Jamie Oliver has asked fans to be on the lookout after Neil’s Yard had £300,000 worth of cheddar stolen by scammers.
Neal’s Yard Dairy said it had already delivered more than 950 wheels of cheddar to the alleged cheese thief posing as a French wholesale distributor before the fraud was discovered.
In a post on Instagram, Mr Oliver told his 10.5 million followers: “There has been a great cheese robbery. Some of the best cheddar cheese in the world has been stolen.”
He described it as a “real shame”, adding: “If anyone hears anything about posh cheese going for cheap, it’s probably some wrong’uns.
“So if anyone hears anything about lorryloads of posh cheese, I mean I don’t know what they are going to do with it, really.
“Are they going to unpeel it from the cloth, and cut it and grate it and get rid of it in the fast food industry, in the commercial industry? I don’t know – it feels like a really weird thing to nick.”
Neal’s Yard confirmed it still paid Hafod, Westcombe and Pitchfork, the producers of the cheese, so they would not have to bear the cost “despite the significant financial blow”.
Neal’s Yard Dairy called out to cheesemongers around the world to contact them if they suspect they have been sold the stolen cheese, particularly clothbound cheddars in a 10kg or 24kg format with the tags detached.
The dairy said in an Instagram post: “To everyone who has rallied to support us in the last few days — thank you.
“Since sharing the news of our theft, we have received an overwhelming number of calls, messages, and visits. We are truly touched that so many people in the artisan cheese community and beyond are standing with us. It’s a reminder of why we love the work we do.
“Many of you have asked how you can help. To that, we say: continue to support British and Irish cheese. Hafod, Pitchfork, and Westcombe are special examples of farmhouse Cheddar. Eat them. Celebrate them. We will be here, championing British and Irish cheese, for a long time to come.”
Trethowan Brothers, who make Pitchfork Cheddar, praised Neal’s Yard for paying back the suppliers despite the theft.
“The way they have handled this horrible situation has only deepened our respect and admiration for them,” the Somerset cheesemakers wrote on Instagram.
“Their 30-year relationship with us and so many other producers is a rare and shining example of trust and integrity-a true force for good in business, retailer-producer relationships, and in life. We are proud to supply them and call them our friends.”
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “On Monday October 21 we received a report of the theft of a large quantity of cheese from a manufacturer based in Southwark.
“Inquiries are ongoing into the circumstances.”
Police said no arrests have been made related to the alleged theft.
