In brief
London's Neal’s Yard Dairy was duped into shipping 22 metric tons of Cheddar to scammers posing as a legitimate retailer, leading to a major loss in the artisanal cheese industry.
In a baffling crime dubbed "the grate cheese robbery," British cheese makers are left reeling after 22 metric tons of rare Cheddar cheese went missing in a scam worth around $390,000. The trouble began when Neal’s Yard Dairy, a top cheese retailer in London, received an order from what appeared to be a legitimate wholesale distributor linked to a French supermarket. The dairy turned to Patrick Holden’s farm in Wales, along with Westcombe Dairy and Trethowan Brothers, to fulfill the extensive order. Initially, Holden felt flattered, thinking that a French chain wanted to buy substantial amounts of British cheese, a point of pride for him and other artisans. However, their excitement turned to shock when it was revealed that the order was a total scam. Holden lamented the rarity of such thefts in their tight-knit community, stating that he had never expected something like this to happen in their industry, which places great value on artisanal practices. The theft not only represents a significant financial hit but also poses questions about trust within the sector.
