A farmer-led Welsh cooperative is on top of the world after scooping its best ever haul of awards at the dairy industry ‘Oscars’.

Welsh cheese maker South Caernarfon Creameries (SCC) brought back four gold medals from the International Cheese and Dairy Awards – and two silvers and five bronzes.

For the first time in its 120-year history the awards were not part of the Nantwich Show after moving 30 miles south to Bingley Hall, near Stafford, a venue better known for hosting concerts by the likes of the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen.

The only gold discs on show this time were made of cheese and South Caernarfon Creameries picked up wins for their Mature Double Gloucester; Red Leicester; Mature Cheddar and Salted Butter.

They were also awarded Silver for their Mild Cheddar and Sliced Mature Cheddar and Bronze for Medium Cheddar; Double Gloucester; Caerphilly; Half-Fat and Lighter Cheddars.

‘A benchmark for quality’

SCC new product development coordinator Trystan Povey said: “We are delighted to have had our best-ever performance at the International Cheese Awards which are very much a benchmark for quality in the cheese and dairy industry.

It has been another very successful year for us at award events up and down the country and we believe it is important that we pit ourselves against the very best in our industry regularly.

“Quality is at the heart of everything we do and not only does regular competition keep us on our toes, it is also a guarantee to our valued customers that our products are of the very highest standard.”