Wyke Farms crowned as best-selling Farmhouse Cheddar brand in the UK
Wyke Farms, the UKs largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, today revealed the latest brand performance figures from Kantar World Panel KPI Reporting[1], the world’s leading provider of continuous, consumer panels and market research solutions. The data confirms Wyke Farms as the best selling Farmhouse Cheddar brand within the category in the UK.
Wyke Farms has shown double-digit growth in brand sales over the past 12 months (Wyke Farms is now a 72 million brand), and with a 20 percent year on year growth[2], the brand is projected to continue to perform well during 2010. In addition, the family-owned brand has continued to add incremental value at retail, which is up 3.5 percent[3] over the brand average. This significant achievement stands as further proof that Wyke Farms is continuing to cement its position as an added value brand within the category.
In times like these, consumers are looking to spend their hard-earned money on brands that mean something to them, said Richard Clothier, third generation family member & Managing Director, Wyke Farms comments. As the only national Cheddar brand with provenance and a true point of difference, our core values really stand out in the crowd and resonate with British consumers.
The Wyke Farms brand continues to be supported by national TV and press advertising this year, as well as a busy sampling programme that will reach over 2 million consumers over the summer months. In addition, Wyke Farms forward thinking approach to PR and the use of social media, has seen a growth in the popularity of the brands Facebook fan page, which hosts regular consumer competitions and giveaways.
Wyke Farms is a family run company based in Somerset and are the only independent dairy company within the top 10 cheddar brands in the UK. The company has been making cheddar to the same family recipe since 1902 and have achieved substantial growth year on year by staying true to the traditional values behind the brand.
Wyke Farms cheese and butter products are available nationwide and can be found in Asda, Co-op, Makro, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose.
1,2 &,3 Kantar World Panel KPI Reporting 52 w/e April 10th 2010
Wyke Farms Ltd is a family run company based in the heart of the Somerset cheddar making region. The art of traditional cheese making will never be lost on the Somerset farm where the Clothier family have been making cheddar to the families original secret recipe since 1902.
Today, Wyke Farms is the largest independent cheesemaker and milk processor in the UK producing over 12,000 tonnes of cheddar per year to the same award winning 100-year-old recipe.
Recent brand data confirms Wyke Farms as the fastest growing brand within the Cheddar category, with retail sales at over 1million per week and growing at 94%[1]. The Wyke Farms brand is the 4th largest in the category and the only independent company in the top 10 cheese brands[2].
Wyke remains a truly traditional family business, founded by Ivy Clothier, her grandsons Richard and Tom now run the cheese making operations with their father John, whilst her other two Grandsons David and Roger run the family dairy farming operations. The four grandchildren share Ivys passion for cheese making where flavour, texture and taste are paramount. They believe that this attention to detail is the reason that their cheese has won more awards at national cheese shows than any other.
[1] World Panel KPI Reporting 52 w/e 27 December 2009[2] w/e 02nd November 2008 (TNS World Panel KPI Reporting)