It is now a year since Arla first announced it was considering closing the dairy, traditionally known as Tuxford and Tebbutt and which has been part of the town centre’s industrial landscape since 1780.
The dairy employed 60 people in the process of making Stilton – the only remaining town producer.
Declining sales of speciality cheese in the UK had influenced Arla – a farmer-owned cooperative – to think about closing.
The downturn was impacting prices being paid to Arla’s 2,000 UK farmer owners for their milk.
But staff were given the bad news in June that the Melton site was to cease production of cheese.
Employees continued to produce Stilton for the Christmas market but the dairy is now closed and Arla is exploring the market for buyers.
Fran Ball, VP of production at Arla, told the Melton Times: “Our priority throughout this process has been to support our colleagues affected by the proposals, and we have now completed this consultation that began in August and communicated the outcome with those impacted.
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“We can confirm that we have ceased production of speciality cheese in the UK and closed Arla Melton Mowbray in December 2024, but we remain committed to investing to future-proof UK dairy.”
The site produced cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies until the mid-1960s, when the dairy concentrated on just making Stilton.
It’s closure means Long Clawson Dairy is now the only remaining Leicestershire Stilton producer.
The company’s managing director, Bill Mathieson, told the Melton Times last year that the firm had a 10-year sales growth plan for its speciality cheese.
The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for Stilton cheese requires it to be made in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire to a specific recipe.
Colston Bassett Dairy, Cropwell Bishop Creamery and Shirevale (cropwell Bishop) produce it in Nottinghamshire and Hartington Creamery in Derbyshire.
