Ford Farm

Name

Ford Farm

Legal name

Ashley Chase Estate Limited

Website

https://fordfarm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Cheese Manufacturing

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue) (AFAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB), Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)

Keywords

• Artisan farmhouse cheddar
• Cave aged cheese
• PDO cheddar production
• Speciality cheese manufacturing
• Dairy cheese export

Headquarters

HQ city

Dorchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Online sales of cheese products through company's own website. Customers purchase directly with home delivery to UK mainland. Delivery charge of £7.00 added at checkout.
2. Retail Distribution: Wholesale supply to major UK supermarkets (Tesco, M&S, Iceland, Waitrose), national chains, delicatessens, and cheese shops. Poppy Cheddar distributed exclusively through Tesco stores nationwide.
3. Export Sales: International sales primarily to USA through Ford Farm USA operation, with over 1000 tonnes shipped annually. Products also exported to India, Kenya, Lebanon, Malta, Canada, France, Israel, Germany, Australia, and Hong Kong.
4. Flavoured and Specialty Products: Value-added products including flavoured cheeses (Truffler, Wensleydale with Gin and Lemon, Cheddar with Sriracha), Celebration Cheese Cakes, and seasonal offerings like Cheaster Egg (Iceland exclusive).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ford Farm produces and sells traditional West Country Farmhouse Cheddar and specialty cheeses using artisanal methods dating back 600+ years. Its core product range includes Cave Aged Cheddar (matured in Wookey Hole Caves), Coastal Cheddar, Oakwood, Dorset Red, Dorset Crofter, Cave Aged Goat's Cheese, flavoured blended cheeses, and layered Cheese Celebration Cakes. The company sells to UK consumers through its own e-commerce site and major supermarket chains (Tesco, M&S, Waitrose, Iceland), and exports internationally (notably the USA) under its own brands and through distributors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wookey Hole Cave Aged Cheddar: Traditional West Country Farmhouse Cheddar aged deep within Wookey Hole Caves in Somerset. Multi award-winning brand.
• Coastal Cheddar
• Oakwood
• Dorset Red
• Cave Aged Goats Cheese
• Dorset Crofter
• Truffler
• Flavours Range
• Cheese Celebration Cakes

Products and services

• Cave Aged Cheddar Traditional West Country Farmhouse Cheddar matured 200 feet underground in Wookey Hole Caves in Somerset, where constant 12°C temperature and natural humidity impart distinctive earthy, rich, and nutty flavours. Multi-award winning and credited with transforming the company's export business.
• Coastal Cheddar West Country Farmhouse Cheddar matured at the Ford Farm Dairy on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, characterised by a distinctive crunch from calcium lactate crystals. Reported to be the best-selling branded cheddar in the USA.
• Cave Aged Goats Cheese Unique cheddar-style cheese made from 100% goat's milk and matured in Wookey Hole Caves. Won Super Gold and was judged Best British Cheese at the 2016 World Cheese Awards and Super Gold again at the 2018 World Cheese Awards in Bergen.
• Oakwood Twelve-month matured Ford Farm PDO West Country Farmhouse Cheddar smoked over oak chips for a smooth, mellow smoky flavour.
• Dorset Red Mild orange cheddar cold smoked over oak chips, with a smooth, mellow smoky flavour.
• Dorset Crofter Sheep's milk cheese inspired by Manchego, produced by Ford Farm in Dorset. Won a Gold Medal at the World Cheese Awards.
• Flavours Range (incl. Truffler, Wensleydale & Cranberry, Cheddar with Caramelised Onion, Chilli with Lime, Mustard and Ale, Herb and Garlic, Cheddar with Sriracha, Wensleydale with Gin and Lemon) Blended cheese range pairing Ford Farm cheddar with complementary ingredients such as Italian black truffles (Truffler), caramelised onion, cranberry, chilli and lime, mustard and ale, herb and garlic, Sriracha, and Wensleydale with gin and lemon. Designed for cheeseboards and snacking.
• Cheese Celebration Cakes Layered cheese celebration cakes for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and corporate events, with three standard configurations (Litton Cheney, Dorset, Dorchester) plus a bespoke service. Delivered in wooden presentation box, starting from £60.

Quantifiable outcome

• Export sales increased by over 50% over two years, earning second Queen's Award for International Trade
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ford Farm USAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2007US subsidiary established in 2007 to manage American market distribution. Headed by Bruce Cohen for East Coast operations and Shannon Patten managing West Coast sales to Costco, Whole Foods, and Trader Joes. Primary export channel shipping over 1000 tonnes annually.
• Shannon PattencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2007US sales representative handling West Coast operations, working with distributors, trade shows, and managing relationships with Costco, Whole Foods, and Trader Joes. Accompanied Mike Pullin to Buckingham Palace for Queen's Award presentation.
• PetersonscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2000New York-based specialist dairy produce importer and first US customer. Received first Ford Farm cheese shipment in 2000 marking the beginning of the export business. Facilitated entry to Costco and other major US retailers.
• Morrish & BanhamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist wine merchants in Dorchester providing cheese pairing recommendations for Dorset Crofter and other Ford Farm products. Partnership involves co-development of tasting notes and wine pairing guidance featured on product pages.
• Wells Festival of LiteratureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFord Farm sponsored Wells Festival of Literature with Wookey Hole Cave Aged Cheddar brand. Sponsoring Alan Titchmarsh talk and book signing event, providing cheese hampers and community engagement.
• Royal British LegionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partnership creating Poppy-shaped cheddar for annual Poppy Appeal. Distributed 15,000 units through Tesco raising over £8.5k (aiming for £11k). Each unit donated minimum 75p to the appeal.
• Dorset Food & DrinkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNot-for-profit organisation bringing together Dorset's best food and drink producers. Ford Farm is a founder member, hosting networking events at the dairy and participating in collaborative marketing initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Arla Foods: Global dairy cooperative with strong UK presence (largest supplier of branded and private-label dairy). Comparable as a broad incumbent selling across the same UK supermarket customers with overlapping cheddar, butter, and specialty cheese lines.
• Bel Group: Global cheese company (Laughing Cow, Babybel, Leerdammer) with operations across Europe and North America. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for cheese shelf space at Tesco, Costco, Whole Foods, and Trader Joes.
• Kerrygold: Irish premium dairy brand owned by Ornua, distributed globally. Comparable as a heritage premium dairy brand leveraging provenance story in UK and US retail, with overlapping buyer base in Tesco, M&S, and Waitrose.
• Cathedral City: The UK's #1 cheddar brand owned by Saputo Dairy UK, producing mass-market cheddar across major UK retailers. Comparable as a competing cheddar brand at scale, though positioned for everyday consumption rather than artisanal/premium segments.

Regional players

• Tillamook: US farmer-owned dairy cooperative famous for its cheddar block and specialty cheeses. Comparable as a premium regional cheddar brand with strong consumer loyalty, though operating primarily in the US Pacific Northwest market.

Direct peers

• Long Clawson Dairy: UK cooperative producing award-winning Stilton and other territorial cheeses using traditional methods. Comparable as a UK heritage cheesemaker with PDO-protected products competing in premium retail and export markets.
• Cropwell Bishop: Premium Stilton producer with PDO status, family-owned and exporting globally. Comparable as a UK PDO heritage cheesemaker serving UK supermarkets and international premium retailers.
• Barber's 1833: Historic Somerset cheddar maker (established 1833) producing West Country Farmhouse Cheddar with PDO status. Directly comparable as a heritage PDO cheddar brand competing in the same UK supermarket and foodservice channels.
• Wyke Farms: Somerset-based family-owned traditional farmhouse cheddar producer and one of the UK's largest independent cheese makers. Directly comparable as a UK heritage farmhouse cheddar manufacturer supplying major UK supermarkets with PDO-accredited cheddar.

Emerging players

• Beecher's Handmade Cheese: US premium artisanal cheese brand with retail and foodservice presence. Comparable as a premium-positioned handmade cheesemaker leveraging craft provenance for differentiation in retail cheese aisles.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fordfarmcheese
• Facebookfacebook.com/fordfarmcheese
• Instagraminstagram.com/Coastal_cheese
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ashley-chase-estate-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ford Farm