Case Study: Norseland (Ilchester Cheese Company)

Norseland manufactures a range of specialty cheeses under the Ilchester brand. The company developed a Dragons' Den style initiative for students to design and produce their own cheeses, which could ultimately be listed in Tesco.

Community Awards Case Studies -  NorselandStudents researched, designed and presented their cheeses to the 'Dragons' with assistance from employees at Norseland, utilising Norseland's excellent purpose-built NPD centre. The students learnt about sales, marketing, NPD, the benefits of local sourcing and its effects on the local community and environment.

Norseland successfully coordinated the project with Tesco, four local schools and the Somerset Education Business Partnership.

Feedback from the project revealed that the students felt they had benefitted from the initiative, gaining practical experience of working in the industry, and that the teachers would be able to use the information for future food technology classes.

A version of the winning cheese was presented to Tesco, it was identified as having good commercial acceptability and is being ranged nationally from September on Tesco's deli.

Highly commended in the 2009 Community Partnership Awards: Education Category

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More Information

FDF has published a booklet Community Partnership Awards 2009 (pdf, 916kb) featuring a range of company case studies from Community Partnership Award winners.


Last reviewed: 13 Oct 2009