Yorkshire's feta cheese loses 10-year battle to keep name

Yorkshire’s infamous feta cheese has officially been renamed Fine Fettle Yorkshire Cheese by its owners Shepherds Purse.

The re-launch comes after the artisan cheese-maker lost its 10-year battle with the EU Court of Justice in 1995 giving Greek feta cheese Protected Destination of Origin (PDO) status.

The ruling forced the company to change the cheese’s name, despite support from Defra.

Judy Bell, chief executive of Shepherds Purse Cheeses said: “We still feel very strongly that as ‘feta’ is not a geographical area of Greece, we should be allowed to use it as a generic term but the directive left us with no choice but to re-name and re-market our popular Yorkshire Feta.”

She added: “It was a long, hard fought fight, but we are in fine fettle for the future.  I still can’t help feeling that the ruling in favour of Greece simply panders to the whims of one of the newer EU members.” 

The Greek government originally applied for PDO status in 1996.  Shepherds Purse has manufactured Yorkshire feta using 100% locally sourced ewe’s milk since 1987. 

Feta name can only be used by Greek makers, court rules >>

By Emily Manson

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