A NORTH Yorkshire creamery is hoping to become a big cheese in the US after signing a £1m a year deal.

The Wensleydale Creamery, in Hawes, has signed an exclusive export deal with Anco Fine Cheese.

Anco, based in New Jersey, is the largest importer of specialist cheese to the US. Under the deal, worth £1m a year to the creamery, it will be the sole distributor of Real Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese in the US.

It comes after two years in which the creamery, which employs 198 people, has seen sales to the US and Canada increase by nearly 25 per cent.

As part of a major sales offensive in the country, it will also aim to attract the country’s major commercial cheese buyers at an event in Atlanta, Georgia, next month.

Janette Scarth, The Wensleydale Creamery export manager, said: “For a company of Anco’s stature to approach The Wensleydale Creamery directly about becoming a supplier is testament to our culture, which combines excellence and innovation with traditional cheese-making techniques.

“This deal further broadens our business horizons and is good news for our 198 employees and the network of more than 40 local family farms which supply The Wensleydale Creamery with milk.”

Emmanuelle Hofer Louis, Anco Fine Cheese director of marketing, said: “Key factors in our selection of The Wensleydale Creamery as a supplier were its expertise, the provenance and quality of its cheeses, as well as the strength of its brand in the US.

“Anco Fine Cheese also believes that The Wensleydale Creamery securing Protected Designation of Origin status, for Real Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese in the coming months, will add further potency to this agreement.”

As part of the Anco deal, The Wensleydale Creamery will launch Real Yorkshire Wensleydale and Blue Real Yorkshire Wensleydale at The International Dairy Deli Bakery Association trade fair being held in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 7 to 9.

It comes on the back of recent Government data which highlighted that cheese sales abroad have been exceptionally strong in the nine-month period to September 2008 – up 22.3 per cent to £209m.

According to UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), Real Yorkshire Wensleydale, was a star performer.

The creamery is seeking protected food name status for Yorkshire Wensleydale and the submission is currently being processed in Brussels.