Traditional Welsh Caerphilly cheese has joined the ranks of Champagne, Parma Ham and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies by being awarded protected food name status by the European Commission.
From today, January 30, the food is protected by the European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, one of three special European Protected Food Name (PFN) designations.
Under the EU’s protected food name scheme certain food and drink products receive Europe-wide legal protection against imitation, misuse and fraud. Traditional Welsh Caerphilly is Wales’s first cheese to attain PFN status and joins a family of 15 Welsh PFN products.
The application for PGI status was made to the European Commission on behalf of Traditional Welsh Caerphilly cheesemakers in Wales, led by Carwyn Adams from Caws Cenarth.
Gwynfor and Thelma Adams from Caws Cenarth first made Caerphilly cheese in 1987 when they started making cheese as a direct result of milk quotas.
Today, 30 years later, their Traditional Welsh Caerphilly is made with the same original recipe and has been named after Thelma, as Thelma’s Original.
Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said: “I was delighted to visit Caws Cenarth recently and, having sampled their Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese, I can confirm this is indeed a product worthy of recognition.
“I am pleased the Welsh Government was able to support Caws Cenarth, on behalf of all Traditional Welsh Caerphilly cheesemakers, with this application.
“We are proud we now have fifteen Welsh food and drink products that have been awarded PFN status. This is testament to the high quality and unique nature of our produce.”
Carwyn Adams, from Caws Cenarth, said: “Great care is taken at every step of the recipe. From the careful hand cutting of the curds to the individual hand moulding of the cheese. We are really excited to be able to protect the ‘Traditional Welsh Caerphilly’ name. It’s a guarantee of its quality and authenticity, and the skill and passion involved in the making.”
The Welsh Government funds support to all Welsh producers wanting to attain PFN status.
The future of protected name status food in the UK is still uncertain since Britain will be leaving the European Union in March next year.
Chapeau! Caws Caerffili, and if that’s not a good enough reason to slap some on a cracker then I don’t know what is!
Good luck to Caws Cenarth but I remember a Caerffili cheese maker being shut down because of EU diktat. Real Caerffili cheese was produced from the 1980’s to about the mid 1990’s by Tegwen Evans of Nant Y Calch, a farm on the edge of the town. Her business worked closely with the Court House pub at this time and local milk was delivered in traditional churns.
This upset the EU and the regulations imposed, milk must be delivered by tanker, etc, led to the closure of this line of business. I still have a few of the original, unused, cartons in which this cheese was sold to people from all over the world. A museum piece now, a relic from a business shut down by EU rules.
Yes – the EU have a lot to answer for !
Everything has to be on their terms or it doesn’t happen – the sooner we leave the EU the better,leaving behind their dictatorial attitudes and demands.
If given the opportunity several EU countries would vote to leave also. President Macron admitted last week that the French would likely vote leave. The past few months have been very revealing. It is clear that Barnier, Tusk, Verhoffstat and co are not our friends and allies. They do not want to trade with Britain, even if their attitude throws thousands of Germans and French out of work. They simply want our money and wish continue with their dream of a United States of Europe, complete with army, flag, anthem and predident. Not an elected president but one appointed from amongst their own kind..
Is there any point to protect the name of the Caerphilly cheese through the EU when we will be leaving in a few years and we will have to through the whole name protecting thing again.
I have thought the same thing. Presumably the process is a lengthy one and the original application was made before the referendum was held. After 2019 I suppose another British cheese manufacturer could ignore this name protection. The name protection status would still apply however to all countries that stay in the EU, so French and Dutch cheese makers could not use the name after we leave.