A Highland dairy is aiming for global success as it supplies its cheese to stores all over the world.
Connage Highland Dairy was already producing its product for shops in France and USA and now one of its cheeses is being sold to department stores in Japan.
The Bradan is Gruth cheese, which is a combination of Connage Highland Crowdie and Hebridean Smokehouse peat smoked salmon, was recently featured at the British Fair at the Hankyu department store in Fukuoka and Osaka, Japan.
The product was successfully introduced in Japan at the Mitsukoshu department store in Nihombashi, and is also being served at the British embassy in Tokyo.
Connage’s foray into Asia comes after further international success earlier this year.
Its Smoked Dunlop was one of five Scottish cheeses which were imported to France by wholesaler Desailly, and the Connage Dunlop was featured at the Bristol Farms Scottish Showcase at their Beverly Hills store in California.
As well as being exported across three different continents, Connage Highland Dairy is taking to the skies, as it is currently processing an order for the Bradan is Gruth, through its partnership with Hebridean Smokehouse, from the UK’s largest airline British Airways.
Owner of Connage Highland Dairy, Jill Clark, said: “Obviously we are absolutely thrilled with the opportunities we’ve had to export our cheese this year, and it is fantastic for us as a business, but we’re just as excited about what this means for the Scottish food and drink industry.
“Seeing the export of Scottish produce around the world is really something the whole country can be proud of, and it’s a testament to all the wonderful produce that comes from these shores.”
She added: “We also have to thank the local community and our customers across Scotland for their continued support. We’re passionate about getting behind local businesses, and it’s so humbling to see that people have that belief in us too.”
Christopher West, manager of the Hebridean Smokehouse, added: “There is a real interest in Scottish food in Asia and what Scotland has to offer matches the very high expectations of the Japanese public.
“Being able to offer such quality products with the history to back it up is very exciting but there is still a great deal of work to be done – much that we take for granted about how to enjoy our larder is very new out there but their openness to new ways and flavours is fantastic.”
