White Lake Cheese

What White Lake Cheese does

White Lake Cheese is a family-owned artisanal cheese producer founded in 2004 by Roger Longman, a third-generation farmer, at Bagborough Farm near Glastonbury in Somerset, England. The company operates a vertically integrated production model spanning its own goat herd, cheesemaking facility, and on-farm renewable energy infrastructure (including a 4MW solar farm and biomass boiler). It produces over 27 cheese varieties made from goat's, sheep's, and cow's milk sourced from its own herd and local farms, using small-batch artisanal methods that include unpasteurised (thermised) milk and vegetarian rennet across its range.

The company's product portfolio spans soft, semi-hard, hard, and blue cheese styles including flagship lines such as Tor, Eve, Rachel, Rachael Reserva, Driftwood, Pavé Cobble, Sheep Rustler, and The English Pecorino. White Lake has accumulated extensive industry recognition, including Supreme Champion titles at the British Cheese Awards (2017, 2019, and via Tor in 2024), Supreme Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show 2025, and consistent Gold/Silver/Super Gold placements at the World Cheese Awards, Global Cheese Awards, International Cheese and Dairy Awards, and Great Taste Awards. Recent product additions include Persian Gold, Shepton Blewe, and The English Pecorino Fresco, alongside digital gift cards.

White Lake Cheese generates revenue through three primary channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via whitelake.co.uk with UK-wide next-day delivery, wholesale supply to farm shops and independent retailers (with a dedicated trade portal), and direct sales at farmers' markets across London and South West England. The company is privately held with no external investors, no parent company, and no public ticker. A premises expansion project part-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development is intended to increase production capacity, training, and local employment.

Name

White Lake Cheese

Legal name

White Lake Cheese

Website

https://whitelake.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

White Lake Cheese is a family-owned artisanal cheese producer in Somerset, England, making 27+ award-winning goat's, sheep's, and cow's milk cheeses sold direct-to-consumer online, through wholesale to farm shops, and at UK farmers' markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Cheese

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh/Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Unripened & Soft) (AFAHABAA), Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)

Keywords

• Artisan cheesemaking
• Farmstead cheese production
• Goat milk cheese
• Sheep milk cheese
• Specialty dairy products

Headquarters

HQ city

Shepton Mallet

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-consumer e-commerce: Online sales through the whitelake.co.uk e-commerce storefront. Customers purchase cheese directly with home delivery (free over £40, or £7 next-day delivery). This is the primary revenue stream for the business.
2. Wholesale distribution: Bulk and wholesale sales to farm shops, delis, independent retailers, and other food businesses across the UK. Orders placed via a trade account email ([email protected]) or through the trade portal.
3. Farmers' market sales: Direct face-to-face sales at farmers' markets across the UK, including regular appearances at Stroud, Frome, Martock, and London markets. Allows customers to try before buying and builds brand loyalty.
4. Gift cards: Gift cards sold in denominations of £20, £30, £50, and £100, delivered by email as a code that can be redeemed at checkout. Provides a gifting revenue stream and introduces new customers to the brand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

White Lake Cheese produces a portfolio of more than 24 handcrafted artisan cheeses at its Somerset farm from goat's, sheep's, and cow's milk sourced from its own herd and local farms. The cheeses are made in small batches using traditional methods, including unpasteurised (thermised) milk and vegetarian rennet, and are sold directly to UK consumers through the company's e-commerce storefront and farmers' markets, with additional wholesale supply to farm shops, delis, and independent retailers.

Product overview

White Lake Cheese is an award-winning artisanal cheese producer based in Somerset, England, founded in 2004 by Roger, a third-generation farmer. The company produces a diverse portfolio of handcrafted cheeses made from goat's, sheep's, and cow's milk sourced from their own herd and local farms. Their core product line includes over 24 distinct cheese varieties spanning goat's milk cheeses (Rachel, Tor, Eve, Driftwood, Katherine, White Nancy, Kingfisher Blue, Smo'King of the Castle, Little Lilly, Fetish), sheep's milk cheeses (The English Pecorino, Sheep Rustler, Pavé Cobble, Tuppence, The English Pecorino Fresco), and cow's milk cheeses (Persian Gold, Glastonbrie, Bagborough Brie). They also offer accompaniments including chutneys, crackers, and butter from third-party producers. The company operates a small-batch production facility near Glastonbury that enables constant experimentation and innovation, with recent expansion funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development to increase production capacity and training capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rachel - Goat's Milk Cheese Semi-hard washed rind goat's cheese with delicate sweet, mild flavour and a fawn to dark brown rind, sold for cheese boards or cooking applications.
• Pavé Cobble - Sheep's Milk Cheese Dense sheep's milk cheese with an ash coating and decapitated pyramid shape; loose and curdy when young, smooth and creamy when aged, with sweet cream, Greek yoghurt acidity, and peppery earthy notes.
• Sheep Rustler - Sheep's Milk Cheese Semi-hard sheep's milk cheese aged for three months in petite format, with an oily rind, balanced salt, savoury notes, caramel, and butterscotch.
• Driftwood - Goat's Milk Cheese Creamy soft-textured goat's cheese lightly coated in ash with subtle peppery, earthy undertones and citrus notes, designed for cheese boards and pairings such as chilli jam.
• The English Pecorino - Sheep's Milk Cheese Hard sheep's milk cheese inspired by Italian pecorino, matured for five months, with a sweet and nutty profile, deep umami savoury flavour, and firm yet yielding texture.
• Rachael Reserva - Goat's Milk Cheese 12-month aged Alpine-style version of Rachel, rich and complex with sweet, nutty flavours and savoury aromas, suitable for grating on pasta, salads, or as a meal topping.
• Eve - Goat's Milk Cheese Soft goat's milk cheese wrapped in a vine leaf and washed in Somerset cider brandy, developing a creamy unctuous centre with age and intended as an attractive addition to cheese boards.
• Tor - Goat's Milk Cheese Fresh lactic goat's cheese formed into a pyramid with a firm texture, lightly coated in ash, with subtle peppery undertone, lemony flavours, and typical goat's cheese tang; made with unpasteurised milk and vegetarian rennet.
• Kingfisher Blue - Goat's Milk Cheese Blue goat's cheese inspired by French Bleu d'Auvergne, with a crumbly yet creamy texture, sharp tangy and slightly salty flavour, and earthy savoury notes for use in sauces, dressings, or crumbled over steak or pasta.
• Smo'King of the Castle - Goat's Milk Cheese Gently smoked version of the award-winning King of the Castle, a hard crumbly goat's cheese with delicate refined smoke, pleasing sweetness, slight bitter tang, and a sumptuous caramel colour from smoking.
• Katherine - Goat's Milk Cheese Small individual hard goat's cheese matured approximately two months and regularly washed in local Somerset Cider Brandy, with a firm texture and complex savoury flavour compared to Rachel.
• Little Lilly - Goat's Milk Cheese Light brie-style goat's cheese with a bloomy rind and vibrant white colour, aged 10-14 days for fresh simple flavours; mild and creamy, suitable for baking and dipping.
• White Nancy - Goat's Milk Cheese Large bloomy-rinded goat's cheese with a crumbly texture, delicate yoghurt, strawberry and mushroom rind flavours, and bright goaty notes, named after a hill in Bollington, Cheshire.
• Glastonbrie Brie-style cheese made with Jersey cow milk, with a brilliant white rind enrobing a golden creamy centre and complex flavours of mushroom, umami, yeast, and fruity strawberry and pear notes.
• Persian Gold Fresh lactic Jersey cow cheese with pronounced acidity and firm texture, preserved in rapeseed oil infused with garlic, basil, marjoram, thyme, and peppercorns for a zesty, bright, slightly salty flavour with fresh herb notes.
• Tuppence - Sheep's Milk Cheese Small pre-drained firmer-style sheep cheese inspired by French Crottin, with a dense paste, sweet sheep milk flavour, high acidity, and citrus and earthy rind notes; can be eaten young or matured, baked, grilled, or eaten fresh.
• The English Pecorino Fresco - Sheep's Milk Cheese Semi-hard sheep's milk cheese matured for three months, with a fresh sweet and salty profile, savoury flavour, and firm but pliable paste suitable for cheese boards, salads, and sandwiches.
• Shepton Blewe - Sheep's Milk Blue Cheese New blue cheese made from rich sheep's milk with a mild sweet flavour, subtle salty edge, smooth firm texture, and balanced crumble, completing the blue cheese range alongside Moo'dy Blue and Kingfisher Blue.
• White Lake Cheese Gift Cards Digital gift cards available in £20, £30, £50, and £100 denominations, delivered by email as a redeemable code for use at checkout on the White Lake Cheese online store.
• Cheese Baking Dish Specially sized baking dish for cooking cheese into a gooey finish, designed for use with Brie, Solstice, Little Lilly, and Little She at 200°C for 12-15 minutes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple award wins at major competitions including Supreme Champion at Great Yorkshire Show 2025, Supreme Champion British Cheese Awards 2017 and 2019, and Super Gold at World Cheese Awards 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Martha CollisonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish Bake Off quarter-finalist Martha Collison partnered with White Lake Cheese for a recipe collaboration. She visited the farm for a cheese-making day and created a goat's cheese and honey scones recipe featuring Rachael Reserva, which is featured on the company's website and social media channels.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wyke Farms: Family-owned Somerset cheesemaker producing traditional cheddar and other farmhouse cheeses. Comparable as a UK artisanal cheese producer with deep heritage, multi-channel distribution, and a sustainability-led story, though significantly larger in scale than White Lake.
• Westcombe Dairy: Somerset raw-milk artisanal cheesemaker producing traditional cheddar and other handmade cheeses. Closely comparable to White Lake on small-batch, raw-milk, multi-award artisanal positioning and on-farm production model.
• Quicke's: Devon-based farmhouse cheddar maker with multiple-award-winning cheeses and DTC plus wholesale distribution. Comparable as a UK artisanal, family-run, multi-award-winning cheesemaker focused on traditional methods.
• Cropwell Bishop: Nottinghamshire-based Stilton specialist supplying UK retailers and wholesalers. Comparable as a UK artisanal cheesemaker selling branded premium cheese through wholesale and DTC channels with a strong award record.
• Keen's Cheddar: Somerset farmhouse cheddar producer using traditional methods and raw milk. Comparable as a UK artisan single-farm cheesemaker with established wholesale and DTC presence and a heritage-led brand.
• Hartington Creamery: Derbyshire-based cheesemaker specialising in Stilton and blue cheeses, supplying UK retailers and wholesale. Comparable as a UK small-batch blue and artisanal cheese producer overlapping with White Lake's blue cheese range (Kingfisher Blue, Shepton Blewe).
• St. Helen's Farm: UK goat dairy producing a wide range of goat's milk cheeses and yogurts for retail and foodservice. Comparable to White Lake on goat's-milk specialism and multi-SKU range, but at significantly larger scale and broader retail penetration.
• Long Clawson Dairy: Leicestershire-based Stilton producer with national UK distribution and significant wholesale presence. Comparable as a UK farmhouse cheesemaker selling branded artisanal cheeses to retail and foodservice.
• Belton Cheese: Shropshire-based traditional cheesemaker producing a range of regional British cheeses including Cheshire, Double Gloucester, and Wensleydale. Comparable as a UK farmhouse cheese producer with multi-product portfolio and wholesale focus.

Broad incumbents

• Neal's Yard Dairy: London-based retailer, wholesaler, and affineur of British and Irish artisanal cheese, including many of the UK's most awarded farmhouse producers. Comparable as a UK artisanal cheese distribution and maturation specialist that channels consumer demand toward producers like White Lake, and whose own maturing programme places it as a broader incumbent in the category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/whitelakecheese
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCq9CtOYPjI6Wz257NLgguOQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/whitelakecheese
• Instagraminstagram.com/whitelakecheese
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/white-lake-cheeses-limited

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 White Lake Cheese