Caws Cenarth
Caws Cenarth is a family-owned Welsh artisan cheese producer, founded in 1987, making organic Welsh cheeses including PGI Caerffili. It sells direct-to-consumer via e-commerce, farm shop, subscription, and wedding cakes, and supplies independent UK retailers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersLlanelli, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Caws Cenarth does
Caws Cenarth Cheese Ltd is a family-owned Welsh artisan cheese producer founded in 1987 by Gwynfor and Thelma Adams on Glyneithinog farm in the river Cych valley, West Wales, drawing on a six-generation cheese-making tradition dating to 1903. The company produces organic pasteurized cow's milk cheeses using traditional methods—natural bacterial cultures, vegetarian rennet, fermentation at 32 degrees, curd cutting, moulding, hand-salting, and controlled-room maturation—and holds Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status as the oldest established producer of Welsh Farmhouse Caerffili. Its 31-product range spans soft, hard, blue, and sheep's milk cheeses, including award-winning Perl Las blue cheese and Golden Cenarth, a cider-washed semi-soft variety. The current operation is led by Carwyn Adams and his son Lucas.
The company operates a multi-channel direct-to-consumer model: an e-commerce site with UK-wide next-day courier delivery (DHL/Royal Mail), an on-site farm shop and visitor centre, the Carwyn's Angels monthly subscription box (£24.95-£35.95/month), and a wedding cheese cake service. It also supplies independent retailers such as Blas ar Fwyd and complements its cheese range with an artisan food partnership ecosystem (charcuterie, preserves, crackers, honey, and port). Pricing spans £4.90-£7.95 for mini cheeses, £12.50-£52.00 for large wheels, and £30-£78.00 for gift hampers, with free delivery on UK orders over £60. Distribution is limited to England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and southern Scotland. The business is privately held with no external institutional investment, employs 11-50 people, and has no reported revenue, funding, or M&A activity.
Caws Cenarth firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Caws Cenarth
- Legal name
- Caws Cenarth Cheese Ltd
- Website
- https://cawscenarth.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Caws Cenarth is a family-owned Welsh artisan cheese producer, founded in 1987, making organic Welsh cheeses including PGI Caerffili. It sells direct-to-consumer via e-commerce, farm shop, subscription, and wedding cakes, and supplies independent UK retailers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Caws Cenarth industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisan Cheese and Dairy Products
- NAICS
- Cheese Manufacturing (311513)
- SIC
- Dairy Products (2020)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fermented & Air-Dried Charcuterie (Salami, Pepperoni, Prosciutto-Style) (AFANAEAE)
Keywords
Where Caws Cenarth is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Llanelli
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Caws Cenarth business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Cheese Sales: One-time purchases of individual cheeses including mini wheels, large wheels, wedges sold through e-commerce. Includes both conventional and organic varieties.
- Carwyn's Angels Subscription: Monthly cheese box subscription with 3, 4, or 5 cheese options delivered to customers. Includes exclusive limited-edition Angel cheeses only available to subscribers. Delivery included in subscription price.
- Gift Hampers: Pre-packaged cheese gift hampers for various occasions including Cheese and Beer, Cheese and Port, Weekend Cheese Hamper, and Welsh Cheese Treat Hamper. Also includes gift subscriptions for monthly cheese deliveries.
- On-site Farm Shop Sales: Physical retail sales at the dairy visitor centre in Cenarth, Carmarthenshire.
- Wedding Cheese Cakes: Custom cheese cake bundles for weddings, delivered directly to reception venues.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mini Cheese (150-200g) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Large Cheese Wheels |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Perl Las 550g promotional |
| Subscription | Monthly | Carwyn's Angels Monthly Subscription |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Hampers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wedding Cheese Cake Selection |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Caws Cenarth product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Caws Cenarth is a Welsh artisan cheese producer that manufactures and sells organic and conventional farmhouse cheeses (soft, hard, blue, sheep, and limited-edition varieties) directly to UK consumers via an e-commerce storefront with next-day delivery, an on-site farm shop, and a monthly cheese subscription. It also supplies independent retailers and fulfils custom wedding cheese cake orders. The company is the oldest established producer of Welsh Farmhouse Caerffili with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Artisan Welsh Cheese Range A core catalogue of approximately 31 artisan cheeses spanning soft (e.g., Cenarth Brie, Perl Wen), hard (e.g., Thelma's Original Caerffili, Caws Cryf Cheddar), blue (Perl Las), sheep's milk, and limited-edition varieties. Produced on the family farm in West Wales from pasteurised organic cow's milk, available as mini wheels (150-200g), large wheels (1-2.5kg), and wedges for individual consumers and retailers.
- Carwyn's Angels Monthly Cheese Subscription A recurring monthly cheese box subscription offered in 3-cheese (£24.95), 4-cheese (£29.95), or 5-cheese (£35.95) tiers, with delivery included and the ability to swap cheeses. Subscribers receive exclusive limited-edition Angel cheeses unavailable to one-time buyers, and gift subscriptions are available in 2, 3, or 4-month durations at £30/month.
- Cheese Gift Hampers Pre-packaged gift hampers pairing Caws Cenarth cheeses with complementary accompaniments such as crackers, charcuterie, honey, port, and chutneys. Range includes Weekend Cheese Hamper (£30), Welsh Cheese Treat Hamper (£34.95), Carwyn's Cheese Hamper (£36), Cheese and Beer Gift (£39), and Cheese and Port Gift Hamper (£78), targeted at gifting occasions.
- Wedding Cheese Cake Selection A bespoke cheese cake selection priced at £145.00, designed as an alternative to traditional wedding cakes for couples and event planners. Delivered directly to wedding reception venues and built from Caws Cenarth's signature cheeses for visual presentation and tasting.
- Caws Cryf Extra Mature Cheddar Extra Mature Cheddar produced at the Caws Cenarth dairy, available in a 200g mini format at £5.95, marketed as a premium hard cheese for individual consumers and gift buyers.
- Golden Cenarth Organic Cheese A 200g organic rind-washed semi-soft cow's milk cheese washed in cider to produce a distinctive golden colour and flavour development, sold at £7.50 per 200g mini and recognised with awards.
- Perl Wen Organic Cheese A 200g organic soft cheese from Caws Cenarth, sold at £6.25 per mini wheel, part of the soft cheese collection presented alongside Cenarth Brie.
- Perl Las Organic Blue Cheese An award-winning organic blue cheese produced at Caws Cenarth, available in 200g minis at £6.25, 550g promotional format at £7 with code perllas550 (when spending £30+), and 2.5kg large wheels at £26-£52. Recognised as one of the company's flagship cheeses.
- Cenarth Brie A soft brie-style cheese from Caws Cenarth, available in 200g mini format at £6.25 and large 1kg+ wheels at £12.50-£25.00, sold through the e-commerce storefront and farm shop.
- Limited Edition Artisan Cheeses A category of limited-edition artisan cheeses produced by Caws Cenarth, including exclusive Angel cheeses reserved for Carwyn's Angels monthly subscribers, alongside seasonal and experimental varieties not part of the standard catalogue.
- On-site Farm Shop and Visitor Centre A physical farm shop and visitor centre at Fferm Glyneithinog in Cenarth, open Monday-Friday 10:00AM-5:00PM and Saturday 9:00AM-1:00PM, offering cheese sampling, purchases, and cheese-making observation experiences Monday-Wednesday 12:00PM-3:00PM. The site also includes an apartment for agritourism stays.
- Other Artisan Food Accompaniments A curated assortment of third-party artisan food accompaniments sold alongside Caws Cenarth cheeses, including chutneys, crackers (The Fine Cheese Company, Tregroes waffles and crackers), wines (Colheita Port 2006 from Krohn), honey (Mel Cych Valley Honey, Afon Mel Honey Mead), meats (Trealy Farm Charcuterie including salami and chorizo, Carmarthen Ham), and preserves (Radnor Preserves, Welsh Lady Preserves including chilli jam, cider and leek chutney, fruit curds). Available as standalone purchases and within gift hampers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Award-winning cheese producer recognised at World Cheese Awards
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Caws Cenarth
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Caws Cenarth technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Caws Cenarth partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Blas ar FwydminorIndependent Welsh food retailer that stocks and sells Caws Cenarth cheeses to their customers. Blas ar Fwyd is a local Welsh food producer and retailer. They provide a retail distribution channel for Caws Cenarth products.
- The Fine Cheese CompanyminorArtisan cheese accompaniments brand whose products are sold alongside Caws Cenarth cheeses, including crackers and quince for cheese.
- Krohn (Colheita Port)minorPort wine producer whose Colheita Port 2006 is sold alongside Caws Cenarth cheeses as a complementary pairing.
- Trealy Farm CharcuterieminorCharcuterie producer whose artisanal meats including salami and chorizo are sold alongside Caws Cenarth cheeses for cheese board pairings.
- Mel Cych Valley HoneyminorLocal Welsh honey producer from the Cych Valley region near Caws Cenarth, whose honey products are sold as cheese board accompaniments.
- Afon MelminorWelsh honey mead producer whose Afon Mel Honey Mead is sold alongside Caws Cenarth cheeses.
- Radnor PreservesminorPreserve and chutney producer whose products including chilli jam, cider and leek chutney are sold alongside Caws Cenarth cheeses.
- Welsh Lady PreservesminorWelsh preserve producer whose fruit curds, chutneys, and preserves are sold alongside Caws Cenarth cheeses.
- Carmarthen HamminorLocal Welsh charcuterie producer whose Carmarthen Ham is sold alongside Caws Cenarth cheeses for meat and cheese pairings.
- TregroesminorWelsh bakery producer whose waffles and crackers are sold alongside Caws Cenarth cheeses as accompaniments.
- Royal Mail / DHLcoreCourier partners providing next-day delivery service for e-commerce orders across the UK, including tracked 24-hour delivery and temperature-controlled packaging with ice and coolwool.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Caws Cenarth competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Snowdonia Cheese Company: Welsh premium cheese maker producing aged cheddars and truckles under the Snowdonia brand. Directly comparable as a fellow Welsh, gift-oriented, DTC-and-retail artisan cheese producer competing for the same UK premium cheese occasion.
- Isle of Wight Cheese Company: Small British island dairy producing a range of artisanal cheeses sold DTC and via UK independents. Comparable as a small-batch UK artisan cheese producer with similar SKU breadth and direct customer relationships.
- Colston Bassett Dairy: Nottinghamshire Stilton producer with PDO status serving UK and export markets. Comparable as a small-batch, tradition-led, PDO-protected UK cheese maker.
- Quicke's: Devon-based traditional farmhouse cheddar maker selling through DTC e-commerce, farm shop, and UK retailers. Comparable as a premium British artisan cheese producer with strong brand, multiple SKUs, and direct customer relationships.
- Cropwell Bishop Creamery: Nottinghamshire-based Stilton producer with PDO status, supplying UK retailers and exports. Comparable as a UK-protected-designation premium blue/stilton cheese maker with retail and DTC channels.
- Wensleydale Creamery: Yorkshire-based producer of Yorkshire Wensleydale with PDO status, selling across UK grocery, foodservice, and DTC. Comparable as a regional British cheese maker with PDO protection and broad distribution.
- Montgomery's Cheese: Traditional Somerset cheddar maker selling through UK retailers and Neal's Yard Dairy. Comparable as a heritage British farmhouse cheddar producer targeting the same premium UK cheese customer.
Emerging players
- Neal's Yard Dairy: London-based artisan cheese retailer and affineur that sources and matures British farmhouse cheeses, including Welsh cheeses. Comparable as a UK artisan cheese channel partner that influences premium positioning, though its model is retail/maturation rather than primary production.
- Shepherd's Purse: Yorkshire-based sheep's and cow's milk artisan cheesemaker producing feta-style and Yorkshire cheeses. Comparable as a UK farm-based artisan cheesemaker competing for premium grocery and DTC cheese occasions.
Regional players
- Cornish Cheese Co: Cornwall-based artisan cheese maker producing gouda-style and other British cheeses, primarily serving UK DTC and independent retail. Comparable as a small UK regional premium cheese brand, though geographically distinct.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Caws Cenarth social profiles
Digital presenceCaws Cenarth financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Caws Cenarth leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Caws Cenarth funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Caws Cenarth M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Caws Cenarth
What does Caws Cenarth do?
Caws Cenarth is a Welsh artisan cheese producer that manufactures and sells organic and conventional farmhouse cheeses (soft, hard, blue, sheep, and limited-edition varieties) directly to UK consumers via an e-commerce storefront with next-day delivery, an on-site farm shop, and a monthly cheese subscription. It also supplies independent retailers and fulfils custom wedding cheese cake orders. The company is the oldest established producer of Welsh Farmhouse Caerffili with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status.
Is Caws Cenarth a public or private company?
Caws Cenarth is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Caws Cenarth founded?
Caws Cenarth was founded in 1987. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Caws Cenarth based?
Caws Cenarth is headquartered in Llanelli, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Caws Cenarth make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Direct Cheese Sales are the primary driver. The others are carwyn's Angels Subscription, gift Hampers, on-site Farm Shop Sales and wedding Cheese Cakes.
Who are Caws Cenarth's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Snowdonia Cheese Company, Isle of Wight Cheese Company, Colston Bassett Dairy, Quicke's, Cropwell Bishop Creamery, Wensleydale Creamery and Montgomery's Cheese. Emerging players are Neal's Yard Dairy and Shepherd's Purse. Cornish Cheese Co is listed as a regional player.
Does Caws Cenarth have an API?
No public API is recorded for Caws Cenarth.
What industry is Caws Cenarth in?
Caws Cenarth's product category is Artisan Cheese and Dairy Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFANAEAE, Fermented & Air-Dried Charcuterie (Salami, Pepperoni, Prosciutto-Style). Its NAICS code is 311513 and its SIC code is 2020.