Meet Northampton’s most decorated cheesemaker, running his businesses from a historic town centre site

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Meet Northampton’s most-decorated cheesemaker, who has lost count of the number of awards he has won and runs his business from a historic town centre building.

Steve Reid first established Friars Farm, located at the heart of the town in Foundry Street, 13 years ago. It was more than two years ago when he expanded his offering with another two businesses – The Northampton Cheese Company and The Northampton Charcuterie Company.

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Each are standalone businesses but compliment one another. Friars Farm offers chutneys, sauces and preserves, and the cheeses, meats and charcuterie made by the other two companies go hand in hand.

The Chronicle & Echo was invited to visit Steve at his Foundry Street headquarters. The historic building is shared between a number of people, and Phipps Brewery is his neighbour.

Steve Reid first established Friars Farm, located at the heart of the town in Foundry Street, 13 years ago. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.Steve Reid first established Friars Farm, located at the heart of the town in Foundry Street, 13 years ago. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
Steve Reid first established Friars Farm, located at the heart of the town in Foundry Street, 13 years ago. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.

Steve’s trio of companies has a small and dedicated team who create everything by hand, and that is what makes the products so unique.

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“It’s all small batch and handmade,” said Steve. “Not stuff you can get run of the mill and nothing is artificial. We make all of the meat. Some take six weeks to cure and some take three months. It’s a long process that we can’t rush.”

With different rooms for different products – one for cheese, one for preserves and one for meats – it was an interesting insight into Steve’s world.

It was of utmost importance to the building owner to keep historic aspects in place, and this was clear to see when looking around. With the steel beams and building exterior still intact, it is an asset to the town.

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It was more than two years ago when Steve expanded his offering with another two businesses – The Northampton Cheese Company and The Northampton Charcuterie Company.It was more than two years ago when Steve expanded his offering with another two businesses – The Northampton Cheese Company and The Northampton Charcuterie Company.
It was more than two years ago when Steve expanded his offering with another two businesses – The Northampton Cheese Company and The Northampton Charcuterie Company.

The business owner shared that cheese is selling well at the moment. The blue cheese that he has been perfecting over the past six months has just picked up another award.

Last year, Steve became the first of the county’s cheesemongers to see success at the Melton Mowbray Artisan Cheese Fair – an achievement he is proud of.

The business was also named British Rising Star at the World Charcuterie Awards, having only been beaten by others in Italy and Spain.

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“I’ll take that any day of the week,” said Steve. “When you’re going up against businesses that have been going for many years from around the world, it shows we’re doing something right.”

Friars Farm offers chutneys, sauces and preserves, and the cheeses, meats and charcuterie made by the other two companies go hand in hand.Friars Farm offers chutneys, sauces and preserves, and the cheeses, meats and charcuterie made by the other two companies go hand in hand.
Friars Farm offers chutneys, sauces and preserves, and the cheeses, meats and charcuterie made by the other two companies go hand in hand.

Steve’s products can be purchased from an online shop, as well as from any markets that he attends and from The Artisan Collective Farm Shop in Midsummer Place, Milton Keynes.

Having been open since November last year, Steve and the team closed the Milton Keynes farm shop temporarily for a well-earned rest – but it is set to reopen on August 25 after a remarket with new local products.

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The shop had just three weeks to put everything together, and three days to set up, as it was only meant to be a short-term addition to the shopping centre.

Both the shopping centre owners and Steve are keen for it to continue, and the change around at the farm shop is important to keep things fresh for customers.

The Chronicle & Echo was invited to visit Steve at his Foundry Street headquarters. The historic building is shared between a number of people, and Phipps Brewery is his neighbour.The Chronicle & Echo was invited to visit Steve at his Foundry Street headquarters. The historic building is shared between a number of people, and Phipps Brewery is his neighbour.
The Chronicle & Echo was invited to visit Steve at his Foundry Street headquarters. The historic building is shared between a number of people, and Phipps Brewery is his neighbour.

Steve received feedback from four traders who are stocked in the Milton Keynes store, who were 50 percent down on sales last year and were relying on Christmas sales to get them through.

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Without their products flying off the shelves at The Artisan Collective, their businesses may have been in jeopardy and they would have struggled to survive the first four months of this year.

“At Christmas time we were clearing out the stock of small producers in two weeks,” said Steve. “People want them and the producers can’t keep up, which is a good thing.”

A Northampton version of The Artisan Collective Farm Shop is currently in the pipeline, and Steve says an announcement about what people can expect is not too far away.

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Steve was recently in attendance at a Weetabix Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards event, where his Tongue Taster cheese was announced as an ‘Artisan Local Vegan/Vegetarian Product of the Year’ finalist.

“We’ve been a good supporter of the awards from the beginning,” he said. “It does give you that recognition, as we still get people who don’t know we are here or that our products are around. It encourages others to start making their own too.”

Steve is also very proud that his All Saints Blue cheese was awarded a sought-after and difficult to obtain one star at the Great Taste Awards in recent weeks.

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Many local producers look to Steve and his team to create products for them, including the well-renowned Mee Blueberries and Jeyes of Earls Barton.

Talking candidly about what it is like to be an independent food producer at the moment, Steve said: “I don’t beat around the bush, it’s hard out there. When you go from being home-based to what we do here and employing people, it’s an eye-opener.

“With the way things are in the market, it is always a case of use it or lose it. Money can be tight and we understand that. A lot of businesses won’t survive, and we’ve seen so many close in the last six months.

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“Especially if they are home-based, the cost of power and ingredients has gone through the roof. It’s absolutely ridiculous. We only put our prices up in the last 12 months and we haven’t had to do that in 10 years.”

You can shop products from Friars Farm, The Northampton Cheese Co. and The Northampton Charcuterie Co. from one online store.

For more information and to show your support, visit Steve Reid’s website here.

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