TORONTO – In a sandwich, melted over macaroni or on a cracker, nothing beats cheese. All aspects of the product are on display at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair from the cows who produce the milk to the cheese competition to gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches offered in the food court. Prize winner and third time exhibitor Thornloe Cheese is offering samples of its grass-fed mild and medium cheddar and mozzarella in the Northern Ontario Pavilion that promotes agricultural products from Sudbury to the Manitoba border.
"We worked with the Dairy Farmers of Ontario to develop standards for the grass-fed label and we have the first verified cheese product in Canada," says Pamela Hamel, the brand ambassador for Thornloe Cheese. "Our grass-fed cheese has no more than 25% grain in it." Thornloe Cheese has been making quality cheese since 1940 as a farmer-owned enterprise.
Some of the cheeses are named for the north, such as Devil's Rock, a handmade blue that won second place in The Royal's Blue Veined Cheese class. The company also took third for Temiskaming in the Open Class. Devil's Rock was also chosen one of the top three cheeses to commemorate Canada's 150th.
But it is the grass-fed category that is getting the company noticed because "it satisfies consumers looking for more grass-fed products." According to Hamel, as a federal plant, the grass-fed labeled cheese can be marketed across Canada and is in some of the country's finest specialty cheese shops and large chains, such as Longo's in Ontario.
"People are genuinely interested in our products," says Hamel. "They want local, so there's a curiosity about our cheese." She says exposure to such a large market via The Fair is great for her small company.
"The Royal is also a platform for building relationships," Hamel continues. She is talking to one of the food vendors about supplying the cheese for their fast food fare.
By offering samples in her booth, she sells many pounds of cheese at The Royal. Most of the purchases are made as folks leave The Fair so they can snack on curds on the way home or make a grilled cheese when they get back to their own kitchen.
About The Royal:
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is the world's largest combined indoor agricultural and equestrian show. This year, the 95th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair runs November 3 – 12, 2017 at Exhibition Place, Toronto. For competition schedules, live webcasting, results and to purchase tickets, please visit www.royalfair.org.
The Royal is supported in part by the Province of Ontario and City of Toronto.