THE WENSLEYDALE Creamery has announced the expansion of its its award-winning Yorkshire dairy portfolio with the launch of Yorkshire Cheddar.

Handcrafted using local milk, by the Hawes based Wensleydale Creamery’s team of skilled and passionate cheese-makers, Yorkshire Cheddar is typically aged for up to 15 months for proper strength and character.

With cheddar accounting for nearly half of the cheese market in the UK, it has been seen as the perfect growth area for the business.

The Wensleydale Creamery, which prides itself on centuries of cheese-making credentials, is taking the entry into the cheddar market very seriously.

David Hartley, managing director of The Wensleydale Creamery, said: “We’re thrilled to be launching Yorkshire Cheddar, made from Yorkshire milk and carefully crafted by our experienced cheese-makers.

"Cheddar is a signature British cheese, and we are delighted to be adding it to our range of high quality Yorkshire produce.

“The ‘Yorkshire’ food brand is fast gaining recognition for its world-class offering – it’s fantastic to be a part of this food movement, and we are particularly proud to be introducing Britain’s favourite cheese to our family, marking a new and exciting stage in our growth.

“We’ve tasted it, perfected it and considered every part of it, all to create a deliciously rich Cheddar that delivers a rounded multitude of flavours, with creamy subtle sweet, nutty notes and a savoury finish, brought together in a distinct firm and rugged textured extra mature Cheddar cheese.”

Yorkshire Cheddar will be available in 320g pre-pack and 1.25kg deli size formats, with a 200g pack joining the family shortly.

The Wensleydale Creamery’s portfolio also includes Yorkshire Butter, churned from its Yorkshire cream, Yorkshire Brie crafted from Yorkshire milk and Yorkshire Yogurt; a range of creamy yogurts with a fruit layer, made using Yorkshire milk.

The creamery staff use traditional methods to handcraft cheese to time-honoured recipes, using milk from local farms, as well as being innovative with the development of new cheese recipes.

The Wensleydale Creamery achieved European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in December 2013 for its Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese.

The PGI status differentiates ‘Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese’ from other Wensleydale cheeses that are produced in other counties around the UK.

Yorkshire Cheddar launched in northern Morrisons stores on Monday (May 21), along with independent retailers and the Wensleydale Creamery Visitor Centre Cheese Shop.

Plans for roll out to other retailers are currently being finalised.