Wensleydale Creamery are to set to invest heavily in the e-commerce side of their business to keep up with a huge increase in demand.
The iconic Yorkshire cheesemaker, based at Hawes have completed the first round of the investment project which will see the launch of their new website.
The new site, which showcases the Creamery’s rich cheesemaking heritage and provenance, aims to enhance and streamline the online experience, enabling customers from across the UK to buy their world-famous products direct from the artisan cheesemaker.
The investment follows a huge increase in online sales for the Yorkshire Dales based business, which accelerated during the pandemic. Capitalising on the online food-buying trend, the team at the Creamery are perfectly positioned to deliver direct to the increased number of consumers searching online for authentic food and all year-round gifting options.
Already sells directly to many loyal fans through its Online Deli, with products including freshly cut handcrafted cheese and a range of locally sourced artisan accompaniments, deli boxes and luxury hampers and gifts, the business has generated a 145% sales increase vs pre-pandemic levels and has further ambitious targets for the forthcoming year.
Sandra Bell, Marketing Manager at the Wensleydale Creamery, commented: “We’d identified the direct-to-consumer route as an opportunity for our business and with the notable rise in online food sales activity over the past two years, we’ve been able to test our model to support our investment and growth plans. We’re now in a great position to expand our e-commerce offering and services and provide an enhanced online consumer experience to cater to the increasing customer demand.
“Our new website will make the shopping experience even smoother, allowing us to showcase our handcrafted cheese and artisan produce, and develop new ranges, not only for key calendar occasions but also all-year-round gifting for cheese lovers across the UK.”
As well as the huge surge in online business, the Creamery also supplies their world famous products to a broad range of customers including major UK retailers, wholesalers, independent retailers, delis, and farm shops around the UK, as well as the manufacturing and food service sector and exports its portfolio of products internationally.
For more information and to buy their award-winning range of products online visit www.wenselydale.co.uk