Un-Brie-leavable: Meet the Castleford cheesemongers winning awards and meeting the King

The family run business in Allerton Bywater started their winning streak last week with the news of winning a World Cheese Award in Norway.

They won a Silver World Cheese Award for their natural rind Coverdale, which they started making in 2019, working closely with a small artisan dairy.

Described by the Cryer and Stott team, Coverdale is “clothbound with an aesthetically pleasing natural rind. The mould rind Coverdale has a spongy texture, slightly crumbly with a subtle tang.”

This World Cheese Award comes two weeks after Coverdale gained a Great Taste Award Star along with Cryer & Stott’s Bywater Butter which gained two Great Taste Stars.

The winning week continued for the team when attending a glitzy award ceremony at the Pavilions in Harrogate for the Deliciously Yorkshire Taste Awards.

Cryer & Stott scooped Yorkshire’s Best Wholesaler for all the work they do supporting small producers across the district.

Jemma Ladwitch, Business Development Manager of Cryer & Stott Cheesemongers, said: ‘’We are so proud of our Yorkshire roots.

"The collaborations we make with small producers across Yorkshire gives us a unique and authentic offering for our clients.

"These days it’s becoming more and more important to support local makers. Amazing produce, coupled with fantastic customer service is what sets us aside from other distributors in the area’.”

Two days later, Richard Holmes, Managing Director of Cryer & Stott, was in London with his family being awarded an MBE for Services to the British Food Industry.

The MBE was presented to Richard by His Royal Highness the King at Buckingham Palace.

The news of the award came in December 2022 while Richard was trading at York St Nicks Market.

Richard said ‘’I received the email - I thought someone was winding me up!’’

Richard had to keep the news under wraps until the official announcement on News Years Day, and said ‘’I’m honoured to receive such an accolade and was speechless meeting the King.’’