Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and producer of renewable energy, today announces that their prize-winning ‘Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar’ is now available as a ‘world-first’; carbon neutral branded Cheddar. In addition, the Cheddar comes with the very special ‘reserve’ status, as the company launches the Ivy’s Reserve range of premium Cheddar.
Ivy’s Reserve is named after Grandmother Ivy who, 100 years ago, was the first person to write down her recipe, which is now kept locked in a safe on the farm. The cheese remained a family secret for many years and was only available as a special gift for family and close friends at Christmas time, but demand for this very special Cheddar has grown and grown.
Ivy’s Reserve is the best of the best, matured for 18 months under wood to bring out an unmatched ‘rounded’ flavour profile, slightly sweet, nutty, and complex, this award-winning Cheddar cheese is everything that a Cheddar from Somerset, the home of Cheddar should be.
Grandmother Ivy used to say, ‘if you look after nature then nature will look after you.’ She had the deepest respect for nature and a love for the countryside. Ivy’s Reserve is produced respectfully adhering to her century old principles. Today, Ivy would be proud that her Ivy’s Reserve is the first Cheddar cheese in the world to be certified as carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust.
The carbon neutral status builds on Wyke Farms’ work in improving environmental performance across these core areas:
Farming: Reduced emissions at both Wyke Farms and their supplier farms with a committed sustainability plan and incentive programme; covering animal feed, land management and energy use as well as regenerative farming and protection of the soil. This is better for biodiversity, soil quality and helps to reduce emissions, bringing the CO2 output per litre of milk to 20% under the national average.
Production: When making Ivy’s Reserve, Wyke Farms minimise waste and packaging, recover heat, filter, and reuse wastewater, and reduce carbon emissions. The overall aim for the company is to achieve Net Zero production.
Green Energy: Made using 100 per cent green energy, with electricity and gas sourced from Wyke Farm’s own self-generated solar power and from biogas generated from farm and dairy waste. The anaerobic digester saves 20 million kilos of CO2 every year, as well as providing a rich natural fertiliser that is used on local farms to displace artificial nitrogen usage.
Conservation: Alongside this work, Wyke Farms work hard to protect and nurture the countryside around the River Brue which runs through the valley. They leave uncultivated areas to wildflowers and other species as well as planting trees and putting up bird boxes and insect hotels.
There is a Visitor Centre where you can find out all about this side of the work on the farm. It is at the heart of Wyke Farms’ business and a way of life, and a vital part of the legacy handed down by Ivy, her husband Tom, and previous generations of the family.
Wyke Farms have partnered with the Carbon Trust to undertake a cradle-to-grave footprint analysis and have certified the footprint as carbon neutral in accordance with PAS 2060. PAS 2060 is an internationally recognised specification for carbon neutrality and builds on the existing PAS 2050 environmental standard. It sets out requirements for quantification, reduction, and offsetting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for organisations, products, and events. The detail of the process can be found in the project Qualifying Explanatory Statement (QES): Accelerate the mission to Net Zero (d6t5bahzqziic.cloudfront.net)
Offsetting: With market-leading carbon offset partner Climate Care Climate Action Starts Here | ClimateCare, Wyke Farms have supported two high-quality emission reduction projects: peat rainforest protection in Indonesia and solar-energy production in India. Wyke Farms recognise that offsetting is only a temporary solution, and actively seek out all other routes to Net Positivity.
Rich Clothier, Managing Director, third generation family member at Wyke Farms and Ivy Clothier’s Grandson, says:
‘This has been a 12-year journey for us. We started our 100% Green strategy in 2010 when we made a commitment to energy independence and generating all of our gas and electric from renewables. Since then, we have invested in our knowledge base across this business and on farm driving environmental improvement year on year. Ivy’s Reserve is a world first and an industry shake-up. This will continue to be our focus in the years ahead as we push for more net positive improvements.”
The Ivy’s Reserve brand identity has been undertaken by leading brand, design and marketing consultants, Big Fish: Ivy’s Reserve – big fish® and offers a refined look, incorporating a hand sketched silhouette of Ivy on the front of pack that now reflects the second-to-none vintage reserve Cheddar hand selected for the brand.
Ivy’s Reserve is now available online in the UK: Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar – Ivy’s Reserve (www.ivys-reserve.com) RRP – 3 x 250g = £15.00. Also available in branches of Costco in the US. Further carbon neutral products are to be added to the portfolio over the next 12 months.
Wyke Farms’ cheese is produced in the heart of the Cheddar making region in Somerset using milk from their own herds that graze the lush pastures of the Mendip Hills and contracted, Red Tractor assured family farms, the majority of which are within a 50mile radius of the dairy at Bruton. Wyke Farms branded products are available in selected UK Lidl stores and Southwest ASDA and Tesco stores and online at: www.wykefarms.com/shop
