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Cornish cheese Company - Cornish Gifts

Seven stories behind Shop Cornish foodie brands

13th May 2022

The Cornish food and drink industry is booming with more and more people choosing to shop locally and support the Cornish economy. In every little corner of Cornwall, there are entrepreneurial folk producing world-class products that are finding their way onto the shelves of farm shops, supermarkets, and Shop Cornish (of course).

What we love about our brands (as much as the product) is the story of how they began or the influences that have defined the product, from ingredients to catchy names. Most of them have come from humble beginnings, with a passion and a desire to make a difference; read on to find the stories behind some of Cornwall’s food and drink brands.

St Ives Brewery

Founded in 2010, the first ale they brewed was named ‘Boilers’ after the local barrelling wave that is created by a lump of steel which is the remains of a shipwreck from 1939. All their other Cornish ales are named after the Cornish language or have links to the local lingo!   The St Ives brewery is in the picturesque fishing town of St Ives and enjoys views of the harbour and beyond, with a shop & café above and brewery tours available it’s well worth a visit if you’re in the area.

Miller's Koffi - Cornish food and drink

Miller’s Koffi

New to the Cornish food and drink industry is Miller’s Koffi, having worked in some of the best coffee shops in London Kieran had a passion for returning to Cornwall and opening his own coffee shop. After returning he found he was more interested in the process of roasting the beans so in 2021 Keiran purchased his first coffee roaster, and the rest is history –  a new Cornish Coffee was born.

The Cornish Fish Co

Looe-based husband and wife team Sam and Laura Campman have fishing in their blood with Sam’s family members being fishermen. Sam has been working in the fishing industry since he was 18 on and off boats in Looe harbour, when the opportunity came about in 2016 to take over Nippers Shellfish, Sam and Laura seized it. Today, trading as The Cornish Fish Co. they supply local restaurants and shops with their fine catch –alongside this, they also have a subscription box for home delivery.

The Cornish Fish Co - Cornish food

Lynher Dairies Cheese Co.

Wrapped in nettles foraged from the local hedgerows and fields, the Cornish Yarg is an award-winning cheese loved by many!! The wrapping of Cornish cheese with nettles goes back centuries but what makes Cornish Yarg so special is the Cornish nettles themselves – young, vibrantly green and larger than average. And if you do get asked in a pub quiz how Yarg got its name, it’s the surname spelled backward of Alan Grey – a Cornish chap who discovered a 17th-century nettle wrapped cheese recipe in the attic during the 1980s.

Cornish Blue – The Cornish Cheese Company

In early 2000 the collapsing milk prices meant that dairy Farmers Philip and Carol Stansfield needed to find a new revenue stream for their farm and after researching Cornish cheeses found a gap in the market for a milder British blue cheese. Philip enrolled onto a cheese-making course at the Cheshire College of Agriculture and the award-winning Cornish Blue was born.

Cornish Chillies

From a love of chilies, Cornish Chillies started as a few chili plants in the back garden in 2015 for husband-and-wife owners Scott and Sue. They now have 6000 plants and about 50 chili varieties from which they make sauces, jams and chutneys. Their chilies are grown using organic methods and they propagate the plants from their own chili seeds. The duo can often be found at food fairs or farmers’ markets where you’ll get a chance to try and find the perfect heat for you. If you’re keen to grow your own plants, you can now buy chili plants from their nursery online.

Cape Cornwall Spiced 2 - Cornish Gifts

Cape Cornwall Rum

Famous for The Stack and Brison’s rock, Cape Cornwall is also home to Cape Cornwall Rum founded by Jack and Harvey. Legend has it that this dramatic coastline of Cornwall was once a smuggling haven where rum and other goods were smuggled by boat and stored locally to avoid government taxes. In 1925 Harvey’s great-great-grandfather was surprised to discover bottles of alcohol built into the walls of his farm cottage and other farm buildings. That building, known as ‘the wink’ is now used to age, mix and spice the Cornish rums.

Primrose Herd

A family affair, Primrose Herd is owned by Sally and Bill Lugg and their three children who all have a vital hands-on role to play in the success of running the farm. Located equidistant between the North and South Coast, on a World Heritage Site, the rural landscape is dotted with mine ruins and plenty of Cornish countryside charm.

The farmhouse is used for production allowing the Lugg’s the control they desire to practice and perfect their tried and tested family recipes. They can regularly be found at local farmers’ markets and food fairs and have a permanent residence at some of the county’s best farm shops; their award-winning pork is also a favourite of the Duchy’s top restaurants.

You can find more Cornish food and drink brands here at Shop Cornish