Making Tickler
To make sure Tickler is fabulous every time takes skills and dedication of a team of people starting with the farmer.
Our farmers
Only British milk is used to make Tickler and is supplied to us by farmers who are all part-owners of Milk Link. The milk is picked up daily by local tankers and taken to our award winning Taw Valley creamery in North Tawton in the heart of Devon. Tickler is one of the brands made by Milk Link that adds value to our farmers' milk, helping to provide a sustainable future for them.
Tickler Cheese Graders
Our cheese graders are incredibly proud of Tickler. The team take the milk and add a specific set of cultures to it and salt, following a set recipe which is then made into blocks of cheese and left to mature for up to 18 months. Throughout this time, our cheese graders (Colin & Steve) monitor the cheese periodically to ensure that it is good enough quality to be sold as Tickler. They instinctively know whether the cheese is going to develop the flavour profile that is unique to Tickler.
The packaging
Once Tickler has matured sufficiently, it is cut into 200g or 350g wedges and then packed in the distinctive brown paper packaging. Some of the Tickler is cut and packed into larger blocks (2.5kg) which is then sold to deli counters.
The Taw Valley Creamery is part of the Milk Link group of companies. Milk Link is the UK's most progressive integrated dairy business and is entirely owned by 1600 British dairy farmers, the majority of whom are based in the south west of England. All of our members are independently accredited to the Assured Dairy Farm Standard, demonstrating that they produce milk to the highest standards of food safety and animal welfare.