A Note for Cheese Lovers: Why Some French Favourites Are Harder to Find Right Now

If you’ve been searching for some raw milk Brie de Meaux and noticed it missing from our counters lately, you’re not alone. Due to a recent outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in parts of France and Italy, the UK government has temporarily restricted imports of certain raw milk and lightly pasteurised cheeses from these regions.

Let’s be clear from the start: this is not a food safety issue. Lumpy Skin Disease affects cattle, not humans. These measures are simply in place to protect the UK’s dairy herds and prevent the disease from spreading.

Unfortunately, that means raw milk Brie de Meaux and a few other beloved French and Italian cheeses are currently unavailable, and we’ve been told this situation may not improve until 2026.

But here’s the good news:

• We still have a great selection of French cheeses made with pasteurised milk, so many favourites are still available.
• French ewe’s and goat’s milk cheeses are unaffected and arriving as normal.
• We also have plenty of raw milk Comté Réserve, which is tasting especially good right now – rich, nutty and full of flavour.
• For the cheeses we can’t get at the moment, we’ve found excellent alternatives. If you love the creamy depth of Brie de Meaux, try Baron Bigod from Suffolk, a beautiful British Brie-style cheese made with the same care and finesse.
• And this is a lovely chance to discover new favourites from our artisan British and European selection.

Our shelves are still full of joy – from soft, gooey, creamy cheeses to nutty aged ones and delicate goat’s milk treasures. You’ll find plenty to build a cheeseboard to love.

We’ll continue to monitor the situation, but for now, you can browse all our beautiful French cheeses here. 

Thank you for trusting us to bring you the very best. Even when the world of cheese faces challenges, there’s always something delicious to enjoy.

 

The Cheese Lady x