By An English company that has long been selling its waxcoated mini barrels of cheese directly to European consumers says it can no longer do so because of Brexit, pushing it to consider new investment in France.
Last year The Cheshire Cheese company sold 180,000 pounds 247,000 worth of artisan truckles the traditional name for cheese shaped like a barrel to European Union customers, but Managing Director Simon Spurrell says that is no longer possible.
Thats completely gone. At the moment weve had to just switch that light out, said Spurrell, surrounded by milking cows at the companys creamery near Matlock, northern England.
London and Brussels agreed a lastminute trade deal last December which averted border tariffs, but many companies, particularly smaller ones, have warned that the deal has thrown up new obstacles to trade that are killing business.
Spurrell can no longer sell cheese gift boxes worth around 25 pounds to the EU through his online shop because each consignment needs to be accompanied by a health certificate signed off by a vet that costs 180 pounds per consignment, regardless of size.
The company has therefore put on hold plans for a 1 million pound new distribution centre in Macclesfield, northern England, and is instead considering setting up its own hub in France, where it can still ship on a wholesale basis.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson argued that Britain would be free to trade globally once it had cast off the shackles of the EU and has said…
