Yorkshire Feta's battle with Greeks looks likely to crumble

Speciality Yorkshire cheesemaker Shepherds Purse, the largest producer of sheep's milk feta in the UK, is bracing itself for a costly rebranding exercise following a European Court of Justice battle with the Greeks.

Judy Bell, the md, said she was pessimistic about the outcome of last month's hearing at the court, which will finally determine the success of her three-year battle to retain the feta name on packaging.

Judgement is not expected for several months. "But we have already started developing other products because I don't think there's any sense in Europe and, unfortunately, we have a very effective civil service who will carry out the rules to the letter," said Bell.

Greek producers won protected designation of origin (PDO) status for feta in 2002, giving them exclusive right to use the name. Although Shepherds Purse secured a derogation to carry on marketing the Yorkshire Feta brand until 2007 it continued to argue that feta was a generic term for any fresh sliced sheep's or goat's milk cheese and there- fore could not be owned by any one country.

The company's case was presented by representatives of the Danish and German governments, which are fighting on behalf of feta producers across Europe.

Bell, who launched Shepherds Purse on the back of feta made from sheep's milk in 1987 and now supplies five multiple retailers with the cheese, said it accounted for 15% of turnover and demand was growing. "The problem is finding another name that the consumer will identify with," said Bell. "We have never tried to pull the wool over anyone's eyes -- we've always branded it Yorkshire Feta and distinguished it by dry salting it and coating it in wax. We will find a way around it, but it will be a costly exercise."

At least four other British feta cheesemakers will be affected by the European Court ruling.