A new survey has found that many Brits avoid Stilton cheese without ever tasting it, citing its smell and appearance as the main deterrents. The research, commissioned by Clawson Farms, producers of 1912 Artisan Stilton, involved 2,000 adults and revealed that while 90% of Brits love cheese, 39% never venture beyond mild cheddar. This figure rises to 60% among Generation Z.
Gen Z Claims Adventurousness but Avoids Blue Cheese
Despite half of respondents considering themselves adventurous with food, many stick to familiar choices. Gen Z self-identifies as the most adventurous generation, yet 43% have never tried Stilton. Among those who have never sampled blue cheese, 41% blame the smell, 40% find it visually unappealing, 32% dislike the mould element, and 31% think it seems too strong.
Wimbledon Campaign Encourages 'Brave the Blue'
Clawson Farms launched the "Will You Brave The Blue?" campaign at Wimbledon, challenging tennis fans to swap strawberries and cream for strawberries and Stilton. Bill Mathieson, managing director of Clawson Farms, said: "People are incredibly adventurous with food today – they're trying flavours from every corner of the world and actively seeking out bold taste experiences. Yet when it comes to the original British bold flavour of Stilton, many people have already decided they don't like it before they've even tasted it."
Mathieson added: "That's what our campaign, Will You Brave The Blue?, is all about – challenging assumptions, encouraging curiosity and getting people to make up their own minds."
Brits' Cheese Preferences Revealed
The survey also listed Britain's most regularly eaten cheeses: mature cheddar tops the list, followed by mozzarella, mild cheddar, Red Leicester, cream cheese, Parmesan, Brie, Feta, Halloumi, and Stilton. While 51% of respondents said they would try bolder foods like cheese with fruit, only 35% are willing to try Stilton. However, three-quarters agreed that people should try a food at least once before deciding they dislike it.
Mathieson noted: "With our strawberry and Stilton combination, we wanted to challenge perceptions and get people tasting before judging. And it's fair to say many were pleasantly surprised by this food combination. It was great to see many fall in love with a classic – and we hope people try a strawberries and blue cheese combination at home."
