Pilgrims Choice facts for kids
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| Industry | Cheese |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | David Hardisty |
| Headquarters | Leek, Staffordshire, England |
| Products | Farmhouse Vintage Extra Mature |
| Owner | Ornua |
Pilgrims Choice is a popular cheese brand that belongs to an Irish company called Ornua. Ornua is a company that sells dairy products from Ireland to many countries. The main office for Pilgrims Choice in the UK is in Leek, Staffordshire, England.
Even though it has a UK identification code, most of the cheese for Pilgrims Choice comes from Ireland. The company sells different kinds of cheddar cheese. These include Mature Cheddar, a lighter Mature Cheddar, and Extra Mature Cheddar.
Contents
The Story of Pilgrims Choice
How It Began
Pilgrims Choice was started in 1985 by David Hardisty. He was also the person who founded a company called North Downs Dairy. In 1997, an Irish company known as the Irish Dairy Board bought Pilgrims Choice.
Growing Popularity
The Pilgrims Choice brand officially launched its pre-packaged cheese in stores in 1999. It came in its special black packaging. One of its cheeses, Pilgrims Choice Farmhouse Vintage Extra Mature, quickly became very popular. It was the fastest-growing West Country farmhouse cheddar brand in Britain. By the year 2000, its sales were more than £20 million.
Fun Partnerships and New Ideas
In 2014, Pilgrims Choice worked with the TV show Britain's Got Talent. They started a campaign called ‘Make The Pilgrims Choice’. This campaign allowed viewers to vote for contestants who did not pass the first auditions. People could visit the company's website to cast their votes.
In September 2020, Ornua announced a new plan for Pilgrims Choice cheese blocks. They decided to use new packaging that would save plastic. This was a step towards being more eco-friendly.
In July 2022, Pilgrims Choice launched a short TV advertisement. These 10-second ads were shown on channels like Food Network, Discovery+, and YouTube. They were made to appeal to people who really enjoy good food.
In October 2022, Ornua announced that Simon Ball became the managing director of Ornua Foods. This means he helps lead the food part of the company.
