A new survey of 2,000 adults reveals that while nine in ten Brits adore cheese, 39% never venture beyond mild cheddar, and two-thirds claim to dislike blue cheese without ever having tasted it. The research, commissioned by Clawson Farms as part of its 'Will You Brave The Blue?' campaign, highlights a reluctance to try bold flavours like Stilton.
Generational Differences in Cheese Adventurousness
Gen Z declared themselves the most adventurous generation when it comes to food, yet they are the least likely to have sampled Stilton. 43% of Gen Z have never tasted blue cheese, compared to older generations. Overall, half of Brits believe they are daring with food, but many stick to familiar options.
Why Brits Avoid Blue Cheese
Among those who have never tried blue cheese, 41% blame its smell, 40% find it visually unappealing, 32% dislike the mould element, and 31% think it seems too strong. Despite this, three-quarters of respondents agree that people should try a food at least once before deciding they don't like it.
Campaign at Wimbledon
Clawson Farms challenged tennis fans at Wimbledon to swap strawberries and cream for strawberries and blue cheese. Bill Mathieson, managing director of Clawson Farms, said: “People are incredibly adventurous with food today... 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.” He added that many were pleasantly surprised by the combination.
Britain's Most Eaten Cheeses
The survey also revealed the top ten most regularly eaten cheeses in Britain: mature cheddar, mozzarella, mild cheddar, Red Leicester, cream cheese (e.g. Philadelphia), Parmesan, Brie, Feta, Halloumi, and Stilton. Stilton is the most eaten blue cheese, followed by Danish blue and Shropshire blue.
Willingness to Try Bold Foods
While 51% of Brits are willing to try bolder foods such as cheese with fruit (51%), sweet and salty combinations (34%), and spicy sauces (33%), only 35% are willing to try Stilton. Mathieson concluded: “With our strawberry and Stilton combination, we wanted to challenge perceptions and get people tasting before judging.”
