Our Story

Cheesemaking runs through our blood here in Somerset.

 
Roger is a 3rd generation farmer and cheese making started way back in the 1930s with his Grandfather. Making a traditional Cheddar from the family herd, evolving through the generations to finally become White Lake Cheese in 2004. Delving into what was then, a niche market of goats cheese production.

 

Roger

 

Since then, years of innovation and pushing the boundaries of cheese creativity and production techniques have lead to the company being at the forefront of the British artisan cheese sector.

 

Every cheese we create at White Lake is the result of a non-stop whirlwind of experimentation and revolution. We love trying new things, new methods and new recipes, constantly seeking ways to evolve our family of cheeses. With thanks to our talented team of cheesemakers, we have been able to transform whacky ideas into a truly delicious range of cheeses.

 

Now producing a plethora of amazing award winning goat, sheep and Guernsey cow milk cheese; White Lake is a place of constant transformation and creativity where striving for excellence has become the norm. We are not just a team of factory workers, but more like a family of like minded cheese enthusiasts with a passion for creating the best cheese possible.

 

White Lake’s home is set at Bagborough Farm - just near to the Glastonbury Festival site, in Pylle, Somerset. The milk we use to create our wonderful goat’s cheeses is provided by Roger’s own beloved herd - a mix of Toggenburg, British Alpine and Saanen goats. Roger and the team take great care to ensure our four-legged suppliers are as happy as can be - they are fed a specifically adapted diet ideal for cheesemaking. A local Guernsey herd provide our cow’s milk, and our sheep’s milk comes from another well trusted farm not too far away. The result is minimal food miles, support from and for our community, and truly exceptional cheese.

 

Awards

 

White Lake’s large cheesemaking facility has been specially tailored for lots of small batches, thus enabling us to produce many different types of cheese at a time. In 2014, we expanded our operation with a new building to complement our existing structure and we're now currently building a further extension to meet demand for our products!

 

Looking to the future, we want to make sure that our cheesemaking is sustainable, both for ourselves and for the environment. Just like any business, with great cheesemaking, comes great responsibility! There are already solar panels in place on the farm, and we have recently installed a 200 KW wood boiler. In the next few years, we hope to begin growing our own fuel - so White Lake’s delicious range of cheeses can be enjoyed for centuries to come.

As part of our expansion project to expand our premises we have been part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.  This expansion will mean that not only can we produce more beautiful cheeses, but over time we will be able to train more cheesemakers and employ more local staff.