GENERAL

What milk is Davidstow made from?

Davidstow is made from cows’ milk.

What gives Davidstow an intense yet rounded flavour?

The starter cultures (good bacteria, similar to what yeast is to bread) used in Davidstow cheeses start to ferment the milk. Over time, they react with the milk proteins to develop flavours that are characteristic of Davidstow cheddar.

Why does your cheese have a crumbly texture?

As a cheese matures, the level of flavour builds within the cheese and also some moisture loss occurs. This is part of the natural process of cheese maturing and is the reason that mature cheese has a more crumbly texture than mild cheese.

What are the white marks on the cheese?

The white deposit on the surface is due to the formation of salts also known as calcium lactate. Salt crystals come to the surface as the cheese matures, so you will find that this type of cheese will have this appearance and texture to it which is perfectly normal and a sign of great quality cheddar.

Is your cheese suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, we do not use animal rennet in our cheese-making process.

Is Davidstow Organic?

No, but all our farms adhere to the highest welfare standards. We have our own Davidstow Farm Standards and in addition they are all part of the Red Tractor Farm Dairy Farm Assurance scheme.

Is your milk from grass fed cows?

We source our milk from a number of farmers across the South West, and since May 2017 exclusively from farms in Cornwall.
While we have ideal grass growing conditions we do not stipulate any required feeding regime believing that our farmers know what works best for their animals and their businesses.

Do I need to keep my Davidstow cheddar in a fridge?

Yes, you need to keep the cheddar refrigerated below 5°C. We recommend however that you take the cheese out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving. This allows it to come up to room temperature so you can experience the flavour at its best.

Once open how long can I keep it open for?

We can’t give a definitive time on this, but to ensure the cheese is as fresh as possible keep well sealed – in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in cheese paper, beeswax wrap or similar – and in the fridge.

Can I freeze cheese?

You can freeze cheese and it will taste the same. What you will find though is that it does become even more crumbly. If you are using it for cooking or for a cheese sauce that wouldn’t be an issue but we wouldn’t recommend it on your cheeseboard! We recommend grating the cheese before you freeze it.

Why are your block and hand-wrapped cheddars wrapped in plastic?

The plastic film we currently use to wrap most of our cheese acts as a barrier to keep oxygen out, prevent spoilage and stop any unwanted foreign bodies or allergens contaminating the cheese. The plastic film is made up of a number of different layers. As a result of these layers, this packaging is not currently widely recyclable and there are presently no recyclable materials that deliver equivalent levels of food protection, quality and safety. We are on a mission to make all of our packaging recyclable by 2025. You can read about our packaging and sustainability commitments here.

Is your packaging recyclable?

Our plastic film is not yet recycled through kerbside collection. You can however now recycle your flexible plastic cheese packaging through the TerraCycle® Cheese Packaging Recycling Programme.
The wax we use to protect and present our Ingots is not yet recycled.
The parchment paper wrap used on our hand-wrapped blocks is widely recycled once the product label is removed. The product label is not yet recycled.

Does the wax on your cheeses impart any flavour to the cheese?

No, the wax we use to coat our Ingots has to meet strict product safety requirements which ensure that is has no impact on the flavour of the cheese. Its role is to form a protective barrier around the cheese and to add aesthetic appeal.

Is it possible to visit the Davidstow creamery?

We’re afraid not. The creamery is a working production site and as such we cannot permit public access.

SHOP FAQS

How do I order Davidstow online?

Simply select the product(s) you’d like to purchase from our online shop and add them to your virtual basket, ensuring that you’ve met the minimum order value of £15. You can view your basket and make changes to your product selections by clicking the ‘Your basket’ link in the top toolbar. Once you are happy with your order, proceed to checkout to enter your billing, shipping and payment details.

Is there a cut-off time to place an order?

We process orders on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Subject to capacity, orders received by 3pm on the day preceding a processing day will be picked, packed and shipped on that day. At busy/ peak periods we are unable to guarantee this and will process your order as soon as reasonably possible. In any event we will deliver within 5 working days after the day on which we accept your order.

I don’t have access to the Internet, can I place my order via telephone?

No, sorry. All our mail-order business has to be done online. Our internet software limits potential for human error in order taking, helps us with our stock control and is the most secure way to accept payment details.

Is there a minimum order?

Yes, we stipulate a minimum order value of £15.

How much do you charge for postage?

We charge a subsidised shipping fee of £4.95 per parcel of up to 18 litres, with free delivery available on orders over £45. Full Delivery Info can be found here.

Where do you deliver to?

We pride ourselves on delivering our products to you in the best possible condition. Due to the perishable nature of our cheeses, we ship all parcels for next day delivery via our courier partner DPD and as such we are only able to deliver to Mainland UK addresses falling within the DPD ‘next day delivery’ catchment. This excludes Scottish Highlands & Islands, Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Channel Islands and Northern Ireland. Please accept our apologies for this inconvenience.

Can you deliver abroad?

We’re unfortunately unable to offer international delivery on any of our Davidstow goods at this point in time. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Can I have my parcel delivered to a different address to the billing address?

Yes, simply follow the instructions at checkout to set up an alternative delivery address.

Will my cheese stay fresh during delivery?

We take great care to make sure your cheese will arrive to you in the best possible condition. Your cheese will always be picked and packed on the day of dispatch and we ship all orders in best in class, fully insulated Woolcool boxes, with ice blocks included, using a next day delivery service. Please refrigerate your cheese as soon as possible upon receipt.

What Use By or Best Before date will my cheese have?

We strive to supply all our products with a minimum 2 week shelf life when ordered from the Davidstow web-shop. For best before date, please see the product packaging.
The best before date is our guarantee of quality – the food will be at its very best if eaten before that date. It will still be safe to eat after this date, and as long as the food is stored correctly, the flavour and texture will most likely continue to be exactly as you would expect. The best way to tell if a food is good to eat is to look at it, smell it, taste it and trust your own judgement.

I haven’t received confirmation of my order

If after 24 hours you have not received an order confirmation email and invoice email at the email address provided when placing your order, please first check your ‘spam’/ ‘junk’ folder. If still unable to locate your order confirmation and/or invoice please Contact Us here.

How will I know when my order has been dispatched?

Once we have picked and shipped your order you will receive an order confirmation email to the email address supplied when you placed your order with us.

How long will it take for my order to arrive?

We strive to deliver products to you as soon as reasonably possible and in any event within 5 working days after the day on which we accept your order.

Will I be able to track my order?

Yes, your shipping confirmation email will include a unique tracking reference number, permitting you to monitor its delivery progress via the DPD tracking tool. A direct link to the DPD tracking tool is included on the shipping confirmation email and on all subsequent shipping updates from DPD (both email and SMS).

Will I have a timed delivery slot?

Yes, on the morning of your delivery you will receive a notification via text/email from our courier partner, DPD, with your 1 hour delivery window.

Do I have to be at home when my delivery is made?

We ask that you choose a delivery address where you, or someone with your permission, are available to receive the delivery. Due to the perishable nature of our cheeses we operate a single delivery attempt service. If no one will be available at your selected shipping address to take delivery of the parcel, it is imperative that you add ‘safe place’ or ‘leave with neighbour’ delivery instruction to your order. This can be done by following the ‘my options’ link on your shipping confirmation.

I’m buying cheese as a gift for someone else; what happens if I’m not able to advise on ‘safe place’ instructions?

As long as you have left a mobile number and/or email for the recipient, they will be notified with a 1 hour delivery window by SMS and/or email on the morning of delivery, permitting them to enter their own safe place instructions.

What happens if I miss my delivery?

As our goods are perishable we give permission to the driver to leave goods in a place he/she considers a secure location (out of sight and out of the weather), such as with a neighbour or out of sight in a porch. In all such cases you will be informed via the tracking service and with a slip through the letterbox.

What happens if my order arrives damaged or with items missing?

Please contact our customer care team within 48 hours of receiving your order using the Contact Us form. Alternatively you can phone us on 0800 023 4766 or email us at consumercare@saputo.com.

My waxed cheese is not uniform and has indentations. Has it been damaged in transit?

Many waxed cheeses on the market are made from extruded cheese – cheese that has broken down and churned into a paste, then re-formed to create products of a desired shape, size, and/or texture. Our waxed ingots do not use this extrusion process. Rather they are cut directly from a 20kg block of our aged cheddar and then waxed. This ensures that we can maintain the characteristic ‘flinty’ texture our cheese is renowned for. Due to the age of the cheese (up to 60 months) it will not always cut to a uniform shape, which can result in a more ‘rustic’ finish.

What happens if my order doesn’t arrive?

Although the vast majority of our orders arrive next day, no courier is 100% perfect. In the event that your order doesn’t arrive on the delivery date communicated on your shipping confirmation, it will usually arrive the following working day. If it does arrive a day late, please don’t worry about the condition of the cheese – our boxes are designed to keep the cheese in the best possible condition for up to 48hrs. If you have still not received your parcel by the end of the following working day, please contact our customer care team using the Contact Us form and we will do our best to resolve the issue to your satisfaction. Alternatively you can phone us on 0800 023 4766 or email us at consumercare@saputo.com.

What do I do if I no longer require my order?

Once your order has been confirmed it may not be possible to change it. If you contact us as soon as possible however and your items have not yet been dispatched, we will endeavour to cancel the order and refund you in full without charge. In cases where your goods have already been packaged and/or dispatched, this will not be possible.

Why do your cheeses cost more than many supermarket cheddars?

At Davidstow quality is our number one mantra and we’re hugely proud of the top quality cheddars we produce. If you eat our cheddars alongside many supermarket cheddars, we’re sure you will immediately notice the difference!
To ensure that our milk is of the best possible quality we source exclusively from select Cornish farms and we reward our farmers for supplying the optimal milk for cheese making. We mature our cheeses for longer than many supermarket cheddars to produce a richer, more complex flavour, and we always work to specific maturation ages (which we stipulate on pack), so you can be sure of always getting the same, consistently great tasting cheese every time you buy.
Some of our more mature cheddars on sale through the Davidstow shop are not available in supermarkets as the complexity of ageing a cheddar for this long means we simply aren’t able to produce in the volumes required to supply a major supermarket. You can learn more about what makes Davidstow special in ‘What Makes a Superior Cheddar’, accessed via our ‘Shop’ page.