A UK feta cheese producer has slammed a European court ruling that the description can only be used by Greek cheese makers.
John Kerwin, sales director at Shepherds Purse Cheese in Yorkshire, said: “The ruling is absolute lunacy. Feta is not even a Greek word or Greek region.”
Shepherds Purse, which is the country’s only feta producer and makes up to a tonne a week, fears re-branding may cost the company jobs and money.
The ruling is also set to cause turmoil in France and Denmark, where feta is manufactured on a large-scale.
Kerwin attacked the lack of a right of appeal against the decision. “It’s typical of bureaucrats. They are idiots who live in a different world to businesspeople.”
The decision falls under the same law that limits the description “champagne” to the French wine-growing region wine of the same name.
By Tom Bill
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