Hampshire Cheese Company is very proud of its female led team. The British artisan cheese company was founded in 2005 by Stacey Hedges, with Charlotte Spruce (head cheesemaker and head of operations) alongside ever since. Together, they have grown the company to become one of Britain’s foremost artisan cheese companies, producing multi-award winning Tunworth and Winslade year after year.
Charlotte’s background in the restaurant industry, and a very natural empathy with people, has enabled her to train and bring on the small, very hard working team which comprises both men and women. She runs a very tight ship, critical for a process that needs to run like clockwork to deliver thousands of cheeses every week to wholesalers, retails and restaurants around the world.
Most of the staff have been at Hampshire Cheese Company for years and have backgrounds in the food industry, from butchers, bakers, pastry chefs, chefs and front of house.
Charlotte said: “It’s a tough industry in many respects – I am so proud of the team’s commitment and skill. There is a real sense of pride in the creamery as we start off with fresh milk early in the morning and have a cheese made and moulded by just after lunch!”.
Stacey is often credited as being at the forefront of the exponential growth of the British artisan cheese industry over the past 20 years. She said, “It’s an exciting time for British artisan cheese, now recognised and celebrated on a global stage. There is no barrier to entry for women in the cheese industry – a passion for food, a willingness to work hard and a real team mentality are the key criteria for any employee.”
