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CHEESE! Sheridan's v High Street

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  • 19-01-2021 4:18pm
    #1
    StinkingBishop
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭


    I was looking at the Sheridan's website recently and was surprised at how much more expensive some of their stuff was compared to the high street own-brand offerings from the likes of Lidl, Aldi, and Tesco.

    For example, Tesco have a near-permanent 3 for €10 deal on most of their Finest range. To compare, you could get Langres, Epoisses, and Reblochon in Tesco, and their price relative to Sheridan's would be as follows:-

    Langres (€3.18/100g v €1.85/100g)
    Epoisses (€5.50/100g v €2.66/100g
    Reblochon (€2.90/100g v €1.51/100g)

    I have chosen these as I have had them recently from Tesco and they were all delicious. I was tempted to pick up some from Sheridan's, but at nearly twice the price, is it worth it?

    Does anyone who is a regular customer of Sheridan's reckon that the quality is substantially better than the own-brand stuff? The examples I listed above all have the AOP mark and I couldn't find fault with the flavour.

    The price difference does seem to be wider among the more niche examples, although even with things like gorgonzola, camembert, brie etc. there is still a reasonable difference.

    So what is it, just economies of scale / loss leading on the behalf of the big boys, or is Mr. Sheridan selling the cheese of the Gods?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users Posts: 19,656 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    StinkingBishop wrote: »
    So what is it, just economies of scale / loss leading on the behalf of the big boys, or is Mr. Sheridan selling the cheese of the Gods?

    Pretty much economies of scale I would think. Aldi, Tesco, Lidl each have around 150 stores in Ireland which gives them huge buying power when it comes to negotiating with suppliers. Then they have their UK arms which have thousands of stores and can drive the price of products even lower.

    Sheridans have excellent cheese but their model is different to the main supermarkets. They've a shop on South Anne Street (a very high rent area) where the sales assistant will be a cheese expert who will gladly serve up a free sample on a cracker for tasting and would be able to tell you the name of the cow that the milk came from to make the cheese. Slight exaggeration obviously on the last bit but you get my drift.

    Does twice the price equal twice the taste? Probably not but the majority of their regular customers who buy it week in week out are not price sensitive people, they'll happily pay a premium for the cheese, fancy packaging and the overall experience.

    For me Sheridans cheese is a Christmas and Easter thing, I usually get a cheese hamper from them for these occasions. But otherwise the main supermarkets are perfectly adequate for me year around. AFAIK Sheridans sell some of their cheeses in a few Dunnes Stores in the Dublin area, there should be details of stockists on their website. if you only wanted to try one or two rather than putting in a big online order that might be the way to go.


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    #3
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,322 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    I live on Rathmines. Sheridan’s used to have a small counter in Morton’s. When Dunnes in the Swan Centre refurb’d, a Sheridan’s cheese counter was added (along with Baxter & Grene, James Whelan and - my fave - the Alternative Bread Company.

    The prices in the Morton’s concession were notably higher than the concession in Dunnes and it was ultimately closed (with the Sheridan’s cheese being sold prepacked instead).

    I do not know whether the price was higher due to historical wastage experience or just price inelasticity in relation to some of the customers!


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    #4
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,829 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Sheridans do an incredible sheeps cheese. It's delicious.


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    #5
    Space Dog
    Registered Users Posts: 635 ✭✭✭Space Dog


    awec wrote: »
    Sheridans do an incredible sheeps cheese. It's delicious.

    I love their Young Buck blue cheese, it's the best Stilton I've had.


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    #6
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,322 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    Space Dog wrote: »
    I love their Young Buck blue cheese, it's the best Stilton I've had.

    If Stilton made in Stilton can’t be called Stilton then a Belfast cheese can’t be called that either!


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    #7
    Space Dog
    Registered Users Posts: 635 ✭✭✭Space Dog


    Marcusm wrote: »
    If Stilton made in Stilton can’t be called Stilton then a Belfast cheese can’t be called that either!

    Before I get into legal trouble I better post what the cheese makers have to say:

    "...in the Stilton style - a category that has been dubbed 'Stitchelton' by makers of similar cheeses..."


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    #8
    Heroditas
    Registered Users Posts: 9,498 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    We'd buy cheese from them a lot. Yes they're more expensive but they have a very good variety. For example, in the supermarket if you want cheddar you get mild, normal or mature whereas in Sheridan's they would have a wider variety.
    They'd also be sourcing them from smaller producers rather than the vast manufacturers as others have pointed out so there's also an economy of scale.


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