Derbyshire cheese maker upset at £180 post-Brexit Stilton fee

The average online order for Hartington Creamery is £30

One of the few dairies allowed to make Stilton said it has had to stop sales to the European Union (EU) since Brexit.

Hartington Creamery at Pikehall, Derbyshire, said the paperwork needed for each order was costing too much.

It added, however, that sales have "surged" in the US and Canada.

The government said it was working closely with traders adjusting to the new arrangements.

Simon Spurrell, the director of Hartington Creamery, said each parcel, pallet or container of Stilton required a veterinary surgeon certificate costing £180 per destination.

With the average online order costing just £30, he said there was "absolutely no way" they could continue with what was a lucrative online sales business before Brexit.

"About 20% of our overall online turnover was with the EU," he said.

"We've had that completely and utterly wiped off overnight."

The cheese has Protected Designation of Origin status and by law, blue Stilton can only be produced in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

Simon Spurrell said there is "absolutely no way" they can continue with online orders in the EU

Mr Spurrell said the "very upsetting" situation came as a "total surprise".

He first came across the issue in the second week of January when he had 60 parcels of cheese returned from the EU with "no explanation".

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Blue Stilton can only be produced in Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire

He is now looking at how the business can operate internationally in the future, with options either being to create a distribution warehouse in the EU, or to focus on the US market.

He said: "We've had a surge in interest and consumer sales from the US."

A trade deal agreed just before Christmas also saw the dairy get its first Canadian shipment.

However, he added the shipping costs across the Atlantic were "expensive".

A spokesperson from the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "We continue to work closely with traders and there is extensive advice available to support businesses as they adjust to the new arrangements.

"It is vital that traders ensure their exports have the correct paperwork to comply with new animal and animal product checks when they cross the EU border."