Longley Farm fills gap in Sainsbury's cottage cheese supply
Cottage cheese manufacturer Longley Farm has reported a 500% uplift in sales to Sainsbury’s last week after the retailer suffered a major nationwide shortage on all own-label cottage cheese lines.
On Friday, The Grocer reported Sainsbury’s was experiencing a major disruption in supply of its own-label cottage cheese lines, made by First Milk.
Longley usually supplies Longley Farm-branded natural cottage cheese to three Sainsbury’s RDCs, but last week it received two extraordinary orders from Sainsbury’s, which wanted to ensure customers could still buy cottage cheese. This resulted in Longley’s products being temporarily distributed nationally in Sainsbury’s for the first time, boosting Sainsbury’s sales by about 500%, the company said.
Longley Farm now hopes last week’s increase in business with Sainsbury’s will have put it in a good position to gain future Sainsbury’s listings. “We’re rather hoping, they might expand on the range,” said a spokesman. He added last week had shown Longley was capable of servicing a nationwide contract.
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Readers' comments (16)
Ed Sirett | 02 May 2012 12:25
Ocado & local shops also have been out of cottage cheese. What is the story? Has a major producer been affected and by what?
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Mrs. Jacqueline Hulme | 20 May 2012 22:25
I am so pleased to hear I can now get Longley Farm cottage cheese from Sainsbury's, it is the nicest cottage cheese I have ever had, but always find it difficult to get.
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John Evans | 11 Jul 2012 18:37
Sainsbury's own brand cottage cheese was particularly repulsive, even by the very low standards of most UK supermarkets' own brands. I have been looking for a regular supply of the excellent Longley Farm cottage cheese for ages (since Morrisons and ASDA stopped stocking it), and am pleased to be able to get it at Sainsbury's now (although I have noticed that the supply on the shelves of my local store is a bit erratic).
PS -- Any chance of Sainsbury's starting to stock Simmer's MacVita crackers, which have also disappeared from the main outlets since Waitrose and Morrisons stopped stocking them?
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EW | 15 Oct 2012 12:28
Sainsbury's don't seem to be stocking it now (well, our nearest superstore doesn't)! So disappointed! I agree with the above comment - the own brand cottage cheese is disgusting. Nothing comes close to Longley Farm!
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Roxy Loader | 17 Oct 2012 10:17
Sainsburys no longer stock this cottage cheese, they have discontinued it.
Pity it is the only nice cottage cheese on the market
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John Evans | 18 Oct 2012 12:33
Before Sainsbury's discontinued it they increased their prices -- up from £1.15 to £1.20 for the chive and pineapple variants in August, while the plain variety went up from £1.00 to £1.20 per 250g in two stages in the same month, removing the traditional differential between plain and non-plain. Having seen the way ASDA made sharp price increases before they discontinued Longley Farm cottage cheese I was not surprised when Sainsbury's dropped it soon after increasing their prices. Neither of these supermarkets seems to be aware that this is one product that can influence consumers' choice of where to do their shopping.
In a way I am relieved that I no long need to bother going into Sainsbury's, because they have become so bad at keeping their shelves properly stocked these days. It was hilarious to hear the Sainsbury's boss pontificating about Sunday opening hours when so many of his stores are out of stock on many items on most weekdays.
On the subject of why Longley Farm is the only decent cottage cheese on the market (if you can find it), I have a feeling that the rest of the suppliers (mainly of supermarket own brands) have ruined their products by reducing the fat too drastically in what was already a low fat-food compared to full-fat cheeses. The abiding mystery to me is who can bear to eat the tasteless own-brand stuff.
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John Evans | 21 Oct 2012 17:45
A follow-up to my comment on Sainsbury's pricing strategy: I have just checked today's going rates for Longley Farm cottage cheese in a convenience store (my nearest Spar) and found that they are charging £1.12 (plain) and £1.16 (chives) per 250g.
For the record, ASDA were charging 94p for the plain variety before they stopped stocking Longley Farm cottage cheese in 2011, having raised their price from 66p to 94p in early May of that year.
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Lorraine Goodrich | 12 Nov 2012 10:39
This is by far the BEST cottage cheese and for some reason now, my local Sainsbury isn't stocking it any more despite constant requests to get it back.
I am searching EVERYWHERE to buy it as others do't come anywhere near as good.
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Jayne Curtis | 12 Nov 2012 22:00
Yes agree with all of the above, Longley cottage cheese is the best and I would certainly switch supermarket to get it, \havnt seen in my local sainsburies. I will be looking for a local Spar to see if they have some - Medway Kent.The other own brand ones are vile Ive binned several trying to find one as good as Longleys.failing so far. The hunt is on
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John Evans | 14 Nov 2012 11:25
The Spar I am now getting mine from is in Hertfordshire. It has been a stock item there for years.
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