Hartington Creamery

What Hartington Creamery does

Hartington Creamery is a UK-based artisan cheese producer operating since 1870 from Pikehall Farm in the Derbyshire Dales, with a registered head office in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. The company is one of only a handful of licensed makers of Stilton cheese and the only true artisan producer of Blue and White Stilton, using milk from its own herd of 200 cows grazed on surrounding fields. Its core product portfolio centers on PDO-protected Stilton varieties (Blue Stilton, White Stilton) and the signature Dovedale Blue, supplemented by revived regional Derbyshire cheeses (Traditional Derby, Red Derby, Skegness Blue, Sage Derby), cheddar variants, and flavored Peakland lines. All cheese is handmade in small batches and graded by an expert team.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model through its WooCommerce-powered website (hartingtoncreamery.co.uk), delivering across the UK via Royal Mail Tracked 24. Revenue is generated through one-time cheese purchases (£2.50-£48 per unit), quarterly subscription boxes (£24.95-£29.95), pre-curated gift hampers (£14-£85+), eGift cards (£20-£100), and ancillary products including whey-based gin, wines, beers, and accompaniments such as own-brand chutneys, third-party crackers, and charcuterie. Customer segments are individual consumers, gift buyers, and cheese enthusiasts, with no disclosed B2B or wholesale accounts.

The company holds multiple certifications (PDO for Dovedale Blue, Vegetarian Society Approved for Blue Stilton) and has accumulated industry recognition across the British & Irish Cheese Awards, International Cheese Awards, Great Taste Awards, and Artisan Cheese Awards between 2021 and 2026. The brand is supported by 523 Google reviews averaging 4.8/5.0 and limited media exposure (BBC Radio Derby, Channel 4). Hartington Creamery Limited (Company Number 07343847) is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment, operating with 11-50 employees and no stated revenue.

Name

Hartington Creamery

Legal name

Hartington Creamery Limited

Website

https://hartingtoncreamery.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1876

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hartington Creamery is a UK artisan cheese producer established in 1870, handmaking PDO-protected Blue and White Stilton plus revived regional Derbyshire cheeses at Pikehall Farm and selling direct-to-consumer across the UK via its e-commerce site, subscriptions, and gift hampers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Cheese

NAICS

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

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese making
• Stilton cheese production
• Cheese gift hampers
• Cheese subscription boxes
• Regional British cheese

Headquarters

HQ city

Matlock

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Direct Cheese Product Sales: One-time purchases of cheese products including wedges, truckles, wheels, and half moons sold directly through the e-commerce website. Individual cheese products range from £2.50 to £48 depending on type and weight.
2. Cheese Subscription Boxes: Recurring subscription model with boxes delivered quarterly (every 3 months). Options include The Hartington Cheese Subscription Box, Traditional Cheese Subscription Box, and Flexi Feast Subscription Box. Prices from £26.95 to £29.95 per quarterly delivery.
3. Gift Hampers and Packages: Curated gift hampers combining cheese with accompaniments (chutneys, crackers, biscuits, charcuterie, alcohol). Price ranges from £14 to £85+ depending on contents and presentation.
4. Gift Vouchers/eGift Cards: Digital gift cards available in denominations from £20 to £100. Valid for 12 months and can be redeemed in multiple transactions until the full value is used.
5. Specialty Alcohol Products: Hartington Whey Peakland Pink Gin and potentially Stilton Whey Vodka and Gins - unique beverages made from cheese whey.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hartington Creamery is a multi-generational artisan cheese producer operating from Pikehall Farm in the Derbyshire Dales. They handcraft traditional British cheeses including PDO-protected Blue and White Stilton, Dovedale Blue, Derby varieties, Skegness Blue, Sage Derby, and Cheddar, made in small batches using milk from the farm's 200 Derbyshire Dales cows. Products are sold directly to UK consumers via their e-commerce website, alongside accompaniments, gift hampers, cheese subscription boxes, gift cards, and a signature whey-based gin.

Product overview

Hartington Creamery is an artisan cheese maker offering a diverse portfolio of handcrafted cheese products, accompaniments, and gift packages. Their core products center on PDO-protected Stilton varieties (Blue Stilton and White Stilton) and regional Derbyshire cheeses (Dovedale Blue, Traditional Derby, Red Derby, Skegness Blue, Sage Derby). They produce flavored cheese variants under the Peakland brand, premium cheddar under the Squadron brand, and unique celebratory varieties like Kings Blue. The product ecosystem extends to own-brand Heart of Hartington chutneys, artisan biscuits and crackers, charcuterie, and alcoholic beverages including their signature whey-based gins. They offer subscription boxes for recurring deliveries and extensive gift hamper options ranging from simple selections to luxury wicker presentations. All cheese is handmade at Pikehall Farm in Derbyshire using milk from the Derbyshire Dales, with delivery throughout the UK via Royal Mail.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Blue Stilton Cheese Award-winning PDO protected blue veined semi-hard cheese, the world's only true artisan-made Blue Stilton. Available in 160g wedges, 1kg half moons, 2kg rings, 4kg halves, and 8kg full wheels. Vegetarian Society Approved.
• White Stilton Cheese Award-winning crumbly white cheese, part of Hartington's signature Stilton range. Available in 160g wedges, 1kg half moons, and 2kg rings.
• Dovedale Blue PDO protected soft blue cheese matured for 6-8 weeks with sumptuous smooth texture and delicate creamy blue flavour. Champion & Gold Winner British and Irish Cheese Awards 2025, Gold Winner Artisan Cheese Awards 2022, Winner Great Taste Awards 2021. Available in 160g wedges, 350g baby rounds, and 2kg rings.
• Peakland White Cheese

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.8 star rating on Google from 523 reviews
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cropwell Bishop: Nottinghamshire-based artisan Stilton maker, one of a handful of licensed PDO Stilton producers in the UK. Direct competitor in the Blue Stilton category with similar craft positioning and DTC presence.
• Colston Bassett Dairy: Nottinghamshire creamery producing PDO Stilton using traditional methods. Closely comparable in size, craft positioning, and product mix to Hartington, competing for the same artisan cheese customer.
• Long Clawson Dairy: Leicestershire Stilton maker and one of the largest licensed PDO Stilton producers in the UK. Direct peer offering Blue and White Stilton with overlapping artisan credentials and significantly greater scale.
• Tuxford & Tebbutt: Melton Mowbray-based Stilton maker with over 200 years of heritage, producing PDO Blue Stilton. Closely comparable to Hartington in heritage positioning, craft credentials, and Stilton specialization.
• Quicke's: Devon-based artisan cheddar maker producing traditionally clothbound and vintage cheddars. Comparable as a premium British artisan cheese brand with DTC e-commerce, hampers, and award-winning craft positioning.
• Belton Cheese: Shropshire-based artisan cheesemaker producing Red Leicester, Double Gloucester, and regional British cheese varieties. Similar craft, regional heritage, and small-batch positioning to Hartington.
• Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese: Lincolnshire farmstead cheese maker producing artisan cheddar and territorial cheeses from own-herd milk. Comparable in farm-based, single-site artisan production model with strong regional identity.
• Keen's Cheddar: Somerset artisan cheddar maker with multi-generational heritage producing traditionally made clothbound cheddar. Comparable in heritage depth, craft-only positioning, and premium artisan cheese segment.
• Appleby's Cheese: Shropshire-based artisan cheesemaker producing traditional territorial cheeses including Double Gloucester and regional British varieties. Comparable in small-batch, multi-generational craft cheesemaking approach.

Broad incumbents

• Barber's Cheese: Somerset-based cheddar producer (founded 1833) with significantly larger scale than Hartington, supplying major UK retailers. Comparable in heritage and category but operates at much greater volume with broader distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HartingtonKings
• Facebookfacebook.com/hartington.creamery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hartington-creamery-limited

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Hartington Creamery