Part of Appleby’s modern heritage

APPLEBY-IN-WESTMORLAND SOCIETY

“We’re serious about cheese’ proclaims the promotional leaflet for Appleby Creamery. Yet, when Maurice Walton addressed the May meeting of the Appleby-in-Westmorland Society, he had to admit that it had not started that way. In fact, if he and his fellow Old Applebians Alan Mandle and Bob Parmley had realised where their conversation over a glass of wine would lead them, they might never have started.

Only a year after their 2007 start up in Cross Croft their major, in fact only, customer decided to withdraw from the market. “All we had was cheese and
determination – no labels, no customers, no distribution strategy – nothing” said Maurice. Yet now, only four years later, they proudly produce ten different types of cheese, some hard, some soft, from the milk of Cumbrian cows, ewes and goats.

With a seven-strong workforce including themselves, they market under their own brand name as well as manufacturing for other labels. In Appleby their outlets are Appleby Bakery, Taste of Eden and
Ruby’s Deli. After a summary of the processes involved in cheese-making, more varied and complex than some of his audience had previously realised,
Maurice augmented the usual tea and biscuits with a selection of tasty cheese samples.
Information about future meetings of the Society can be obtained by contacting Chairman Ian Campbell on Appleby 51139. (ends)