenbridge. He added that he had invested heavily in the business since then, and would be open to advising new owners during a potential handover period.
“Graceburn was the first jarred Feta-style cheese in oil in the UK and has grown to become a bit of an icon in the artisan cheese world,” he said. “It’s listed by almost all of the main wholesalers in the UK, and is stocked by delis, farm shops and cheese shops, as well as with major airlines and restaurants.”
Holton previously worked at Neal’s Yard Dairy, before setting up Blackwoods at a unit in Brockley, South London, before a move to the site in Kent. Graceburn is made with pasteurised cow’s milk and comes in different flavours. The original is marinated in rapeseed oil with garlic and thyme, and there are also Chipotle & Lemon and Truffle versions.
This article first appeared in the October issue of Fine Food Digest.
