Cornish food companies leading the way

Cornwall Brand, a service of Cornwall Enterprise, took three innovative Cornish food companies to London to meet key food and drink trade journalists. The Cornish Cheese Company, Deli Farm Charcuterie and Cornish Sea Salt were all chosen to represent Cornwall's dynamic food and drink sector, as they all have products unique to the UK.

The Cornish food and drink sector is valued at £1.5bn and is growing faster than the tourism sector. The sector grew by £500m between 2003-2006 alone and shows no sign of slowing down. Initiatives such as the £4.7m Duchy College Agri-Food Innovation Centre, where academics and businesses can work together, continue to develop Cornwall's food and drink expertise and expand its reputation for excellence.

Lucy Hunt, Cornwall Brand Manager explains:
"Businesses such as Deli Farm Charcuterie, Cornish Cheese Company and Cornish Sea Salt are great examples of the types of innovative foods and products the county is responsible for. The Cornish brand is becoming increasingly powerful as more and more food manufacturers' produce top of the range goods. Consumer trends show that people want to buy local and they want to buy British, and the Cornish food industry is clearly stepping up to meet this demand."

Angie Coombs, Taste of the West added:
"Cornwall has made significant investment into the food and drink sector, which is now paying off. The growth of the industry is staggering and it's really exciting as the county continues to create new and innovative products. The opening of the Duchy College will allow this trend to continue and ensure Cornish food manufacturers and producers remain ahead of their game, which is essential in order to survive in this competitive sector."

Cornish Cheese Company
The Cornish Cheese Company is the UK's only producer of soft blue cheese. The unique texture and flavour has won multiple awards including Best English Cheese and Best Blue Cheese at the British Cheese Awards. Founded in 2001, the company produces its cheese entirely by hand using milk directly from the farm in Liskeard. The company has exciting plans for expansion as the demand for its cheese grows.

Cornish Sea Salt
Launching soon is the Cornish Sea Salt Co - the UK's first sea salt producer to harvest direct from the ocean.   The flaky, white culinary sea salt will be hand-harvested from the clear Atlantic waters off the coast of the Lizard, and is a purer, healthier and tastier alternative to traditional table salt.  Restaurants and retail outlets have already been extremely receptive with the company taking advance trade orders for their first harvest.

Deli Farm Charcuterie
Deli Farm Charcuterie, is one of only two UK companies specialising in air dried meat products. Established in 2006, this 18-month old business has grown at a remarkable rate and is currently developing larger premises in Delabole, ready for expansion into new markets in early 2008. The business has experienced massive demand in the South West, driving production to six times it original output. The company uses only the freshest Cornish meats and employs traditional Italian drying methods to create superior salami with minimal environmental impact. The business is receiving interest from restaurants, hotels and delicatessens across the UK, and is looking to expand significantly as it reaches its two year milestone.