The British artisanal cheese community is reeling from what it’s calling the great — or grate — cheese heist of 2024 after imposters stole tens of thousands of pounds of high-value cheddar from a major distributor. London-based retailer and cheesemaker Neal’s Yard Dairy announced last week that it had been the “victim of a sophisticated fraud resulting in the loss of over £300,000 worth of clothbound Cheddar” — the equivalent of more than $389,000. “The theft involved a fraudulent buyer posing as a legitimate wholesale distributor for a major French retailer, with the cheese delivered before the discovery of the fraudulent identity,” the company said.
The thieves made off with 950 wheels — over 22 metric tons, or roughly 48,500 pounds — of Hafod, Westcombe and Pitchfork cheddar, it added . The wheels came from three different artisan suppliers across England and Wales. “Between them, these cheeses have won numerous awards and are amongst the most sought-after artisan cheeses in the U.
K.,” Neal’s Yard Dairy said. “The high monetary value of these cheeses likely made them a particular target for the thieves.
” The crime cuts deep: Cheddar, which originated in a village by the same name in Somerset, England, is the best-selling cheese in the U.K. and a big source of national pride .
British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver explained in an Instagram video that there is “only a small handful of real cheddar cheese makers in the world,” and that’s w.