Cornwall’s clotted cream sales soar on back of tourism boom

Trewithen Dairy has said it is witnessing a “remarkable surge” in clotted cream sales, which is great news for the dairy and farming industry in Cornwall.

Despite July being one of the dampest in recent years, visitors are flocking to the region.

According to Visit Cornwall, more than five million people visit the county every year during the annual summer holidays. This is a welcome boon for the region’s producers as the demand for food in the region skyrockets.

At the heart of this lies a love for a traditional cream tea. Freshly baked scones adorned with jam and rich clotted cream are a must-have treat and at Trewithen Dairy sales are soaring.

During the peak summer months between May and September, Trewithen Dairy plans to produce a 55.77 tonnes of their renowned clotted cream in various formats, including 56g, 114g, 200g, and 400g pots. This volume alone would equate to nearly 100,000 cream teas with an estimated 10 million more cream teas expected to be consumed through Trewithen’s business providing clotted cream into other retailers.

One of Trewithen Dairy’s partners, farmer Matt Rowe of Tredinnick Farm, plays a crucial role in helping meet the demand.

During the peak holiday season milk production at his farm increases by 20 per cent with more milk sold in August and September than any other time of the year.

He said: “Everybody loves a cream tea and its brilliant. We aim our profile to fit a 20 per cent increase during the summer to cope with the demand in Cornwall. We try and maximise our returns so at this time of year we do produce more milk for the tourists.

“We’re lucky to live and work in such a beautiful part of the world, with clotted cream made from cows that are all raised and grazed in Cornwall, a delicious reminder of this county.”

Francis Clarke, director of Trewithen Dairy, said: “It’s always lovely to see so many people coming to Cornwall for their holidays, and it’s wonderful to know that our clotted cream holds a special place in the hearts of those who visit us. Even after they return home, people want to enjoy the taste of Cornwall, and that’s great news for our business and Cornwall’s dairy farmers, who work hard to provide the finest milk for our cherished products.”