The 'incredibly proud' Scottish family cheesemakers celebrating their 20th birthday

placeholder image — Callum and Jill Clark | Contributed

This dairy is in the small town of Ardersier

There’s a little slice of cheesy heaven, situated somewhere between Inverness and Nairn.

It’s Connage Highland Dairy, where there are 150 cows on their organic farm, a treasure trove of a shop called the Cheese Pantry, and a Connage Express dairy (and other goodies) vending machine. This glorious place has been slinging fromage since 2006, and is owned by the Clark family - Cameron and Eileen, who look after the farming side, and Jill and Callum, who are the cheese whizzes. We asked Jill to tell us more about their 20th anniversary.

How does it feel to be hitting 20 years?

Incredibly proud. It has been quite a journey, and Callum and I have learnt an enormous amount. When we started, we had a vision of adding value to the organic milk produced on our family farm. To look back at how our range has grown, from those early cheeses to favourites such as Connage Gouda, and to see our cheeses winning awards and being enjoyed by customers far beyond the Highlands, is hugely satisfying. We are particularly proud to have played our part in developing Scotland’s reputation for producing excellent organic food. There have been challenges, but we’ve never lost our enthusiasm. Twenty years is quite a milestone, and I don’t think either of us could have imagined everything that lay ahead.

What do you remember of the early days?

Hard work. We were learning about cheesemaking, trying to develop the best possible products and then finding markets for them. We spent a great deal of time at farmers’ markets. It was a steep learning curve, but Callum and I have always enjoyed a challenge. Looking back, we laugh about some of the things we did. Every single cheese mould was washed by hand, for example. There was a huge amount of physical work involved, and we all mucked in. But it was also very exciting. We were building something from scratch and gradually seeing people discover what we were making.

Anything you wish you’d known before you got started?

The importance of time off. I wish we’d made more effort to take proper holidays or even just the occasional mini break. When you’re establishing a business, it’s very easy to convince yourself that you can’t possibly step away. We didn't get that balance right, and I think it’s something we’d do differently. You need to look after yourselves as well as the business. It’s much easier to say that with 20 years of hindsight, of course.

Hardest and best times?

The early years were among the hardest. We were trying to perfect our cheeses and persuade people to buy something from a new, relatively unknown producer. There was an enormous amount to learn. But one of my happiest memories is actually a very simple one. We’d been going for about five years, and I remember sitting outside the dairy in the sunshine with a cup of tea. For once, I had a moment to stop and look at what we’d achieved. We’d won awards, our cheeses were selling and we had customers who genuinely loved what we were producing. I remember feeling an enormous sense of satisfaction. All that hard work had been worthwhile.

Any customers who’ve been with you from the beginning?

We’re very fortunate to have wholesalers who have always supported us. In the early days, they bought the cheeses we were producing, and as we developed new varieties and expanded the range, many of them started buying those too. Because a large proportion of our cheese is sold through wholesalers, we don’t always know exactly where it ends up. We supply respected cheesemongers including I.J. Mellis, who have done a great deal to champion quality artisan cheese in Scotland. Our cheeses also travel well beyond the Highlands, and it’s wonderful to think that something made on our family farm is being enjoyed in so many different places.

Any interesting customers at your Cheese Pantry?

Recently, we welcomed Sarah Rankin, who is an absolute champion for Scottish food. We’ve also had a Traitor spotted buying cheese. It’s always rather entertaining when somebody recognisable turns up. One of the pleasures of having the Cheese Pantry here on the farm is meeting such a wonderful mixture of people, from local regulars to visitors who’ve travelled a long way.

Is Scottish cheese is the best in the world?

It can absolutely hold its own against some of the very best cheeses in the world. We have fantastic producers making an enormous variety of cheeses, often using milk from their own farms, and there is a real commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Scotland has such a strong reputation for its food and drink, particularly whisky, beef and seafood, and I’d love to see cheese enjoying an equally high profile. There is still more we can do to encourage people to appreciate the skill. It’s encouraging to see initiatives such as the Scottish Academy of Cheese helping to build knowledge.

Have your bestsellers changed over the years?

We find that sweeter and flavoured cheeses are increasingly popular, and our Connage Gouda is a particularly good example. Customers are also becoming more adventurous and interested in trying different styles.There’s much more curiosity. That said, the traditional cheeses certainly haven’t gone out of fashion. A good mature cheddar or Dunlop still has a very loyal following, and rightly so.

Does being in a family business bring challenges?

Callum looks after the cheesemaking, machinery and mechanical side of things, as well as the accounts. My main responsibilities are staff management, the Cheese Pantry and sales, although in reality we both get involved in all sorts of things. One of the most important things is that we respect each other’s opinions. We don’t always agree, of course, but we work well together and understand each other’s strengths. We try not to take work home, although that’s not always easy when you run a family business. I genuinely enjoy working with Callum. We have a lot of laughs, even when things are difficult, and having a sense of humour is essential. After 20 years in business, we must be doing something right.

How much cheese do you personally eat in a week?

Around 300g, although I don’t measure it particularly carefully. People ask me about my favourite cheese, but I find it almost impossible to choose because it depends on the season and what I feel like eating. As we move into winter, I love the melting cheeses. Our Connage Garlic and Nettle Gouda melted on toast with a bowl of homemade soup is hard to beat. I also enjoy stronger blue cheeses and the wonderful Alpine cheeses. In spring, I tend to move towards fresher, lighter, creamy goat cheeses and softer blues. And I could happily eat brie all year round.

Where do you see Connage in another 20 years?

Callum and I are in our Seventies so I don’t think we will still be running Connage then. However, I would love to think that it will still be thriving and producing excellent organic cheese here in the Highlands, with the same enthusiasm and passion.