Supermarket listing offers valuable support to Lancashire food producers

A Lancashire cheesemaker has won a national supermarket listing for its Parlick variety – and provided valuable support for a local family-run farm.

Longridge-based Singletons & Co, the family-owned cheesemaker which can trace its cheese handcrafting roots back to 1745, has continued championing sheep’s milk cheese with the listing in supermarket group Morrisons.

The biggest manufacturer of sheep’s milk cheese in the UK, Singletons sources its milk from Stott & Sons, a family run farm in Chipping, hit heavily during the coronavirus pandemic which saw a nationwide lockdown.

Simon Stott, co-owner of Stott & Sons and chair of industry body Sheep Milk UK said: “We lost 15 out of 22 customers during the pandemic and were faced with the possibility of having to stop milking our ewes for good.

“Singletons and Morrisons swung into action to support the British sheep’s milk industry and for that we are grateful. Whilst the future of British sheep’s milk is still unsure, this does give us a lifeline to rebuild.”

Handcrafted using the cheesemaker’s five generations of cheesemaking expertise, Parlick, which is already available in Sainsburys, Booths and with several wholesalers and independents across the country, has won many awards over the years and is a firm favourite both in the UK and with export customers.

Jak Blanthorn, UK account manager at Singletons & Co, said: “We produce 60 tonnes of Parlick each year and are proud to see another UK retailer adding it as a line to their deli offering.

Simon Stott and his father John

“It’s a fantastic product and with people being more focused on health, sheep’s milk products have seen considerable growth. We will do all that we can to support this industry.”

Parlick has a fresh and clean flavour, mirroring the lush Ribble Valley the sheep graze.

The flavour has a little earthiness, but also hints of sweetness, with some creamy and fresh tones.

The light aroma accompanying this cheese makes it perfect for a cheeseboard or used as an ingredient – for example to top a rich tomato pasta sauce.