Sharon Webb

ON THE eve of opening an impressive new $2m visitor centre at Elizabeth Town, Ashgrove Cheese has scooped the pool with five gold medals at the Sydney Royal Show.

The wins are confirmation that Ashgrove’s two new cheeses, two years in the making, are cream of the crop among Australia’s cheeses.

Ashgrove’s Richard Bennett said the cheeses, Signature Vintage Eddington Cheddar and Signature Whitefoord Bush Lancashire, were superior cheeses at world standard. They are named after the company’s local farms.

And the only place locals can buy them in the north of the state will be the new Dairy Door at Elizabeth Town, due to open in April.

The company’s herb and garlic butter, full cream milk and farm light milk also won gold medals.

But if you’re into Parmesan, then Ashgrove’s Signature Parmesan wasn’t far behind with a silver medal, as were their non homogenised milk, Whitefoord Tasty Lancashire and Signature Cloverfield Double cheeses.

Richard credited Ashgrove’s high standard milk with its products’ high standards.

‘A big part of the business has been growing the milk business, concentrating the market in Tasmania. Tasmanians are wonderful supporters of local brands’, he said.

Ashgrove started with a much smaller factory. Over 25 years, the entire site has been rebuilt into a modern production facility.

Communications manager Anne Bennett said starting off with an upcycled mining building from NE Tasmania, Michael, Paul and John Bennett worked with farm worker Ivan Flowers to hammer every nail into the roof during the dairy dry season.

‘Since then they’ve taken walls down and expanded everything in the shop, all done with materials from the farm.’

But the new building, constructed on the footprint of the old one by Tasmanian companies, is foremost about showcasing the Ashgrove brand.

‘We’re positioning ourselves as being competitive on the national scene, an incredible pasture to plate story.

‘There’s not many of us left who are supplying nationally to Woolworths or locally to IGA’, Anne said.

The new Dairy Door is a huge area, incorporating an indoor/outdoor café and views into the cheese making factory.

Ashgrove’s pictorial life cycle will be presented as an immersive experience through a selfguided interpretation room, boosted by local hosts.

There will be a large retail area showcasing Ashgrove and local products and an unmissable feature, Ashgrove gelato, freshly made on the spot.

Do you have the personality to be a retail legend or tourism host?
Locals are invited to apply for positions at Ashgrove Cheese’s new Dairy Door.
Training will be provided. Phone 03 6368 1105 for more information.
www.ashgrovecheese.com.au