Pilgrims Choice
| Type | Cheddar cheese |
|---|---|
| Inception | 1985 |
| Manufacturer | Ornua |
| Available | Yes |
| Website | http://pilgrimschoice.com/ |
Pilgrims Choice is a cheese brand owned by Irish dairy exporter Ornua (formerly Adams Foods Ltd and the North Downs Dairy), with UK operations based in Leek.
Despite an Identification Code of UK LK002, Pilgrims Choice is substantially sourced from Irish-produced cheese.[1]
History
Pilgrims Choice was founded by David Hardisty, the founder of North Downs Dairy, in 1985,[2] and was bought by the Irish Dairy Board in 1997.[3] The company's brand name comes from the route known as Pilgrims' Way, which he drove down daily on his way to Wincanton. The brand Pilgrims Choice was launched onto the retail market as a pre-packaged cheese in 1999, in its trademark black packaging. Pilgrims Choice Farmhouse Vintage Extra Mature then became Britain's fastest growing Protected Designated Origin West Country farmhouse cheddar brand, with sales of more than £20 million by the year 2000.[3]
Reception
In 2019, Pilgrims Choice was ranked the UK's 4th top cheese brand by The Grocer.[4] In 2020, Ornua reported sales of Pilgrims Choice had grown by 25% in the past 52 weeks, outperforming the general category by 10%.[5]
References
- ^ Shortt, Robert (20 June 2018). "Pleas for Irish cheese as a hard Brexit looms".
- ^ "Our History". Ornua Foods.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Pilgrims progress".
- ^ "Dairy: Cheese: Top Products 2019". The Grocer.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Addy, Rod. "Ornua Foods UK invests £3m in Leek factory". Food Manufacture.
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