Our Story...

The Fine Cheese Co. is a maturer, wholesaler, retailer and exporter of artisan British cheeses, most of which are unpasteurised and all of which are traditionally made.

We are based in historic Bath, founded by the Romans and famous for its beautiful Georgian architecture - alongside Venice the only World Heritage city in Europe.

Bath is set in the heart of the English West Country, the home of the most famous of British cheeses: Cheddar.

We have been cheese specialists for thirty years, and from the start we have nurtured and supported the cream of British cheese-makers. 

The Fine Cheese Co. was founded by Ann-Marie Dyas. A judge at both the British and World Cheese Awards, Ann-Marie was committed to the survival of traditional cheese-making, and to introducing farmhouse cheeses to as wide a public as possible.

However, our love of cheese extends beyond these shores. We also import artisan cheeses from France, Italy, Spain and Holland. (Sometimes the only way to get the Dutch to part with their finest aged Gouda is to go over and get it.)

Throughout our history, The Fine Cheese Co. has sought, cared for and loved hand-made cheese. We have also made it our business to know what flatters it and makes it a new experience. Our dedicated and unique ranges of Crackers (made by our sister Company, Artisan Biscuits), Fruits, Whole Fruits, Chutneys, and English Pickles for Cheese are the result.

We are a strong supporter of the independent retailer – after all we are an independent retailer ourselves – and none of The Fine Cheese Co. ranges of products will ever be sold in a British supermarket.

But you will find them in over 600 delicatessens, farm shops and so on throughout the UK, and in over 30 countries (from Austria to Australia). You may also buy cheese online through this website.

What makes us different

Artisan Cheese at The Fine Cheese Co.

Our cheese specialists

We personally select the cheese with the cheesemakers.
Our cheese specialists travel across Britain and Europe to meet the cheesemakers and affineurs (ripeners).
We talk about what we are looking for in appearance, condition, age and flavour profile. We taste together and agree which we are selecting at a young age and which we are asking to be kept and for how long.

Our own maturing rooms

Some 15 people iron, rub and turn the cheese in our care.
Our specialists then choose when each cheese is at its peak perfection for you, our customers.

Our customer care and after care

Our specialists and technical team are always on hand to provide you with advice and guidance.

Our patronage of the Academy of Cheese

Our judges and sponsorships

We are judges at the World Cheese Awards and sponsor The World’s Best Artisan Cheese.
We are judges at and a sponsor of The Artisan Cheese Awards (Supreme Champion) and of The British Cheese Awards (Best Sheep’s Milk Cheese).

Our competition success

And this year we won four of the seven prizes at Britain’s Affineur (ripener) of The Year competition.

We are the only cheese company in the world with its own bakery.

Our family-owned bakery is over 100 years’ old

Set in Ashbourne in the Derbyshire Dales.

We renamed it Artisan Biscuits because that signifies ‘made with skill and care from quality ingredients’.

Those values have not and will not change.

We still generously heap the best natural ingredients: British flour and butter, freshly grated or crumbled cheese, real fruit and fruit juices..,No additives or preservatives of course.

We still sift, weigh, mix and work our dough the old-fashioned way.

We have moulding machines that go back decades, with bronze rollers mounted on them.

We still put dough on to trays, and trays on racks, and wheel them into ovens.

We still bake by hand because rack ovens allow us to adjust temperature and humidity and air-flow as we go along.

Here we make our brands: The Fine Cheese Co., Miller’s and The Fine Cookie Co.

And here we remain true to our tradition.