Shoppers plump for sheep's cheese

Shoppers in Britain are developing a taste for cheese made from sheep’s milk, a retailer said today.

Waitrose reported a 15% year-on-year sales upturn of products including Spanish Manchego, Roquefort and Feta sheep’s cheese.

The increase outpaced the 15% growth in goat’s cheese and a 5% rise in cow’s cheese sales.

Sheep’s cheese is becoming a popular alternative for consumers who are allergic to cow’s milk, Waitrose said.

It says many shoppers first taste sheep’s cheese while on holiday abroad.

“A few years ago they hesitated about goat’s cheese – but now that has become mainstream, and sheep’s cheese is certainly heading in the same direction,” said Waitrose cheese buyer Chris Dawson.

Manchego cheese made from unpasteurised sheep’s milk from La Mancha in Spain saw the biggest annual sales upturn at 200%, according to the food chain.