The Maker
At just 25 years old, Ben Hodgson is one of Britain’s youngest cheesemakers, but his vision is anything but small. Driven by his passion for traditional methods, sustainability, and innovation, alongside his team, Ben currently produces the famous Wee Comrie, made with locally sourced ingredients. It ticks all the boxes for anyone who loves a good cheese. No frills, no fancy names, just beautifully crafted, and now cheese lovers can look forward to the return of Lady Mary and Strathearn.
Ben’s passion for cheese started at a young age when he worked at Dollar’s Deli as a shop assistant. He was fascinated by all the different cheeses and started trying as many as possible. This job kick-started his career and from that moment on he knew it would be his life's work. Ben left the deli at 18 and started working at Gleneagles Hotel where he developed a cheese course for the Strathearn Restaurant which went on to be served at a Master Chefs of Great Britain dinner. That was a big moment!
In early 2024, Ben joined Strathearn Cheese, eager to further his cheesemaking career, after the founding owner offered him a position. Six months later, the owner decided to leave the company. Ben, driven by his desire to save the business and his passion for cheesemaking, took over.
Encouraged by Ben's friend and business mentor, Phill Skinazi of Coorie Inn, by April 2025, production began on the acclaimed Wee Comrie. The team quickly went on to produce top quality butter too, and due to popular demand, the beloved Lady Mary is set for a comeback in October 2025. The reintroduction of the whisky-washed Strathearn is planned for early 2026.
Strathearn cheese​
Strathearn Cheese officially began production in January 2016, when founders Pierre Leger and Drew Watson set up their kitchen in the old WWII prisoner-of-war camp at Cultybraggan, near Comrie in Perthshire.
The Strathearn cheese was released to market and went on to win a Gold Medal at the World Cheese Awards in November 2016, just nine months after production began.
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Building on that success, the team developed Wee Comrie in 2017, a soft, bloomy-rind cheese with a rich, buttery texture and delicate flavour. It quickly became their most popular cheese and was named Champion Cheese at the Royal Highland Show in 2022.
Cultybraggan
We’re based at Cultybraggan Camp, just outside the village of Comrie in rural Perthshire. This unique site, built in 1941 as a high-security WWII prisoner-of-war camp, once held some of the most committed German soldiers captured during the war, including members of the SS and Luftwaffe. After the war, it served for decades as a military training centre before being taken into community ownership in 2007.
Today, the camp has found new life as a hub for local producers and small businesses. It’s the perfect setting for what we do.
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Sustainability is important to us, from sourcing local ingredients to sharing deliveries with neighbouring businesses and actively supporting our local community. We also give our leftover whey to local farmers, helping to reduce waste and support sustainable farming practices in the area.
Wherever possible, we work with carbon neutral companies for our packaging to keep our footprint as low as we can.
